How to Choose Between Upright and Inverted Metallographic Microscopes
Metallographic microscopes, also known as material microscopes, are mainly used to observe the structure of metallic microstructures. They are divided into upright metallographic microscopes and inverted metallographic microscopes.
The upright metallographic microscope produces an erect image, which brings great convenience for observation and identification. It can analyze and identify metal specimens with a height of 20–30 mm. Conforming to people's daily viewing habits, it is widely applied to transparent, translucent and opaque substances. For observation targets ranging from more than 3 μm to less than 20 μm, such as surface structures and traces on materials including metal ceramics, electronic chips, printed circuits, LCD substrates, thin films, fibers, granular substances and coatings, it delivers excellent imaging performance.
The inverted metallographic microscope adopts optical plane imaging to identify and analyze the microstructure of various metals and alloys. It is an important tool for metallographic research in metal physics. It is widely used in factories and laboratories for casting quality inspection, raw material testing, as well as research and analysis of material metallographic structures after process treatment, providing intuitive analysis results. It serves as key equipment for quality identification and analysis of casting, smelting and heat treatment in mining, metallurgy, manufacturing and mechanical processing industries.
For the inverted metallographic microscope, the observation surface of the specimen faces down and fits the worktable surface. The objective lens is located below the worktable and observes upward. It is not limited by specimen height, and features easy operation, compact structure and an elegant appearance. It has a large base bearing area and a low center of gravity for stable and reliable operation. The eyepiece tilts at 45° relative to the bearing surface for comfortable observation.
