Filter Paper Sample Holder Allows Rapid & Efficient Inspection of Engine Wear

Prior Scientific has announced a new 47 mm filter sample holder for its H101A microscope stage.

Inspection of filters is critical in many industrial processes. This process is vital for fulfilling the requirements of regulations, such as ISO 16232, which covers the characterization and measurement of particulate contamination of the parts, components and assemblies which make up the fluid circuits of motor vehicle combustion engines.

Filter inspection is important in the design and testing of engines, allowing manufacturers to identify the parts of an engine prone to wear by the metal particles caught on 47mm filters. From both a regulatory and manufacturing perspective, accurate imaging of these filter papers is thus essential.

The new 47 mm filter sample holder for Prior H101A stage is the latest addition to the company’s extensive range of microscope sample holders. By automating filtered sample inspection, automotive engine wear testing can now be achieved with increased precision, reduced operator error and enhanced imaging productivity.

The new sample holder fits on the exceptionally precise H101A microscope stage allowing the filter paper to be analyzed faster and with a repeatability of just 0.7 µm. Controlled by Prior’s powerful ProScan® III control system the stage can be easily integrated into an automated imaging system, with the potential to lead to considerable savings in both time and money.

Manufactured from hard anodized aluminum, with a steel plate cover, the durable sample holder is designed to hold 47mm filter papers securely, yet delivers a viewable area of 45.5 mm in diameter, allowing almost the entire surface to be analyzed. Variants which hold three, and variants which hold one, piece of filter paper are available.