Enhancing Our Capabilities to Serve You Better
CEP Forensic Acquires a State-of-the-Art SEM!
The benefits of having a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in our laboratory enables us to conduct failure analyses of cases involving materials or mechanical devices. Until recently, we relied on universities for samples that required in depth state-of-the-art equipment for our high-magnification observations. With our new SEM, located in- our Montreal office, we are able to offer even more timely and cost-effective solutions to our clients.
What does this mean for you?
CEP invested in this cutting-edge technology for two main reasons:
- Faster and more cost-effective service: Having this equipment allows our engineers to have immediate access, which means quicker turnaround times for resolving claims, including smaller-scale files. As a result, clients will no longer have to incur additional expenses and see substantial savings.
2. Exclusive Access: As one of the few forensic engineering firms in Canada with enough case volume to justify owning an SEM, CEP is proud to offer this specialized service nationwide. Experts from any of our locations will ship all materials to Montreal and conduct remote examinations.
How does an SEM work?
As the name suggests, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a specialized microscope that uses an electron beam instead of light to observe the sample being studied. This creates detailed black and white contrasting images of the sample that can be magnified by hundreds of thousands of times.
The electron beam avoids the common pitfalls of optical microscopy by reducing the intensity of highlights and shadows that can lead to misinterpretations.
For example, it’s not uncommon to mistake shadowed areas for porosity in a material when viewed under a standard optical microscope. Worse still, because of the optical microscope’s limited magnification, some fine details that can provide additional clues about the cause of a failure, such as manufacturing issues, may go unnoticed.
What are the main benefits of our SEM?
We opted for the elite ThermoFisher’s Axia ChemiSEM, the best available in Canada for forensic investigations.
Here’s a summary of the advantages for SEM analysis at CEP:
- Reduced Costs: No travel or mileage fees;
- Remote Operation: The opportunity for all CEP employees nationwide to operate the device, as well as conducting joint examinations with other involved parties;
- Superior Magnification: Significantly higher magnification compared to an optical microscope (over 100 000X rather than 1000X);
- Greater Depth of Field: The entire image is clear rather than just a small section;
- Advanced chemical analysis: A very large chamber and a highly efficient EDX detector:
- The EDX detector allows for semi-quantitative chemical analysis of the areas of interest. In other words, it could provide a breakdown of the different metals in an alloy (e.g., 62% Cu [copper] and 38% Zn [zinc]). Although these values are less precise than those provided by a dedicated measuring instrument, they give us a good indication of the chemical composition of a part. Additionally, the detector can take these measurements on very small sections, which can be extremely useful in failure analysis (e.g., detecting chlorides on corroded metal parts).
With this acquisition, CEP Forensic not only enhances its technical capabilities but also ensures that our highly qualified experts have access to the best tools needed to deliver exceptional service. If you have questions or would like to learn more about our SEM, please feel free to reach out.