stereo microscopes for viewing mettalographs

Date 02-15-2007 19:55

Based on our customer requirements, we need to electronically document our magnified weld etchings for their product. Ive been to our customers MetLab many times, and of course they have several stereo microscopes with cameras attached to them for this purpose.
My question is : Can someone lead me to potential suppliers of this type of equipment ?

Thank you in advance

By OBEWAN

Date 02-15-2007 20:45

You can try Buhler, but they are not cheap/

By Mwccwi

Date 02-16-2007 00:51

Try these folks
Diagnostic Instruments
6540 Burroughs
Sterling Heights, MI 48314
(586) 731-6000
I use there Spot Insight camera and software 4.1 with my Nikon SMZ800 Stereoscope and I've been impressing cutomers with images like this and best of all you can out source calibration.

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By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 02-16-2007 15:18

Also try:
Leco Corporation
St. Joseph, MI
WWW.leco.com
We use their complete package, camera, software, and PC.

By cfrancis (**)

Date 02-16-2007 15:59

Thank you all for your help !!!! I will try these folks.

By jerrykroll (**)

Date 02-16-2007 17:06 Edited 02-16-2007 17:16

for small specimens, I simply scan them on my flatbed as jpeg (photos) and use resolution and cropping software, and save them to file.
Magnification and resolution can be nearly as high as you could ever need.

With some heavier, or numerous pieces scanned at one time, I have to "bridge" over the glass, or the scanner will run into some interference due to the flex in the glass plate.

It's amazing how even irregular surfaces will show 3D detail when scanned on a good flat bed scanner !

Also easy to email as attachments, or as part of a report.

Attached is a lower resolution macro of short arc weld on 3/8 plate groove. At high resolution you can easily see lack of fusion of the top right weld to the previous bead !!

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By GRoberts (***)

Date 02-21-2007 20:50

check E-bay. They have some commercial ones for several thousand. There is also a "kids" or "play"microscope that isn't made anymore, but I believe was made by Intel? I've seen them on e-bay as well. You can pick those up for a couple hundred or less. They might go to 200X if that meets your needs. And they hook into a computer.