Keyence, Japan, offers the VHX-6000 digital microscope with the capability to view, capture, and measure at magnifications ranging from 20X to 2000X. The instrument combines the lighting techniques of a metallurgical microscope (brightfield) and stereoscope (darkfield) so that optimal lighting can be achieved for any sample. Exact lighting conditions can be saved and recalled later for fast, reproducible imaging.
Dimensional measurements can be made just by clicking the area to be measured with the mouse. Measurement data is stored with the image file for easy information sharing, and results can be exported as a CSV file.
Grain size can be calculated for any sample completely to ASTM standards, and results can be automatically saved or easily exported into a report. The latest software offers quick and automatic analysis that eliminates the need to manually count grains.
Users can also save their workflow for fast and repeatable measurements. The camera captures multiple images at different brightness levels by varying the shutter speed, and then produces an image with a high level of color gradation data. This allows for clear observation of targets with glare or low contrast that would be difficult to image accurately with conventional microscopes. A new algorithm that accurately represents the colors of the target makes observation more similar to that with the naked eye.
