For those who have many years of jewelry production, stereo microscope is considered to be a more important tool in the jewelry production process, whether it is jewelry processing or jewelry details of the observation, stereo microscope can play a big role. So, for novice jewelry makers, how to pick a stereo microscope for yourself? In fact, to pick a stereo microscope for their own, need to consider a lot of factors, just by reading an article is not enough. We must break down the stereo microscope into different structures and then explore how to pick the stereo microscope is more appropriate. So today we will first understand, how to choose the right stereo microscope from the light source configuration.
What are the common stereo microscope light source on the market?
Common stereo microscope light source on the market can be divided into three, respectively, LED light source, halogen light source and fluorescent light source. These three light sources have their own advantages, the following is an analysis of their advantages and disadvantages.
1. LED light source
It can be said that most of the three-dimensional microscope on the market are configured with LED light source, LED light source has a lot of advantages, its use of energy consumption is relatively low, the actual service life is better than other light sources. And its adjustable range of brightness is relatively high, you can adjust the light source to the appropriate brightness according to their own needs. Finally, LED light source is suitable for most of the jewelry processing scenarios, such as jewelry inlay, jewelry engraving and jewelry quality inspection.
2. Halogen light source
Halogen light source is closer to natural light, so it is more suitable for observing the luster of various types of gemstones and precious metals. Halogen light far from the release of light is more suitable for which for the color requirements of the scene, such as through the luster of jewelry to determine the authenticity of the time. However, you must know that halogen light sources emit a lot of heat during the actual work, so they are not suitable for prolonged work.
3. Fluorescent light source
One of the characteristics of fluorescent light source is that the light emitted by him is relatively soft, so it can reduce visual fatigue to a certain extent, to support you to carry out long time jewelry processing work. It is important to note that fluorescent light is only suitable for some work situations that require less brightness. For example, you only need to carry out some simple inspection or polishing work on jewelry.
The relationship between the brightness of the light source of the stereo microscope and jewelry making
Jewelry processing is actually a large category, jewelry processing including gem setting, jewelry engraving, jewelry polishing and jewelry inspection. All of these above operational processes have different requirements for light intensity. If you don’t know much about it, I can give you a brief analysis below.
1. High brightness
High brightness light is more suitable for some fine jewelry processing operations. For example, jewelry inlay, jewelry engraving and so on. Why this kind of fine operation for the light requirements are so high? Brightness is higher under the regulation of the light, you are able to see more details and imperfections. In addition, the strong light can reduce the shadow of the operation process, to avoid the blind spot because of insufficient light.
2. Medium brightness
For some work like welding, grinding, they are not so high for the light requirements. Only need the light source provided by the stereo microscope can see the welding point on the jewelry. Moreover, medium light is more suitable for observing those polished jewelry. This is because polished metal surfaces may produce a harsh luminescence after being illuminated by strong light, instead of being suitable for observation.
3. Low brightness
If you just carry out some work that does not require high precision, such as simple inspection of jewelry, or simple polishing, then the lower brightness of the light source is sufficient. Many people may ask, “Isn’t the higher the light the better? No, high intensity light is actually more likely to cause visual fatigue. So, if you are just doing some simple operations, there is no need to buy a stereo microscope with a wide range of adjustment.
The Difference Between Upper and Lower Light Sources
Upper Light Source
Upper light source means that the light source of the microscope is the light source that shines above the object. This type of upper light source is more suitable for observing opaque objects, such as colored gemstones or metals. In fact, an upper light source is more appropriate in jewelry making because most jewelry is colored.
Lower Light Source
Once you understand what an upper light source is, a lower light source is easy to understand. A downlight source is a source of light that shines on an object from below. Lower light sources are better suited for looking at the internal structure of a gemstone.
Combination of Upper and Lower Light Sources
Since there is an upper light source and a lower light source, there must be a stereo microscope that has a combination of light sources on the market. Users can adjust the type of light source according to their needs. If you are a novice and don’t know which type of light source you should choose, then I suggest you can choose the combination type of microscope so that you can choose according to your needs.
Choice of cold light source and hot light source
The light source of a stereo microscope can be divided into two types: cold light source and hot light source. The LED light source mentioned above is actually a cold light source. The characteristic of cold light source actually means that the light source will not emit too much heat, so it is called cold light source. Cold light source is more suitable for some need to work for a long time scene.
Hot light source means that the light source will emit heat in the process of work. Halogen light source is actually a kind of hot light source. Compared with cold light source, the color of hot light source is closer to natural light. However, prolonged use may cause the temperature of the workbench to rise, affecting operation.