Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Magnifying Electronics

Printed circuit boards and small electronic parts can be difficult to view under a microscope because most of the components are not on a flat plane. These images were captured with a Meiji EMZ-5TR stereo microscope and a MC2000 digital camera at 15x magnification.

When viewing electronic parts, low magnification is generally best - anything between 5x - 20x is usually all that is required.

Adjusting the focus will allow you to view different focal depths in the undulating surfaces. Another option is to hold the piece in your hand and slowly move it up and down until the focus is crisp. Many technicians do this as they are soldering small pieces.