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Ford Engineers Using SEM Technology to Investigate Surface Defects

It looks like Ford takes their product developing to a surgical level. We say that after Ford has revealed its cutting edge Scanning Electron Microscope technology. The procedure helps engineers to investigate surface defects beyond the visual scope of the naked human eye or traditional microscopes. For example a human hair measures between 50,000 and 100,000nm or between 0.05 an 0.1 mm. An SEM can examine objects less than 0.000001mm in size.

“We need to investigate possible reasons why a development part may not meet our stringent requirements.In some cases that reason can be the smallest anomalies, something that can be found by using the Scanning Electron Microscope. The machine can magnify a part by up to 200,000 times and make it look quite surreal, but to the trained eye any defects become quickly apparent at these levels of magnification,”
Roger Davis, materials engineering and testing, Ford of Europe, as Ford revealed.

The Scanning Electron Microscope technology works by creating magnified images using electrons rather than light waves, which result in highlighted detailed, three-dimensional representations. Ford engineers can spot the smallest of anomalies by examining parts at this ultra-microscopic level.That electron beam effectively bounces off the face of the sample resulting in reflected electrons that are directed to something similar to a traditional cathode-ray TV screen.

It is on this screen that the often incredible image of the magnified part is created. The final approval comes from the customers who benefit from this painstaking attention to detail. According to Ford, only by looking at development parts so closely can the engineers go that extra step in ensuring the high quality of Ford products.
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