Home page of the microscope service parts, repair and spare parts online catalog - Sermik-Oplatek Mikroskopservice Dresden f.n.n.Z

Description of this part for the microscope.

from a Leitz Dialux microscope. In the last photo in the gallery you can see the microscope stage from which it was removed. However, the manufacturer fitted the same type of mechanical XY microscope stage to many other Leitz microscope models, so this specimen holder is also compatible with models other than the Leitz Dialux.

When determining compatibility and whether this specimen holder can be mounted on a particular mechanical XY microscope stage, the following dimensions are critical:
- distance between the two side locating pins: 81 mm measured from the outer edge of one pin to the outer edge of the other pin
- locating pin diameter: 3 mm each
- therefore, the centre-to-centre distance between the locating pins is 78 mm
- diameter of the central mounting screw: 4 mm
- position of the mounting screw: centred between the two locating pins

If the spacing of the locating pins matches, this specimen holder can also be mounted on microscope stages made by other manufacturers.

Leitz Wetzlar produced specimen holders with fixed stage clips as well as versions with a spring-loaded stage clip. Here I am showing and offering the spring-loaded version.

On the used market and in technical documentation, this microscope part is described using a variety of names. Common terms include:
- specimen holder
- microscope stage specimen holder
- mechanical stage specimen holder
- slide holder
- microscope slide holder
- microscope slide clamp
- spring-loaded specimen holder
- spring-loaded slide holder
- spring-loaded stage clip
- specimen clamp
- specimen carrier
- mechanical stage carrier
- XY stage specimen holder
- specimen holder for mechanical XY microscope stage
- stage holder
- stage clip assembly

The photographs in the gallery show the exact dimensions of the microscope part offered here. In addition, the last photograph includes an arrow indicating exactly which microscope part is being described and where it is mounted on the mechanical XY microscope stage, making identification straightforward. The accompanying video demonstrates the operation of the spring-loaded stage clip.

Description of this part for the microscope.

allowing precise movement of the specimen in both the X and Y axes of the stage plane. The manipulator consists of two coaxial knobs, two independent drive shafts and the fixing elements that attach it to the stage mechanism.

This particular manipulator was removed from a Leitz Dialux microscope. The last photograph in the gallery shows the entire microscope stage from which it was dismounted. The manufacturer also used the same or very similar stages in many other Leitz Wetzlar microscope models, which is why the manipulator may also be compatible with other models from this company.

On the second-hand market and in service documentation one encounters many names referring to this assembly. The most commonly used terms include, among others:
- stage manipulator
- XY stage manipulator
- mechanical stage drive
- stage control knobs
- specimen mover
- coaxial stage drive
- stage drive assembly
- mechanical stage control
- manual XY stage drive
- stage actuator mechanism

Such manipulators very often suffer mechanical damage during transport of the microscope. Because they protrude beyond the outline of the stand, it is precisely they that absorb the impact energy first — in the event of a fall or improper packaging of the instrument.

In many cases it is not the entire manipulator that is damaged, but only one of its components. Most often these are the knobs, the drive shafts, the coaxial sleeves or the fixing elements. For this reason, this database also contains all the most important constituent parts of this (and other) manipulators, offered separately as service elements.

Damage to the manipulator does not make further work with the microscope impossible. The specimen can be moved by hand, or a simple specimen holder without an XY movement mechanism can be fitted. Such a solution works well at low magnifications; however, when working with objectives of magnifications greater than 40x (e.g. 60x, 63x, 80x or 100x), precise manual movement of the specimen becomes very difficult. At total magnifications exceeding about 400x, even a slight movement of the hand shifts the image by a considerable distance within the field of view. The mechanical manipulator enables very smooth, controlled and repeatable movement of the specimen in both axes, which is particularly important during observation with oil immersion and when producing photographic documentation.

The photographs in the gallery show the exact dimensions of the complete manipulator. The last photograph presents the entire microscope stage together with an arrow indicating the mounting location of this element, which makes it possible to identify the offered part unambiguously.