Phenom ParticleX: desktop SEM/EDS for automated high-throughput work

In 2 previous articles, we introduced you to Thermo Scientific’s Phenom desktop SEM and the possibilities offered by the combination of imaging detectors and chemical analysis via the EDS detector.

Today, this combination of SEM imaging and EDS analysis is now open to automation, opening up new possibilities in high-throughput analysis.

With the ParticleX tabletop SEM, Thermo Scientific has combined the Phenom XL desktop SEM with ParticleX software, creating a powerful platform for automated particle search, detection, morphological and chemical analysis and classification.

This Phenom ParticleX is Thermo Fisher Scientific‘s response to the growing demand from a number of manufacturers for an automatable SEM in their laboratories. This trend, from outsourcing to in-house analysis, is growing rapidly.

The advantages, such as the ability to perform automated desktop SEM analysis, the possibility of chemical classification and verification of conformity to specific standards, are obvious. Precise quality control within a controlled timeframe is a prerequisite for today’s production requirements. The Thermo Scientific Phenom ParticleX is a versatile SEM solution for internalizing the SEM analysis required by a company’s laboratory. It delivers fast, accurate and reliable data.

ParticleX is automated and offers sequential analysis of multiple samples, making testing and classification up to 10 times faster. Outsourcing usually takes up to 10 working days, whereas Phenom ParticleX gives you certainty in a day. The system is easy to use and quick to get to grips with, making its use for particle and material analysis accessible to the widest possible audience.

Based on the ParticleX desktop SEM, Thermo Scientific has developed a number of instrument configurations targeting specific fields of application or industrial sectors:

Phenom ParticleX AM desktop SEM

Thermo Scientific’s Phenom ParticleX AM is a versatile benchtop SEM for additive manufacturing, guaranteeing microscopic purity. In particular, it enables you to:

• Monitor critical characteristics of metal powders
• Monitor your additive manufacturing processes
• Identify particle size distributions, individual particle morphology and extraneous particles.

Phenom ParticleX TC desktop SEM

Thermo Scientific’s Phenom ParticleX TC (Technical Cleanliness) is a versatile desktop SEM that measures the technical surface cleanliness of parts.

This parameter appears to be closely linked to the likelihood of part defects, so the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have developed comprehensive standards for characterizing the cleanliness of automotive parts.

Phenom ParticleX Steel desktop SEM

Steel technicians and researchers need scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) data for failure analysis and process improvement.

Thermo Scientific’s Phenom ParticleX Steel is a versatile desktop SEM for automated failure analysis and characterization of non-metallic inclusions in steel.

Phenom ParticleX Battery desktop SEM

In battery production and research, material quality is increasingly critical. For example, small impurities in MN powder can have disastrous effects on the final product.

Effective detection of these contaminants requires high-resolution SEM imaging with chemical EDS analysis. When fully automated, this combination is a powerful tool for powder quality inspection.

Phenom Perception GSR desktop SEM

Gun Shot Residue (GSR) analysis plays an important role in determining whether a firearm has been used in a crime.

Established GSR analysis techniques are based on the use of a SEM, which is used to scan the sample for suspect GSR particles. If a suspect particle is found, an EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) analysis is carried out to identify the elements present in the particle.