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  • 1.  Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-22-2022 11:12
    Dear All,

    Looking for the suitable camera for our Olympus Microscope. We use it to see cross-section image of thermal & cold spray coated sample.  

    Please suggest any good supplier or make if anyone has good contact or experience.  

    Location/Area prefer for service : Akron, Ohio state, USA

    Thank you in advance. 



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    Chirag Raval - (M.Engg. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Specialise in Material Technology)
    Thermal Spray Applications & Know How Technology Transfer
    chirag.ase@gmail.com
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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 2.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-23-2022 08:28
    LECO Corporation is a great source for Olympus metallographic microscopes in the U.S.  They are also the U.S. distributor of Pax-it digital cameras. I suggest you contact their Midwest sales manager, Matt Most at matthew_most@leco.com for more information.

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    David Coulston
    Niles MI
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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 3.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-23-2022 10:45
    Thank you so much Mr. David. Appreciated your response. 

    I'll be get in touch with him.

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    Chirag Raval - (M.Engg. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Specialise in Material Technology)
    Thermal Spray Applications & Know How Technology Transfer
    chirag.ase@gmail.com
    ------------------------------

    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 4.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-23-2022 10:48
    I have used many cameras and measurement systems but I liked  Pax-it. I started with OPTIMA from year 1993 in Laboratory Classes. I don't remember who marketed it. Later on when I needed to buy in my job for Materials Lab, I came across various price ranges from 25k to 30k from brand name companies sold as "Metallographs". Obviously I was turned down. Finally I found Pax it which was 10k and could have been used with the microscope I had back then it was marketed by Leica.
     Currently Leco is marketing Pax-it so it will fit on your Olympus microscope.

    You still can find cheaper products made over seas out there but I would strongly recommend Pax it.

    Pax it comes with two options, camera only and with Measurement Module. Since I was in Thixomolding R&D business, I used the measurement module to calculate percent solids in semisolid materials. I did not have good experience of grainsize measurement because it was very sensitive to sample preparation. To the date, I still do it manually for accuracy.

    Camera only can do linear measurements which can be used for coating thickness measurements after polishing. It is up to your needs how far you want to go with applications. I think as per your email you need only coating thickness measurements and can be done with camera only software. Hope you find it useful,


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    Sanjay Kulkarni
    Materials Engineer
    MSSC
    Troy, MI
    248-840-1056
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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 5.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-23-2022 15:23
    Thank you very much for your response Mr. Sanjay,

    Appreciated your response. Yes we need it to measurement of coating cross-section, coating thickness & porosity measurement analysis. 

    I used Zeiss microscope and camera too in former company. 

    But recently i joined new company in USA & they've Olympus Microscope but camera not working so finding good solution for them here. 

    Kind Regards,
    Chirag Raval  


    ------------------------------
    Chirag Raval - (M.Engg. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Specialise in Material Technology)
    Thermal Spray Applications & Know How Technology Transfer
    chirag.ase@gmail.com
    ------------------------------

    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 6.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-23-2022 15:43
    Hi Chirag,
    Microscopes use a standardized attachment type (thread and focus point distance), referred to as C-mount.  All of the microscope manufacturers use the C-mount standard.  Therefore, all camera manufacturers for microscopes are open to you.

    Some software (like Buehler's Omnimet) is compatible with Windows/Microsoft standards such as WDM and DirectX and so any camera also using these standards works.  So the software can use anything from a webcam, to a pen microscopes.  Most of the microscope manufacturers software works with nothing expect their own cameras.

    Stepwise:
    If you are keeping your current software, check restrictions on camera choice according to the software requirements
    If replacing camera software, you can base your selection on software features, camera features and your own needs and you don't need to be tied to any particular brand as they will all fit on your microscope *see note below*. 
    For spray coatings, looking at porosity analysis and basic measurements such as coating thickness will be needed.  Good contrast and resolution is important.  Very high resolution cameras can reduce dynamic contrast, and so typically I would recommend something around 5-8MP resolution (more resolution than that is wasted, as you hit optical resolution limits - and you can avoid a compromise on speed of display or contrast, as well as managing saved image sizes)

    *note* the camera fitting is an industry standard, but chip size is not.  The light cone from the microscope must be fitted to the chip size of the camera.  The easiest thing to do is to get a new camera with the same chip size as your current one.  If the chip size is different, you may also need to buy a suitable adapter for the microscope, with the right magnification to match the camera.  For example, a 1/2" chip typically needs a 0.5x adapter.  Olympus will be able to advise on the correct adapter (if needed) once you have a camera selected.

    Hope that helps!
    Mike

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    Michael Keeble
    BUEHLER,Buehler a Division of ITW
    Lake Bluff IL
    (847) 393-3645
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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 7.  RE: Suitable camera for Olympus make Microscope

    Posted 08-25-2022 13:59
    Thank you Michael,

    Appreciated your response,

    As we've very old model IX70 of Olympus make microscope & Don't know about the latest software & camera will be suitable or not so thought to check it here get support. So i've got lot of rersponse & option to get in touch with some supplier. 

    So i already make all supplier visit & demo at our facility & check the suitable camera for microscope. 

    Let's see if i can get some. 

    Anyways thanks a lot again to all. 



    ------------------------------
    Chirag Raval - (M.Engg. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Specialise in Material Technology)
    Thermal Spray Applications & Know How Technology Transfer
    chirag.ase@gmail.com
    ------------------------------

    IMAT Conference & Expo