Using a system called microValidator to monitor instrument health and calibration accuracy for forensic science

Accurate analysis results are always required for cases that have a legal consequence, or where a large scale industrial process is being monitored. This talk will cover the use of a system called “microValidator” which was developed to determine if the microscopy system is set up adequately to achieve consistent and reliable results when working with SEM/EDS, the forensic application automatic gunshot residue (GSR) particle analysis, or with the mining process control operation Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA). The tool is used to automatically validate the performance of user’s systems and test the instrument operation and calibration (Instrument Health) for validation of SEM, EDS and the interface setup between SEM and EDS. This type of SEM/EDS validation procedure should be standard on all microscopes, especially when in-experienced operators are preparing legal reports, or controlling the direction of an automatic mineral processing system.