Meet the New Microscopes (Quality Magazine)
Meet the New Microscopes
Michelle Bangert
Quality Magazine – September 5, 2013
Today many microscopes can magnify parts in three dimensions, allowing for a more complete view of your part.
Adrianus Pijper, in the South African Journal of Science, called the microscope “man’s noblest, supreme, and most far-reaching tool,” according to the Microscopy Society of America. And this was in 1939, before advancements such as electron microscopes or 3-D technology became available. “In microscopy, as with everything else, things get smaller and we magnify greater,” says Jeffrey McGinn, president and director of instrument sales at McCrone Microscopes & Accessories. Today, these instruments can help quality technicians in industries from medical to aerospace to automotive, and the market now includes the growing area of 3-D technology.
“There are a lot of people that don’t even know that microscopes can image in three dimensions,” says Matt Novak, manager, applications development, data storage optical products at Bruker Nano Surfaces Division.
But as applications require more functionality, 3-D microscopes continue to be in demand.
Julia Des Chenes, senior technical marketing specialist, micro analysis group at Keyence Corp., says that 3-D microscopes have a certain allure. “As soon as people see it, they usually want it,” she says. But that doesn’t mean they necessarily can buy one. It depends if their application justifies the purchase.