Electron Microscopy Vacuum Pump Basics

Abstract

The fact that the machinery is “behind the wall” or out of sight may mean that it is not being looked after as well as it should. Do you have a regular schedule to check the vacuum pumps and accessories in your microscopy lab, or do you wait till it fails? Do you keep a service record of the repairs done to your vacuum pumps and the vacuum levels measured after each service? In a department where there are instruments that last ten years or more and the operators and technicians regularly change it makes good sense to keep a record of the vacuum pumps oil changes, service and performance.