Building upon the success of its VHX series microscope line and following close attention to customer feedback, Keyence has unveiled a new model that is easy-to-use yet offers much improved imaging with substantial time and cost saving benefits. Several technology advances offer the ability to view, capture and measure in just one device - with straightforward operation from novice to advanced users alike.
The VHX-6000 digital microscope features the company's new adaptive multi-lighting function with its VH-ZST lens, which features a 20x to 2000x magnification range. With no need for time-consuming sample repositioning, the direction and level of light is optimised as users simply move a digital flashlight icon around the screen for perfect illumination. By saving all the data with the image, this practical and time-saving function can even be applied after the image has been captured and saved to any compatible PC running VHX-6000 software - allowing users the ability to re-interpret images at any time, and importantly, at any location. Adaptive multi-lighting is complemented by the VHX-6000’s real time depth composition technology, which harnesses the microscope’s high frame rate camera and advanced graphics engine to rapidly scan through the focal range of a sample and build a fully focused image within seconds. This one-touch process is easily repeated over the complete sample area utilising the motorised stage. Furthermore, a simultaneous 3D image may also be captured allowing even greater inspection flexibility. These two major features combine with high dynamic range (HDR) imaging to provide optimally illuminated high definition images with far more visual information than convention focussing systems - reducing potential inspection errors and greatly improving quality analysis.
Large area image observation at high magnification is now made possible with an image stitching algorithm that can synchronise positional information from the motorised XY stage to automatically move and stitch together adjacent images measuring up to 20000 × 20000 pixels. A navigation function greatly simplifies large surface area analysis at high magnification by providing a full screen image of the overall area with an inset macro image to instantly see the current field-of-view – one-click re-positions the stage to any desired location. A large area 3D image stitching feature captures height data across an entire surface to combine it into a single stitched image that can help users to understand and measure profile changes. Keyence’s image stitching technology is also available using the motorised Z-axis for large vertical structure imaging and measurement.
The HDR feature adds the ability to capture multiple images at varying shutter speeds to enable high-contrast enhanced colour imaging whilst a ‘fine-shot’ feature can remove aberration characteristics for known lenses to produce even sharper images. One-touch ‘ring-reflection removal’ eliminates glare and unwanted reflections at the surface of image for clearer observation, and a 16-bit HDR Plus algorithm further improves image detail and natural colour reproduction.
