Here is a list of what we use here: - Router, to cut around the suspected area, do NOT cut too close to you suspect area. - Wafering diamond circular saw. To refine the cutting, trim the sample to a size that will fit into your resin mount and get closer to your target area. - Mounting cups and clips, to hold the sample. - Ambient temperature mounting resin, to encapsulate the sample. - Fume hood, needed for other stuff most of the time, but always used to cure the resin. - Grinding wheel, we use Buehler Ecomet IV which is commonly used in the industry, but other suppliers' will do the same thing. Do not overflood plate, do not grind to fast, do not apply too much pressure. Slow and steady is better to keep sample integrity. - Grinding disks, various grit, to grind the sample very close to the target area. Several suppliers available. - Polisher, the grinding wheel can be used for this, but we get definitely better results with the polisher. Final grinding and all polishing is done on this. (We use a couple of Minimet 1000, by Buehler for this. Other suppliers available) - Polishing cloth, Various kind, check with suppliers and relate to actual requirements. - Water soluble diamond polishing suspension, various size, polycrystalline works best, but is more expensive. Suggest using polycrystalline for final polish only. - Inverted Metallographic microscope (50x to 500x, depending on application, maybe 1000x) - Etching solution, if requires, often is. Usually DI water, ammonia and peroxide. - Well documented procedure. - Proper PPE. (Personal Protection Equipment) - Good Steady table or bench. Hope this helps, Alain Savard, B.Sc. Chemical Process Analyst CAE Electronics Ltd. e-mail: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Stokes, Kevin [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Subject: [TN] Cross section and inspection equipment I find myself in the market for some failure analysis equipment. I need to purchase cross section equipment and microscope with digital image capture capability. The equipment will be used to inspect populated boards for the most part. Any recommendations??? Kevin Stokes Senior Reliability Engineer Marconi Communications Company ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ##############################################################