Conferences and trade shows

“Strained” Friendship

Dr. Stuart Wright, Senior Scientist EBSD, EDAX

Don’t just read the title of this post and skip to the photos or you might think it is some soap opera drama about strained relations – instead, the title is, once again, my feeble attempt at a punny joke!

I was recently doing a little reference checking and ended up on the website for Microscopy and Microanalysis (the journal, not the conference). On my first glance, I was surprised to see my name in the bottom right corner. Looking closer, I noticed that the paper Matt Nowell, David Field and I wrote way back in 2011 entitled “A Review of Strain Analysis Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction” is apparently the most cited article in Microscopy and Microanalysis. I am pleased that so many readers have found it useful. I remember, at the time, that we were getting a lot of questions about the tools within OIM Analysis™ for characterizing local misorientation and how they relate to strain. It was also a time when HREBSD was really starting to gain some momentum and we were getting a lot of questions on that front as well. So, we thought it would be helpful to write a paper that hopefully would answer some practical questions on using EBSD to characterize strain. From all the citations, it looks as though we actually managed to achieve what we had strived for.

My co-authors on that paper have been great to work with professionally; but I also count them among my closest personal friends. David Field joined Professor Brent Adams’ research group at BYU way back in 1987 if my memory is correct. We both completed master’s degrees at BYU and then followed Brent to Yale in 1988 to do our PhDs together. David then went on to Alcoa and I went to Los Alamos National Lab. Brent convinced David to leave and join the new startup company TSL and I joined about a year later. David left TSL for Washington State University shortly after EDAX purchased TSL.

Before, I joined TSL, Matt Nowell* had joined the company and he has been at TSL/EDAX ever since. Even with all the comings and goings we’ve remained colleagues and friends.

I’ve been richly blessed by both their excellent professional talents and their fun spirited friendship. We’ve worked, traveled and attended conferences together. We’ve played basketball, volleyball and golf together. I must also brag that we formed the core of the soccer team to take on the Seoul National University students after ICOTOM 13 in Seoul. Those who attended ICOTOM 13 may remember that it was held shortly after the 2002 World Cup hosted jointly by Korea and Japan; in which Korea had such a good showing – finishing 4th. A sequel was played at SNU where the students pretty much trounced the rest of the world despite our best efforts 😊. Here are a few snapshots of us with our Korean colleagues at ICOTOM 13 – clearly, we were always snappy dressers!

* Don’t miss Matt’s upcoming webinar: “Applications of High-Speed CMOS Cameras for EBSD Microstructural Analysis”. 

Welcome to Weiterstadt!

Dr. Michaela Schleifer, European Regional Manager, EDAX

The European team had a very exhausting but successful week last week. Some months ago, we discussed the possibility of holding a user meeting at our headquarters in Weiterstadt, Germany. During our stay in Wiesbaden it became a tradition to do at least one user meeting or workshop a year. Because of our move to Weiterstadt and the development of some new structure in the European organization, it took quite some time to plan another user meeting. In spring time, we discussed how to satisfy the different areas in Europe regarding language and also how to transfer information about new technology to our distributors. We finally decided that we should organize 3 different meetings during the week of October 15th. The first two days were for our German speaking customers in Europe, mid-week we invited our distributors and on the last two days we offered a user meeting for our English-speaking customers. There was a lot of organization to be done, like making hotel reservations, preparing presentations, organizing hosting and also booking nice restaurants for the evening events. All of us were a bit nervous about whether everything would work, whether we had forgotten anything important and whether our SEM and system would work properly. The week before the meetings we installed the Velocity™ camera, our new high speed EBSD system in our demo lab and our application people were very happy with the performance and had fun playing around with it.

On Monday October 15th we started our first user meeting in the Weiterstadt office at around 1 pm with customers from the German speaking area. Around 45 participants joined the meeting. At the beginning we gave an overview of our current products and explained that our complete SDD series is using the Amptek modules with Si3N4 windows. Based on some spectra we showed the improved light element performance. After that Felix, one of our application specialists, showed our new user interface APEX™ live and the discussion which arose showed the interest from our users. Although only some users are doing EDS on a TEM we explained a little bit about the differences between EDS on a TEM and on a SEM. We finished the first day with a question and answer session and invited all the participants to a nice location in Darmstadt to have a typical German dinner together.

The next day was completely dominated by EBSD. Our EBSD product manager Matt Nowell, who came from Draper, USA to support us during our meetings, demonstrated the performance of our new Velocity™ EBSD camera. Matt also explained the differences in the camera technology using CCD or CMOS chips and described direct electron detection. It was easy to get more than 3000 indexed points per second while measuring a duplex steel with the Velocity™ camera. Our EBSD application specialist René de Kloe presented a lot of tips and tricks regarding EBSD measurements and analysis of measurement too and did not get tired of answering all the questions. At the end of our program all participants left with a good feeling having learnt a lot and got some good ideas about how to improve their measurements or what they might try to measure on their own samples.

The next day we shortened our program for our distributors and explained our product range and gave live demonstrations of APEX™ software platform and the Velocity™ CMOS EBSD camera. This day was dominated by a lot of discussions with the group and also by questions about our roadmap for 2019.

On Thursday and Friday of this week we did the same program for our English-speaking customers in Europe as we did for the German speaking customers. We had around 15 participants.

During this week we had around 75 customers in our office in Weiterstadt. Each customer was different in his applications and how he uses our systems but what we could observe during the evening was that most of them are very similar in what they like for dinner:

Late on Friday evening the whole European team was very happy that we managed the week with all the meetings and that based on the feedback we got it was a successful week. You may be sure that all of us went home and had a relaxing weekend!

I would like to thank Matt, Rene, Felix, Ana, Arie, Rudolf, Andreas and Paul and especially our customers who gave some interesting presentations about their institutes and the work they are doing there.

Down Memory Lane

Sia Afshari, Global Marketing Manager, EDAX

For years I have been attending the Denver X-ray conference (DXC) and it is hard when it coincides with the Microscopy and Microanalysis Conference (M&M) as it has a few times in the past several years. It is just difficult for me to accept that the overlap is not avoidable!

My interests are twofold, marketing activities where my main responsibility lie, and technical sessions which still pique my curiosity and which are beneficial for future product development. In the past couple of years at M&M, it has been great to attend sessions devoted to the 50 year anniversaries of electron microscopy, technical evolution, and algorithms, where my colleagues have either been the subject of presentations or have given papers. I have had the fortune to meet and, in some cases, to reacquaint with some of the main contributors to the scientific advancement of electron microscopy.

Being at M&M, I have missed the final years of attendance at DXC of the “old-timers” who have retired. These are gentlemen, in the true meaning of the word, whom I have had the honor of knowing for over 30 years and who have been more than generous with their time with me. I recognize most of all their devotion and contribution in advancing x-ray analysis to where it is today. Their absence will be felt especially in the development of methodology and algorithm. As a friend, who was frustrated with the lack of availability of scientists with a deep knowledge in the field, recently put it, “these guys don’t grow on trees.”

Back at M&M this year, I listened to Frank Eggert talking about the “The P/B Method. About 50 Years a Hidden Champion”, and he brought back many memories. I recognized most of his referenced names, and the fact that they are no longer active in the industry! Looked around the room, I saw more people of the same hair color as mine (what is left). I thought about the XRF/XRD guys I used to know and who are also no longer around the industry. The old Pete Seeger song popped up in my mind with a new verse as; “where have all the algorithmic guys gone?”

When the Dust of M&M Settles, It’s Time to Take Stock….

Shawn Wallace, Applications Engineer, EDAX 

Shawn presents our 2nd Lunch & Learn session at M&M 2018.

For an applications engineer, M&M is our biggest and most stressful event. Back to back demos while making sure everything is perfect to truly show off the best you can offer, with presentations and poster thrown in for good measure. There is no real time to reflect during the show, so as the dust settles, I always like to reflect on the year past and the one coming (in our world it seems as though the year really begins and ends in August).

Over the past year, the EDAX EBSD world has seen major changes with the release of the Velocity™ detector. It was well received by our customers, which puts a smile on my face. Over the next year, you guys will have the system to play with and will really learn the power of it, showing that our hard work and time spent has really paid off. There is so much more in the works on the EBSD side that I wish I could tell you about. Stay tuned for that ride. It should be fun and exciting.

Velocity™ EBSD Camera

As for the EDS world, the release of the Elite T was a great group effort with many small changes behind the scenes making big differences to the product, with more to come.
That said, APEX™ still seems to steal the spotlight (sorry Matt!). With features being added quickly to each internal build, we see our customers’ needs being fulfilled one line of code at a time and in time, you will see them too.

EDAX webinar series.

While hardware and software are key, I think that it is just as important to reflect on all the interactions we have at the show with all our customers, partners and friends. It helps me understand what we did right (and wrong) on our journey in the last year. Between workshops, onsite training sessions, and shows, I see customers both at their work sites, seeing what they are working with, and out at a neutral site learning from their colleagues about what’s new in tech or new ways to answer interesting questions. This helps us all to understand your needs and wants, and where we as a community are going and growing.

With that in mind, I am turning this blog back over to you. Where do you see microanalytical technology going in the next year? What application areas do you see expanding? What is the best way for us to disseminate information to you, our users? (webinars, videos, blogs, workshops?) We invite you to Leave a Reply via the link below.

Countdown to M&M…..

Patrick Camus, PhD, Director of Engineering, EDAX

This time of year is, at least in the US, preparation time for the Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) meeting. Like most big shows, every attendee has a significant amount of preparation to perform in the weeks (days?) leading up to their travel date. Most readers of this blog will be platform or poster presenters. You may be under stress to collect that last set of experimental data to fill that last hole in the analysis to finalize your presentation.

Life is not so different for the commercial exhibitors like EDAX. Unknown to the general participants, there are many departments under similar pressures to ensure a productive meeting for all attendees. Engineering is applying the finishing touches to new products. Software Engineering is approving the latest versions of software for release. Marketing Communications is contacting current and prospective customers to attend equipment demos and workshops during the exhibition hours. Marketing is receiving the final graphics of product literature for decorating the booth. Service is scheduling engineers to install all the EDAX microanalysis systems in our booth and those of our electron microscope associates. Applications scientists are finalizing their presentations for the meeting but also for the demos and EDAX workshops to be performed in our booth. Logistics is coordinating the hotels for our employees and shipping our equipment both to and from the venue. About the only employees not under stress before the meeting are Sales who coast now but are under the most stress (or is it strain) during the week of the show.

The exhibitors may seem very relaxed to the visitors during the show, but that image derives from the total effort that they are putting forth now so that you have the best experience possible.

We look forward to seeing all of you in Baltimore, or your next show!

Click here for more information about EDAX at this year’s event.

Looking At A Grain!

Sia Afshari, Global Marketing Manager, EDAX

November seems to be the month when the industry tries to squeeze in as many events as possible before the winter arrives. I have had the opportunity to attend a few events and missed others, however, I want to share with you how much I enjoyed ICOTOM18*!

ICOTOM (International Conference on Texture of Materials) is an international conference held every three years and this year it took place in St. George, Utah, the gateway to Zion National Park.

This was the first time I have ever attended ICOTOM which is, for the most part, a highly technical conference, which deals with the material properties that can be detected and analyzed by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and other diffraction techniques. What stood out to me this year were the depth and degree of technical presentations made at this conference, especially from industry contributors. The presentations were up to date, data driven, and as scientifically sound as any I have ever seen in the past 25 years of attending more than my share of technical conferences.


The industrial adaptation of technology is not new since X-ray diffraction has been utilized for over half a century to evaluate texture properties of crystalline materials. At ICOTOM I was most impressed by the current ‘out of the laboratory’ role of microanalysis, and especially EBSD, for the evaluation of anisotropic materials for quality enhancement.

The embracing of the microanalysis as a tool for product enhancement means that we equipment producers need to develop new and improved systems and software for EBSD applications that will address these industrial requirements. It is essential that all technology providers recognize the evolving market requirements as they develop, so that they can stay relevant and supply current needs. If they can’t do this, then manufacturing entities will find their own solutions!

*In the interests of full disclosure, I should say that EDAX was a sponsor of ICOTOM18 and that my colleagues were part of the organizing committee.

How to Increase Your Materials Characterization Knowledge with EDAX

Sue Arnell, Marketing Communications Manager, EDAX

The EDAX Applications and Product Management teams have been very busy offering free ‘continuing education’ workshops in September and October – with a great global response from our partners and customers.

At the end of September, Applications Specialist Shawn Wallace and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) Product Manager Matt Nowell joined 6 additional speakers at a ‘Short Lecture Workshop for EBSD’, sponsored by EDAX at the Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS) at The Ohio State University. The participants attended sessions ranging from ‘EBSD Introduction and Optimization of Collection Parameters for Advanced Application’ to ‘The Dictionary Approach to EBSD: Advances in Highly-Deformed and Fine-Grained Materials’.

Feedback on this workshop included the following comments, “This was a great learning opportunity after working with my lab’s EDAX systems for a couple of months”; “I like the diversity in the public and the talks.  I was very pleased with the overall structure and outcome”; and “Great! Very helpful.”

Matt Nowell presents at the ‘Short Lecture Workshop for EBSD’ at CEMAS, OSU.

In mid-October, EBSD Applications Specialist, Dr. Rene de Kloe traveled to India for a series of workshops on EBSD at the Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore), the International Advanced Research Center (Hyderabad), and the Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai). Topics discussed at the sessions included:

• Effects of measurement and processing parameters on EBSD
• The application of EBSD to routine material characterization
• Defining resolution in EBSD analysis
• Three Dimensional EBSD analysis – temporal and spatial
• Advanced data averaging tools for improved EDS and EBSD mapping – NPAR™
• Microstructural Imaging using an Electron Backscatter Diffraction Detector – PRIAS™
• Transmission EBSD from low to high resolution

Dr. René de Kloe presents at one of three recent workshops in India.

According to our National Sales Manager in India, Arjun Dalvi, “We conducted this seminar at different sites and I would like to share that the response from all our attendees was very good. They were all eager to get the training from Dr. René and to take part in very interactive Q and A sessions, in which many analysis issues were solved.”

Global Applications Manager Tara Nylese was at the Robert A. Pritzker Science Center in Chicago, IL last week to give a presentation on “Materials Characterization with Microscopy and Microanalysis” for the Illinois Institute of Technology. “In this lecture, we started with a basic introduction to electron microscopy, and then dived deeper into the fundamentals of X-ray microanalysis. We explored both the basics of X-ray excitation, and how to evaluate peaks in an X-ray spectrum. From there, we looked at applied examples such as composition variation in alloys, chemical mapping of components of pharmaceutical tablets, and some fascinating underlying elemental surprises in biological materials.”

Finally, today we have 50 participants at the Geological Museum in Cambridge, MA for a training workshop given by Dr. Jens Rafaelsen and sponsored by Harvard University on “Taking TEAM™ EDS Software to the Next Level” * Presentation topics include:

• Basic operation of the TEAM™ EDS Analysis package
• How to get the most out of TEAM™ EDS Analysis
• Advanced training
• Tips and Tricks using TEAM™ EDS Analysis

Dr. Jens Rafaelsen presents at the Harvard workshop.

Here at EDAX, we are keen to provide our customers, potential customers, and partners with opportunities to improve their knowledge and polish their skills using the techniques, which are central to the EDAX product portfolio.  Our EDS, EBSD, WDS and XRF experts enjoy helping with regular training sessions, webinars, and workshops. If you would like to be included, please check for upcoming webinars, workshops, and training sessions at www.edax.com.

*A video of these workshop sessions will be available from EDAX in the coming weeks.

EDAX China User Meeting in Guiyang 贵阳用户会流水帐

Dr. Sophie Yan, Applications Engineer China, EDAX

EDAX China User Meeting, Guiyang.

EDAX held a China user meeting in Guiyang, Guizhou province in July 2017. We had a wonderful time with over 100 customers and colleagues. The User Meeting was very interesting; the weather is cool in summer; and the activities after the meeting were great fun.. I have several pictures to show the different moments…
Generally, Guiyang is not very popular with Chinese people. In Shanghai, there are luxuries in Huaihai Road and crowds in Nanjing Road; in Beijing, you find the solemn Tiananmen Square and desolate The Great Wall, but in Guiyang, I just had an impression of a poverty-stricken mountain area. Then I met a friend from Guiyang, she also talked about poverty and the mountain area, but she was much more enthusiastic about the region. She said it was warm in winter and cool in summer; she said the mountain and water were so nice. She was a stylish girl, living an exquisite life; but she always wished she could go back to hometown earlier. From then on, Guiyang became a kind of mystery in my mind.
其实我对贵阳思慕已久。
上海上海，是淮海路的名牌南京路的热闹；北京北京，是天安门的庄严长城的苍凉。贵阳，有什么？大山的贫瘠与封闭？直到当年，我碰到一位朋友，来自贵阳。她也说起大山及贫穷，但是她的话里，那里冬暖夏凉，水暖山温。那位朋友，思想前卫，生活精致，心心念念的，却是早日回家。至此，贵阳，在我心里是颇为神秘的所在。
After so many years, when I arrived in Guiyang, the feeling of mystery and novelty disappeared. The airport looks great and the billboard is modern and impressive. It was no different from other places, except that it’s 10 degrees cooler than Shanghai. I shared this image in ‘wechat’ moments, then got a lot of ’likes’.
一念多年。当踏上这个城市的土地，我所以为的一切，新奇，神秘，通通颠覆。这里的机场不小，广告牌也一派摩登气派。和我去过的地方并无多大不同。除了，比起火炉一般的江浙沪低了十度，发在微信朋友圈，引起一片哀号。看看这一张截图，就拉了多少仇恨。

During the conference our VP Mark Grey came and delivered a corporate introduction. Nan Lin from Singapore and local applications showed new product information: EDS, EBSD, XRF, etc.
开会中……VP Mark过来作公司简介，新加坡的林楠以及国内的应用分别作产品介绍……EDS，EBSD，XRF，嗯，分工明确。

Invited speakers shared their research work in the afternoon. Each one generated lively discussion. The EDAX user meeting is not only an opportunity to show EDAX products, it is also a platform for users’ to communicate with each other and discuss current challenges in microanalysis.
下午各位嘉宾给大家作邀请报告……每个报告都引起了热烈的反应，讨论得不亦乐乎……EDAX的用户会不单是一个产品展示的环节，更是一个用户交流的平台……

Speakers at the China User Meeting 2017

Imagine the scenery outside. The weather forecast showed 29 degree(Celsius), but it was cool actually. Green trees and a humid atmosphere made the sultry summer go away.
开会中间例行出来拍照，当时天气预报29度，但是风吹得非常凉爽。分明才是初夏的温度，凉风习习的感觉。加上四周绿树葱茏，空气中的润泽气息，盛夏的酷热，早已远离。

 
The hotel located beside Guanshanhu Park, which was gorgeous.
酒店在观山湖公园旁边，风景如画（图片来自百度，笔者拍照无能……）		 No one was in this corner of the park. Red flowers were quietly in bloom.
傍晚的公园角落寂寂无人，一丛红花在碎石小径上静静盛开。

We went to Huangguoshu waterfall! The white waterfall poured down. I felt the vapor and steam: it was amazing.
当然这次贵阳之行的精妙处不止于此……还有我最为盼望的——黄果树瀑布！如匹练的白色倾泻直下，瀑布脚下水汽氤氲，在近处感受那赫赫声势，大自然的鬼斧神工，实非人力所能及。
Just behind the hill, the water from the waterfall formed a lake, gentle and quiet.
瀑布积水成湖，湖水温柔静谧。水的另一面。

We also experienced the different culture of the local ethnic minority. Terraced fields, bamboo buildings，songs and dance from local people. Attractive.
我们还顺便见识了少数民族的多样文化。梯田，依山而建的竹楼，以及多姿多彩的歌舞。不虚此行。

Finally, we are looking forward to the next user meeting in China!
流水帐完结处，唯愿年年有今日，岁岁有今朝！

Celebrating the 50th Birthday of Microanalysis

Sia Afshari, Global Marketing Manager, EDAX

The Microscopy & Microanalysis (M&M) Conference is celebrating 50 years of microanalysis at this year’s meeting in St. Louis next week. There is an entire session (A18.3) dedicated to the 50-year anniversary and the historical background of microanalysis from several different perspectives.

My colleague, Dr. Patrick Camus will be presenting the history of EDAX in his presentation, “More than 50 Years of Influence on Microanalysis” at this session and this is a must see for everyone who is at all interested in the historical development and advances in microanalysis!

Looking back at some of the images in the field of microscopy and seeing how far we have come from static spectrum collection to the standardless quantification of complex materials makes me wonder (in a good way!), about the future and especially about the technical possibilities in microanalysis.

Figure 1. Nuclear Diodes EDAX System Interfaced to Cambridge Stereoscan Scanning Electron Microscope – circa 1968

Pat will be describing the evolution of the company from Nuclear Diodes (1962) through EDAX International (1972) and purchase by Philips (1974) to acquisition by Ametek in 2001. Many accomplished microanalysts have been part of the EDAX team along the journey and have contributed enormously to the technical development of microanalysis. The advancements which have been made to date and those which will continue in the future would have not been possible without the dedication and hard work of all these pioneers in this field.

Figure 2. EDAX Element Silicon Drift Detector on a Scanning Electron Microscope – 2017.

At EDAX, which happens to be older than 50 years, I have been honored to meet some of the pioneers of microanalysis. I extend my gratitude to all those whose work has made it possible for us to enjoy the level of sophistication achieved today and we hope to continue their innovative tradition!

Please click here for more information on EDAX at M&M 2017.

To Attend, or Not to Attend Trade Shows? That is the Question!

Roger Kerstin – US Sales Manager, EDAX

From the point of view of a regional Sales Manager, for a long time, trade shows were the ultimate way to bring in new customers and reach many of your existing customers all at the same time. However, previously gigantic shows like Pittcon now continue to get smaller and smaller every year. When I attended my first Pittcon in 2000, it was so big that only a few venues in the country could host it. Now it seems that it could be placed anywhere and there is no longer a size issue. With more focus on the internet the trade shows almost seem like they are not needed any longer.

EDAX at AAFS EDAX at TMS

As you see I said almost. I do feel that participation in tradeshows is and will continue to be important for a long time both for vendors/exhibitors and customers/participants. As exhibitors, they allow us to meet with current customers, see new and exciting trends and/or products, and talk to potential new customers. All of this in one place. Yes, it can be expensive to attend these shows all the time, especially the larger ones but let’s just think about the cost in more detail. Let’s think about it from the perspective of the exhibitor. If we get 50 leads from a larger show that maybe costs $25,000. Wow, that’s $500 per lead. If I were to go out and try to visit 50 potential customers it would take weeks and there would be a lot of travel and a lot more expense. I would say that overall we would probably spend more to visit these 50 potential customers across the region and it would take 4-5 times as long. So not only are we spending more money, we are taking valuable time in doing so.

Sometimes I hear that the exhibitors are saying the show is too long, or that it was a waste of money. I can even say that I have said that in the past as well, but if we look at the bigger picture, it really isn’t that bad. At a trade show we not only have attendees that are there to look, learn, and possibly purchase products or services. They are also coming to see us or other companies like ours and we can be passive and not get a lot out of it or we can be nice, friendly, and accessible. If we are the latter, then we potentially can start up a new relationship with a new customer. At some shows we also have a team there that usually wouldn’t be with us on the door-to-door visits. At a show, we may have product support, sales, service and if needed can address all avenues with one meeting. Potential customers have a chance to see new technology advancements at close hand and can even request an individual demo at a given event. To do this elsewhere would be costlier and more time consuming for both us and for our customers.

EDAX with TESCAN at Pittcon 2017 EDAX at M&M 2016

Some of these large shows probably do need to be shortened as it seems at some of them, the last day is a time where the vendors meet vendors and not a lot of customers are coming around, but even on that note it could be beneficial as this is where we make connections with others doing similar things and there could potentially be partnerships or mutually beneficial outcomes. In short, I will continue to support the value of our events and tradeshow attendance – we look forward to seeing you at ‘M&M 2017’!