<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span class="">Dear EM mailing lists,<br class=""></span><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We received our new Glacios from Thermo / FEI this summer, and initial commissioning proceeded extremely smoothly, however we have experienced several quite unusual and peculiar issues shortly after beginning user operation which I would like to run past the lists in case anyone has any insight into their possible underlying cause.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Autoloader issue (currently resolved by gripper arm replacement, but severe and of unconfirmed initial cause):</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">While the autoloader had been working perfectly during commissioning, following an initial initialisation error, the autoloader stopped registering clip-rings placed within it. Our facility manager was able to confirm that no grids or clip-rings had been dropped into either the column or autoloader itself, however there was clear mis-alignment (see attached video). We then had a series of more severe failures; the clip-rings were being bent into
U-shapes apparently, although this was not through being pushed into the
cassette, which was my initial assumption, as the dimensions do not
match - some are too large, some too small. There does not appear to be any damage to our cassettes, so maybe the gripper jaws were clamping them down into this
shape, although they should not open wide enough to allow that to the best of my understanding? I am still at a loss as to how this happened, and while it seems
to have been resolved through replacement of the gripper arm by Thermo / FEI, I would like to find out what
went wrong in the first place so that we can be certain it does not recur. I attach images in case they are helpful.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Drift issue (ongoing - intermittent and of variable severity):</div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><font color="#000000" class="">While drift rates during commissioning were effectively zero (consistently below 0.2 Å/s with the stage at rest), w</font>e are now experiencing ongoing image drift <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">which began suddenly shortly after commissioning completed</span>, varies between 1 and 5 Å/s in rate, and is predominantly (but not exclusively) in the X direction, suggesting lens involvement. The drifting issue remains present despite one hour of stage rest. <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Our chiller was purchased from ATC rather than Thermal Exchange as is typical, however </span>extensive monitoring of temperature has implied that both room temperature and chiller water temperature are stable within specification, and performance was admirable during commissioning. The drift appears to increase very distinctively once imaging commences e.g. a drift test begins, as can be seen in the attached drift test image, before plateauing. I have been assured that there has been no change in lens coolant flow / balance since installation, however.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thermo / FEI have been responsive in fixing broken parts, and Paul - our facility manager - has been investigating matters, however we still lack explanations for either <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">underlying</span> issue. Should anybody have experienced similar issues with their own microscopes, or be able to provide probable diagnoses, we would be most grateful to hear from you - </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Best wishes,</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Chris</div><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div class=""><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">#######################################</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""></div><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div class=""></div></div></body></html>