|
ramé-hart instrument co. November 2012 Newsletter |
| Hurricane Sandy |
|
We wish to thank the many customers and
friends who have extended their concern for and patience with us this past
week as we have dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Our
facility in Succasunna was in the direct path of the record-setting
tropical cyclone which reeked havoc on millions in New
Jersey and along the eastern seaboard of the United States. We are
grateful to be back in business with all utilities fully restored to our
facility and with no significant damage to our building. We are also
pleased to report that all orders currently in production are on or
ahead of schedule and no orders have been delayed as a result of this
weather-related interruption. |
| New Product Announcement: Overhead Optical Imaging Kit (p/n 100-31) |
|
It's not everyday that we announce a
revolutionary new product which measures contact angle using a
revolutionary new approach. But today is one such day. First the background: It seems there are two particularly vexing conditions which make measuring contact angle using the conventional profile view method a challenge. The first is hydrophilic surfaces. When the contact angle is below 5 to 10° it becomes difficult to reliably and repeatedly measure the contact angle. The baseline (three-phase line) can be difficult to properly locate. The drop can evaporate rapidly. And lack of optical clarity at the contact angle vertex can lead to ambiguity and difficulty in measurement. The second challenge is measuring the contact angle of a surface which is below surrounding topography making the conventional profile view impossible due to the lack of a clear line of sight between the camera and the illuminator. To overcome both of these conditions - low contact angle and below grade surfaces - we have developed a novel approach which involves taking a picture not of the profile view from the side but from the top view. From the top, we can measure the diameter of the three-phase line. Then, knowing also the precise drop volume, we can calculate the contact angle. In an effort to dispense precisely, we recommend the Automated Dispensing System which can have a step volume as small as 0.02µL. The video below (http://youtu.be/5XDVUsGwP6Y) shows how the diameter of the three-phase line is captured from the top view with the Overhead Optical Imaging Kit (p/n 100-31) installed on a Model 250 with DROPimage Advanced. After the diameter is measured, the drop volume is specified and then the contact angle is calculated and logged in the Contact Angle tool.
The Overhead Optical Imaging Kit consists of an alternate illuminator fixture which easily mounts to the camera post. A fiber optic bundle transfers cold but bright and adjustable halogen light onto the specimen stage. A sliding optical reflector mounts on a fixture which easily attaches to the standard ramé-hart leveling stage as shown below. The installation and setup is very simple and the kit can be easily installed and then removed to facilitate quickly switching between the traditional profile view method and the overhead method.
The overhead kit is available as an option with any new instrument that includes DROPimage Advanced. The kit can also be added to any existing current-generation instrument which has DROPimage Advanced v2.x. A software upgrade is included in the kit which enables the overhead method to work on existing current-generation instruments. For more information, including a downloadable PDF brochure, please visit this location: http://www.ramehart.com/accessories.htm#100-31.
If you are interested in purchasing the
Overhead Optical Imaging Kit for a new or existing ramé-hart instrument,
please
contact
us for a quotation and answers to any questions you may have.
|
|
Regards,
Carl Clegg |
