JEOL Probe Users Listserver

Moderator: Ellery Frahm, [log in to unmask],
Electron Microprobe Lab, University of Minnesota

Post a message: send your message to [log in to unmask]

Unsubscribe: send "SIGNOFF PROBEUSERS" to [log in to unmask]

On-line help and FAQ: http://probelab.geo.umn.edu/listserver.html



*

On May 19, 2009, at 6:43 PM, Eric Essene wrote:

> Ritchie,
>    I think it is crazy to have an EMP without EDS.  Does it have BSE?
> cheers,
> eric


Perhaps, but EDS is at least straightforward enough to add as a  
standalone system.  And at least the microprobe will work without EDS  
-- if you have the time, a WDS scan will do the same job than EDS  
will.  Also, if users have done their optical mineralogy first, the  
need for EDS is decreased.

General maintenance and repairs are much bigger issues.  Can you get a  
service contract?  If not, do you have the resources (money or time  
and materials) to replace, say, a stage encoder that goes bad?  Or  
something as simple as a spectrometer belt, which only last 5 or 10  
years?  Without a service contract, you've a much bigger challenge  
ahead of you to care for a 30-year-old instrument.  Think about how  
much money an old car costs for upkeep.

Ellery

-----------------
Ellery Frahm
Manager & Principal Analyst, Electron Microprobe Lab
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Geology & Geophysics
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
http://probelab.geo.umn.edu