The Versatility of Industrial Microscopy: Industries Requiring Microscope Use
Industrial microscopes have long since branched out from the simple stereoscopic microscope to many other microscopy techniques that have long been used in science and have figured in academic science literature. The simple stereoscopic microscope, however, has still not lost its usefulness. Made up of low power objectives, a simple specimen stage, and an external light source, the stereoscopic microscope is used in the classroom, for beginning science students; in the field, for field researchers; and in industry, for quick inspection of circuit boards, among other things.
There are, however, different kinds of industrial microscopes being used. Compound microscopes have more power and offer greater magnification, and can thus be used to look at details on sectioned materials, bacteria or yeasts mounted on slides, or other thin materials such as ultra-light textiles and plastics. Dark field microscopy offers the user a view of bright objects set against a dark background, making for better inspection of microscopic materials that might be destroyed in the presence of light, or that might not be as well resolved. Confocal microscopy looks at various layers of a specimen, and then pieces them all together into a three-dimensional image, which can be advantageous to building engineers and materials scientists.
The Different Industries that Need Microscopes
What are the different industries that may need microscopes? In order to list the different industries that need the help of the microscope in the different stages of research and development, it would help to name the different microscopes that are still being used in industrial laboratories today. The simple stereomicroscopes, despite their low power, can still be used for inspection of certain materials, such as integrated circuits or computer chips – and to judge how strong these materials are. The computer engineering industry and the electrical engineering industry thus need stereoscopic microscopes for inspection purposes.
Stereoscopic microscopes have the added advantage of a long working distance between the lens and the specimen that is being examined. This means that even large objects might be placed on the specimen stage of a stereoscopic microscope, and such objects can be examined in good detail. This is advantageous to vehicle and building engineers. Vehicle engineers can subject materials, such as the wings of an airplane, the door of a car, or the different parts of a motorbike to different environmental stresses. They can then look at parts of these different parts under a stereoscopic microscope in order to see how the specific part reacted to the environmental stress. Building engineers are likewise equipped with the same task: they need to put building materials under microscopes after testing them for reactions to stress.
Compound microscopes can be used to look at smaller, thinner specimens. This means that they can be used by those working in the food industry, such as microbiologists who are doing a bacterial count of bacteria present in certain foods. A compound microscope might also be useful to textile manufacturers who might want to look at very light or thin textiles, to check the integrity of the fibers. The compound microscope may also be used by materials science engineers who may want to check their ultra-light materials, which can be important in making insulated clothing that is not as heavy as it is warm.
How Industrial Microscopes can Make Industry Work Much Better
Some microscopes may also be outfitted with accessories such as cameras, which can better enhance the research and development process. Cameras can allow many researchers to look at the same specimen at the same time, especially if the camera is connected to a television screen on which the researchers may scrutinize the specimen. Cameras can also allow for documentation of the effects of environmental stress on certain materials. This can be important for keeping records on the strength of different solids, so that tests need not be repeated.
Electron microscopes have long been used in both the academe and in industry in order to advance research and allow scientists to better understand the surface or even macromolecular properties of certain materials. For instance, the scanning electron microscope can show off the surface of different important materials, such as metals. Therefore, metallurgical engineers can use a scanning electron microscope to check on the integrity of certain metal alloys, the different fracture points of new alloys, and the macromolecular configuration of certain materials.
These are only a few industries that require the use of industrial microscopes. For more information on what industries need industrial microscopes, do your own research on the different emerging industries and what products they make. As you understand how industrial microscopes affect and improve research and development, you can better appreciate the products that industry makes. Original article
