Jul 21 2007
As a leading manufacturer of microscopy systems for industrial quality control, Leica Microsystems will be represented again this year at the international trade fair CONTROL.
All-in-one systems for steel inclusion rating and residual dirt analysis of sensitive components will be the main focus at the Leica booth.
Leica Microsystems will be presenting the further development of its system solution Leica Steel Expert for steel inclusion rating. Consisting of high-end software, the automated inverted industrial microscope Leica DMI5000 M and a highly sensitive digital color camera, the system satisfies all requirements for detecting non-metallic inclusions in modern steel types.
Inclusions are classified and assessed fully automatically on the basis of their color, brightness, shape and arrangement. The measurement data of one or more samples of any size are available to the user as raw data and as results complying with international standards. Leica Steel Expert supports all common international steel inclusion rating standards: ASTM 45 A, D and E, ISO 4967 A and B, DIN 50602 K and M, JK and JIS 0555. On top of this, the software is prepared for the latest steel inclusion rating standard DIN EN 10247, which is exactly defined mathematically and expected to be released in 2007. All assessments are performed during a single measurement and are simultaneously available for comparison purposes.
As well as the fully automatic version with motorized light microscopes, Leica Microsystems also offers a semi-automated version of Steel Expert. Here the user defines the areas of the sample that are to be measured, while the software takes care of the complicated detection and classification of the inclusions. This gives a fast and economical technique for identifying the largest inclusions and fields with highest content of inclusions in steel samples.
For particle analysis, particularly for measurements of residual dirt on components in the automotive industry, Leica Microsystems has produced a further development of its system solution Leica QClean. The software determines the size and quantity of dirt particles on a filter. The application package presented at CONTROL is designed for cleanliness analysis of micromechanic components such as high-pressure injection pumps and brake components, and comprises, besides the dirt analysis software, the automated industrial microscope Leica DM6000 M and a highly sensitive digital color camera. If only large particles are examined, i.e. a lower optical resolution is required, the Leica Z6 APO macroscope with automated cross-stage is the ideal solution.
Leica QClean analyses particle filters according to VDA volume 19 specifications and the ISO 16232 standard. The flexible software can also be easily and quickly adapted to other industrial standards or companies' own quality control requirements. The system is equally suitable for residual dirt analysis of gearings, crankshafts, camshafts or motors, as well as for hydraulic fluids and fuels. Running a special inspection routine, the user can carry out an online check of the measured particles after the measurement. This enables artifacts to be removed if necessary and particles of special interest to be immediately classified with the measurement results or printed. An integrated archiving system enables all data to be stored and traced. Selectable user authorization levels prevent non-authorized measurements and changes to the system parameters.
Visitors to the Leica booth can also experience the unique interactive 3D system for microscopy: the Leica StereoExplorer – a user-friendly, fast, high-resolution system for real 3D visualization without having to wear uncomfortable special glasses. Besides surface imaging, there is also a function for non-contact quantification of surface parameters such as topographical differences, roughness, area or volume. Consisting of a Leica MZ 16A stereomicroscope with motor focus, the integrated stereo camera Leica IC 3D and the application software Leica StereoExplorer, Leica Microsystems offers a professional solution for the reconstruction, documentation, analysis and measurement of three-dimensional surfaces in all areas of science and technology.
http://www.leica-microsystems.com/