Thermo Fisher Scientific, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, will host a free, one-day electron microscopy and microanalysis workshop at the University’s Edgbaston campus on 14th October. Designed for engineers, materials scientists, failure analysis specialists and R&D professionals, the workshop will combine expert presentations with practical demonstrations of electron microscopy and complementary analytical techniques.
The event will explore applications across aerospace and defence, metallurgy, advanced materials, geology, mining, clean energy and related industries. It is aimed both at organisations considering electron microscopy for the first time and experienced users looking to expand their materials characterisation capabilities.
The University of Birmingham’s School of Metallurgy and Materials provides an established setting for the workshop, combining materials research expertise with advanced microscopy and microanalysis facilities. Dr Ludwig Schneider, Manager of the Facility for Electron Microscopy, will open the event alongside Thermo Fisher Scientific before attendees move into practical demonstrations using equipment including the Thermo Scientific™ Phenom™ XL Desktop SEM, Apreo™ SEM and Helios™ Laser Hydra PFIB-SEM.
Together, the systems will demonstrate capabilities spanning desktop and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (SEM) through to focused ion beam SEM (FIB-SEM), allowing attendees to see how different levels of analysis can be applied to real materials challenges. Rather than focusing on instrument specifications alone, sessions will demonstrate techniques including energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), large-area correlated imaging, automated particle analysis and mineralogy analysis, alongside advanced imaging and detection.
A breakout session will broaden this further to include X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and post-imaging analysis, demonstrating how complementary techniques can be brought together to investigate material microstructure, chemistry and performance.
“Electron microscopy can answer a huge range of materials questions, but choosing the appropriate technique and understanding how different methods work together is equally important,” said Kiren Kang, Electron Microscopy/ XPS Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“By combining technical presentations with live demonstrations, we want to give attendees a practical view of what these technologies can reveal and how they can be applied to real industrial challenges, from identifying the cause of a component failure to understanding microstructure and developing new materials.”
The programme will also bring together academic and industrial perspectives. Dr Geoff West, Associate Professor at WMG, University of Warwick, will contribute expertise in advanced electron microscopy for the characterisation of steels, advanced alloys and energy materials.
Edward Saunders FIIMMM, Specialist in Failure Investigation at Rolls-Royce, will bring more than 35 years of materials science experience. His work combines fractography and metallography with advanced characterisation techniques to investigate fatigue, corrosion, oxidation and fracture mechanisms in engineering materials and components.
The workshop will also give attendees the opportunity to discuss their own materials characterisation challenges with specialists from Thermo Fisher Scientific, the University of Birmingham and the wider industry. From component failures and particle analysis to coatings, geological materials and new material development, participants can explore which analytical approaches best suit their applications. Through expert insight and hands-on demonstrations, the event will show how electron microscopy and microanalysis can turn complex materials questions into useful engineering information.
The workshop is free to attend, but places are limited. Those interested in attending can register via this link.
Read other recent instrumentation news: https://instrumentation.co.uk/category/news/
