Appropriate microscopes for...

electronics technicians

A microscope is very helpful for debugging electronic components and printed circuit boards, or for soldering small components (also SMD). However, it is important to choose the right device. The following criteria are important:

Elektronische Bauteile unter dem Mikroskop

Magnification

A magnification of 10x or 20x is sufficient, also for soldering of small SMD components. This is usually achieved by a combination of 1x objective magnification and a 10x or 20x pair of eyepieces. Especially when working under the microscope, a low magnification is advantageous because a larger field can be viewed at a time. Movements when handling the part or tool are magnified less, so you get a steady image and work is less tiring.

Unfortunately, magnifications of less than 10x can only be achieved with a suitable objective or an additional reducing optics. A low-magnification 5x eyepiece achieves, gives only a slightly larger field of view than a 10x eyepiece, because the maximum possible field of view is limited by the diameter of the eyepiece barrel or prism diameter.

 

 

Working distance

If a stereomicroscope is to be used only for testing purposes, and work with tools (soldering, engraving) is rarely or not at all necessary,  a microscopes with a low working distance of 50-80mm is sufficient, e. g. the Biorit ICD (1x objective can be retrofitted), Erudit ICD or Researcher ICD

The Biorit ICD CS ideally suited for soldering and is equipped with an objective with an especially long working distance. Between the object to be examined and the lower edge of the lens, 230mm are free, so that you can work comfortably with tools. The optics are also better protected against contamination by soldering fumes and spatters of solder. The desk under the microscope is free. The head can be swivelled and tilted in different positions, so that the board can also be viewed diagonally or laterally. The Biorit ICD CS is therefore ideally suited for soldering work or quality control on PCBs.

Lens design

If the microscope is to be used for very different magnifications, a model with zoom is recommended. Depending on the model, magnification usually starts below 10x and can be steplessly increased up to 50x. On the one hand, large components can be viewed and on the other hand, very small details can be observed. The Science ETD-201 has the highest zoom factor (6.25x) and a high working distance (105mm) for microscopes of this type. The resolution of such zoom stereo microscopes reaches down to a few micrometers. Therefore, even very small structures can be observed. With additional lenses, the magnification can be further reduced or increased, which can also influence the working distance. Opticswith factor < 1x (e. g. 0.7x) increase the working distance, optics >1x (e. g. 2.0x) reduce it. 

Camera port

Many users have already switched from looking through the eyepieces themselves to just looking at the monitor. This is much more convenient, especially when working on the microscope for long periods of time and at high magnifications.

However, not all stereo microscopes have a separate camera connection. MicroCams with USB or even HDMI output (depending on the model) can still be used instead of the eyepiece. The microscope image can be easily displayed on a PC or monitor. The MikroCam Pro HDMI cameras (5914180 or 5914185) are especially recommended. The microscope image is displayed at a very high frame rate (60 frames per second) and virtually without delay on a suitable HMDI monitor. A PC or laptop is no longer necessary to operate these cameras. Images and videos can be stored directly on a SD card. The MikroCam PRO HDMI 5MP 5914185 also allows measurements directly from the on-screen menu.

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