Meiji Microscopes

Meiji Techno Co., Ltd. is the third-largest manufacturer of optical microscopes in Japan. In 1964, Azuma Optics Co., Ltd. was founded as a contract manufacturer of microscopes and quickly established a reputation for high quality and fast delivery. In 1975, the company reformed into Meiji Techno Co., Ltd. and began selling microscopes directly to the public under the name Meiji Techno.

Originally a manufacturer of educational microscopes, Meiji Techno has since extended product lines into the industrial, laboratory, and higher education markets. Meiji products are sold throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas by agents or distributors authorized by Meiji Techno Co., Ltd., or the American subsidiary Meiji Techno America.

Some of Meiji’s product line includes stereo, compound, inverted, metallurgical gemological and video microscopes. It also offers an accessory selection that includes 35mm, video and digital cameras, filters, illuminators and many more options.

For many applications the ability to capture, display, and preserve specimen images is of equal or greater importance than actually viewing the specimen through the eyepieces. Photomicrography (35mm and other chemical formats) has been a common option on microscopes for decades, but the recent development of relatively inexpensive CCD (charged couple device) video and digital cameras has greatly increased both the popularity and flexibility of microscope imaging. Instead of clicking through slides during a lecture, university professors can now display real-time video images on projection televisions; petroleum geologists can e-mail images of core samples to their laboratories from remote locations around the world; oncologists can refer to CD or on-line catalogues of cell images to help them make faster and more accurate diagnoses. Whether your application calls for 35mm, large-format Polaroid, video, or digital imaging, Meiji Techno can provide you with the appropriate microscope and accessories.

Meiji Techno America was incorporated as a subsidiary of Meiji Techno Co., Ltd. in 1986, distributing Meiji Techno products and offering technical assistance to customers throughout the United States, Canada, and South and Central America. Originally located in Woburn, Massachusetts, Meiji Techno America moved to San Jose, California in December of 1991 and more recently expanded to a larger facility in Santa Clara, California as of January 2006.
Over the years, Meiji Techno America has developed a diverse network of over 240 knowledgeable dealers with expertise in many specialized applications.

No matter where you are located or what your requirements are, Meiji Techno has the products and expertise to help you attain your microscopy goals

Author Name: Rowland Brasch: Nationalmicroscope.com

Meiji Microscopes

Cleaning your microscope

Customer often ask what they can do to keep their microscopes clean and in good working condition. Listed below are some questions raised along with our suggestions:

Question: What can I use to clean the lens on my microscope?

Answer: Lens cleaning fluids are the best. Use lens paper if available - the type for reading glasses works well. We suggest not using kleenex-type tissue as it is very "dusty" and will leave a lot of lint on the lens. Make sure the first tissue is wet with lens cleaner in case there are bits of glass from the slides on the lens that scratch it.

2. Question: What do I use to clean the body of the microscope?

Answer: We have tried many products over the years but have found that 409 cleaner seems to do the best job and does not damage the finish. Try not to get it into the bearings on the stage or focus assembly as it will dilute the lubrication.

3. Question: Lint seems to be a real problem on the eyepieces. How do I remove it without always having to use lens cleaner and papers?

Answer: Get some canned air from a computer or office supply store. Spray the compressed air at the eyepieces and that should remove most of the dust. Do not shake the can as you spray because you will cause the propellant in the can to come out of the nozzle and coat the lens. If you do, you will have to use the lens cleaner to remove this coating. Just hold the can still and spray. Remember that a lot of the particles you see on the eyepieces are from your eyes. They are flakes of dead skin that drop off your eyelids every time you blink.

4. Question: It is hard to see through the 40X or the 100X objectives. What could be the problem?

Answer: On most microscopes the 40X and 100X objective's front lens is slightly concave in design. This causes problems when users go to clean the objective. If you only use lens paper and cleaner you will not get to the contamination that has built up in the concave portion of the objective. Our recommendation is to use a soft cotton swab (Q-tip) to clean the objective. First, wet it with lens cleaner and make a soft drilling motion into the concave portion of the front lens. Next, use a dry swab and make the same motion to dry the lens. You may have to perform several repetitions of this procedure to truly clean the lens.

If this does not help then you may have oil inside of the objective itself, and it will either need to be sent to the manufacture for repair or you might have to replace the objective with a new one. The reason the oil penetrates the objective is due to either not cleaning off the oil after usage or leaving the objective in oil on the slide after reading it. Always clean the oil off the objective after each use.

Cleaning your microscope

Microscope Maintenance

Customers often ask what they can do when they have problems with lubrication and focusing problems with their microscopes. Here are a few questions along with our suggestions:
Question: What product should I use to lubricate the bearings on the stage of the microscope?
Answer: Each manufacture has their own line of lubricants they recommend. If you bought everyone for each product it would be extremely expensive. We use a product called Super Lube made by Permatex. It should be available from many stores in your area. We use this product on all brands of microscopes that we service.
Question: My stage seems to slip down out of focus for no reason. What can I do to prevent this?
Answer: There are two main reasons for this problem. Either the tension control is too loose, or the main bearing system in the stage mechanics needs some adjustments.
You, as the microscope user, can adjust the tension control. Many microscopes have focus tension controls attached next to the coarse focus control. This control may be the simple type that you can adjust by just using your hand, or it may take a special tool. On Olympus or Nikon microscopes the adjustment is usually on the right side of the scope as the stage faces the user. It is a thin control knob or disc that is placed between the microscope stand and the coarse focus control. All you have to do is turn this device one way or the other and it will increase or decrease the tension on the coarse focus control knob. This in turn will keep the stage from slipping down. Make sure you are not turning the stage lock control, which is normally on the opposite side of the tension controller. If your microscope takes a special tool to adjust the tension. and you have lost this tool, you will need to contact the microscope manufacture or the company you purchased your microscope from and request the adjustment tool.
If the main bearing system needs adjustment you will should contact a qualified microscope repair technician to do this repair.

Microscope Maintenance

Microscope Immersion oil

As magnification increases on a microscope the correction in refractive index is a requirement for finer resolution and brightness. As the light cone passes through the different layers of glass, sample mounting media and air light tends to bend at different angles. In most cases the sequence of the light leaving the substage condenser is glass (1.515nD), air (1.00nD), glass slide (1.515nD), sample, mounting media, cover slip (1.515nD), into the objective lens which is approximately 1.515nD.

Immersion oil has a refractive index of 1.515nD and is applied to the top of the cover slip and then the tip of the oil immersion objective is then immersed into the drop of oil. This completes the “optical connection”.

The resolution obtained is directly related to the angular aperture (AA), the larger the A.A. having a wider cone with more scattered (oblique) rays. Unless there is a homogenous light path, the most oblique rays are lost to internal reflection inside the glass slide or cover slip. The use of immersion oil permits full use of the resolving power of the objective lens. Immersion oil objectives increase the resolution by approximately fifty percent over dry objectives of equivalent focal length.

The resolving power of an optical system is figured by averaging the numerical aperture (N.A.) value of the objective and the working N.A. of the condenser.

The acid value of immersion oil should be very low. If not then the higher acid content can lead to eventual deterioration of the metal parts of the objective lens or worse yet the dissolving of the cements used to manufacture the lens. This is turn leads to a leakage problem as immersion oil is wicked up into the interior of the lens.

Viscosity of the oil is up to the user. Lower viscosities tend to run and spread all over the microscopes requiring more clean up. Higher viscosities are more practical and not as messy. Very high viscosities are used for instruments that are mounted on slight angles.

When applying immersion oil use only the amount required for the individual slide. Too much oil does not help with the optical performance as much as it requires more clean up. Not enough oil will not allow a good optical contact with the objective.

Which oil is the best? Our choice is Cargille Immersion Oil. It is manufactured with the best materials. Immersion oil must meet the design requirements of older microscopes and become the design criteria for new instruments.

Author Name: Rowland Brasch: Nationalmicroscope.com

Microscope Immersion oil

ATAGO PRM-100a In-Line Refractometer

The successful series of In-line digital refractometers by Atago Company LTD has added a new product, and it is being carried by National Microscope Exchange. The newly released ATAGO PRM-100a digital refractometer has replaced the popular older style PRM-85 and PRM-85SE instruments, which were a mainstay of the company for years. Atago Company is one of the most respected world leaders in manufacture of refractometer products according to National Microscope Exchange President Rowland Brasch.

“The newly designed PRM-100a In-Line refractometer continues on in the tradition of excellent ATAGO products which have made it a world leader in refractometry,” said Brasch. “The new ATAGO-PRM-100a incorporates the accuracy and ease of use found in the less expensive model CM-780N, but adds the features of a higher degree of accuracy along with the capability to measure refractive index as well as brix.”

The new PRM-100a In-Line refractometer has accuracy readings of +/- 0.05% brix and +/- .00010 for refractive index, and has two options for setting the minimum indication decimal place, as well as the ability to set a User-Defined Scale (input via RS-232C). This instrument is easily connected to your system by attaching the unit to a piping system to monitor food or beverage production, pharmaceutical production, industrial fluid, washing devices, dilution/mixing devices, etc. The in-line refractometer will continuously monitor water content and mixing ratio with successive measurements of refractive index, Brix, or concentration.

“ATAGO refractometers such at the PRM-100a are popular with users because of their accuracy and ease of use,” said Brasch. “The PRM-100a In-Line refractometer is more accurate than other ATAGO In-Line refractometers, making it more attractive to users.”

You can learn more about National Microscope Exchange products by visiting www.nationalmicroscope.com or by calling 800-851-7635.

Author Name: Rowland Brasch: Nationalmicroscope.com

ATAGO PRM-100a In-Line Refractometer

Digital Microscope Cameras

The successful line of digital microscope cameras by Vee Gee Scientific has added a new version of its H-Series to its VanGuard microscope accessory line., as carried by National Microscope Exchange. The newly designed VanGuard H-Series digital microscope camera system has replaced the popular older style H-series camera system, which was a mainstay of the company for years. VanGuard is a growing and respected importer of quality microscopes and accessories according to National Microscope Exchange President Rowland Brasch.

“The newly designed H-Series digital microscope camera system continues on in the tradition of excellent VanGuard products which have made it a leader in quality and affordable microscopes,” said Brasch. “The new H-series system incorporates the accuracy and ease of use found in the older style H-series which gives you the digital microscope camera, software, adapters and cables required to connect it to your computer.”

The H-Series digital cameras from VanGuard produce high-definition live images and video for the documentation and archival of clinical, life science, and material science laboratory analysis. With resolution of 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) and the included image capture software suite, the H-Series cameras are a perfect match for nearly any scientific application. Equipped with ½" CMOS image sensors, VanGuard H-Series digital cameras deliver exacting image clarity and color. In addition, H-Series digital cameras come standard with the following features: still & video capture modes, automatic/manual exposure control, manual gamma control, and automatic/manual white balance control.

“Vanguard products such at the H-Series digital microscope camera system are popular with users because of their accuracy and ease of use,” said Brasch. “The H-Series system is more affordable than some of the other products in the digital microscope camera product line, making it more attractive to cost-conscious users.

You can learn more about National Microscope Exchange products by visiting www.nationalmicroscope.com or by calling 800-851-7635.

Digital Microscope Cameras

How Polarized Light Works in a Microscope

By Rowland Brasch

Normal light waves go in every direction. In a polarizing microscope the light waves are managed using two polarizing filters. One is called the analyzer and the other is the polarizer.

One way to understand how to create polarized light is to pass ordinary light, containing light waves that are vibrating in all directions, through thin slots cut in a piece of paper.

If the slots were aligned vertically then only the vertical light waves would pass through while the others would not. The vertical lights coming out of the slots are considered polarized light waves. These light waves in turn then illuminate the sample, usually crystals of some type. After passing through the crystal they are now out-of-sync because they moved at different velocities within the mineral. Once the light waves pass through the analyzer the colorations of the crystal provide identification of such samples.

Good examples of polarizing microscopes would be the Meiji ML9420 or the VanGuard 1242MM.

Most minerals are viewed where these polarizing filters are turned at 90 degree angles to each other. Polarizing microscopes are used to observe minerals and crystal formations. Applications can be in the clinical field for gout, law enforcement for drug analysis, industrial testing and geological applications.

How Polarized Light Works in a Microscope