[3dem] Service FEI Tecnai Polara

Thu Jul 19 07:30:06 PDT 2018

Sacha ... you are hitting exactly the point: we are scientist, not 
business people.

However, in our small world, replacing a fully operational instrument, 
which collects > 6000 images each week enabling near-atomic resolution, 
just because someone is considering to make more profit, does not make 
any sense, both, logically and economically.

As I said, I fully understand that Thermo/FEI can not maintain service 
for parts which are no longer available. However, I am talking about all 
other parts (FEG, HT-tank, electronic boards, chillers), which are still 
supported in a normal F30.

Since we as scientists depend on grant moneys instead of business plans, 
costs and risks are more difficult to calculate. Thus, a trustful and 
reliable relationship to instrument manufactures and vendors are 
important goods. I am not sure whether and how this incorporates into a 
ROI? Oh, I forgot, I am just the customer ....

Imagine that Thermo/FEI (or however bought the company until then) would 
decide to stop all support for the Titan Krios in 5-8 years just because 
some parts in the autoloader or LN2 filling mechanism might not be 
available. The outcry might be louder, because it will affect more 
people worldwide ... It's business, stupid?

@Bob: I would agree (and know from people having no service contract) 
that life without contract in practice will be difficult: It will take 
ages till somebody shows up, and the person will leave as soon as a 
request from a customer with service contract pops up.

I am wondering: Why can manufactures of other high-end equipment (e.g. 
confocal and STED microscopes) offer different levels or service 
contracts including or excluding dedicated parts such as e.g. different 
types of laser, but Thermo can't?

Best,

Thorsten

On 19.07.2018 14:57, Sacha De Carlo wrote:
> I do not represent the opinion of Thermo Fisher, but what you guys are 
> asking doesn't make any business sense. There is no ROI in trying to 
> maintain the old scopes alive. In our consumer society it makes more 
> sense to sell new tools.
>
> Best,
> Sacha
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 2:35 PM, Grassucci, Robert 
> <rg2502 at cumc.columbia.edu <mailto:rg2502 at cumc.columbia.edu>> wrote:
>
>     Hi Thorsten and All,
>     We are going to try and keep our Polara running as long as
>     possible.  Our service contract runs out December 31.  We are
>     looking for other vendors who would service the Polara. I
>     understand there is one in the UK but am not sure if there are any
>     others.  Thermo Fisher says they will do time and materials
>     repairs but we will be at the bottom of the list when it comes to
>     response time.  I agree that a Polara is just a Tecnai F30 with a
>     fancy loader designed by Gatan UK. Perhaps now that they are
>     buying Gatan they will have access to the Cartridge loading system
>     part supply and reevaluate their position?  That would be nice but
>     I do not hold my breath.  Anyone with a Polara found an
>     alternative service company?
>     Bob
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: 3dem [mailto:3dem-bounces at ncmir.ucsd.edu
>     <mailto:3dem-bounces at ncmir.ucsd.edu>] On Behalf Of Thorsten Mielke
>     Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2018 3:38 AM
>     To: 3DEM Mailing List <3dem at ncmir.ucsd.edu
>     <mailto:3dem at ncmir.ucsd.edu>>
>     Subject: [3dem] Service FEI Tecnai Polara
>
>     Hi and to all Polara operators our there:
>
>     as most of you have already heard , Thermo/FEI terminated the
>     service contracts for the Tecnai Polara. The official reason is
>     that they can't guarantee disposability of cryo spare parts inside
>     the Polara. I do see this point, however, beside the cryo transfer
>     mechanism a Polara is a Tecnai F30, which is still supported. I
>     thus find it difficult to understand why it seems to be impossible
>     to e.g. downgrade the service contract from a Polara (inculding
>     cryo parts) to a standard F30 (wihtout cryo parts). This kills
>     running systems which are often not easy to replace with later 300
>     kV scopes e.g. a Titan Krios. I would thus like to ask other
>     Polara users in the field: What are your recent experiences with
>     Thermo/FEI? Will you try to keep your Polara up and running
>     without service contracts. And if so: Any experiences yet with the
>     Thermo/FEI service as costumer without service contract?
>
>     Best,
>
>     Thorsten
>
>
>     --
>     *******************************************
>     Dr. Thorsten Mielke
>     - Head Microscopy & Cryo Electron Microscopy Group -
>
>     Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics Ihnestr. 63-73
>     D-14195 Berlin
>
>     Tel.: +49-(0)30 8413-1644
>     Fax: +49-(0)30 8413-1385
>     E-mail: mielke at molgen.mpg.de <mailto:mielke at molgen.mpg.de>
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> -- 
> Sacha De Carlo, Ph.D.
> Business Development Manager EM
> Phone: +41 56 500 21 00| Direct:+41 56 500 21 
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-- 
*******************************************
Dr. Thorsten Mielke
- Head Microscopy & Cryo Electron Microscopy Group -

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Ihnestr. 63-73
D-14195 Berlin

Tel.: +49-(0)30 8413-1644
Fax: +49-(0)30 8413-1385
E-mail: mielke at molgen.mpg.de

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