SERVICE & REPAIR
Service & Repairs
GT Vision Microscope Servicing Facility
Our Microscope Servicing Facility is the base for our Microscopy Service Organisation and is fully equipped for the maintenance of microscopes and various accessories associated with microscopy such as stands, camera adapters, controllers and lamphouses.
What is Included in a Microscope Service
- A full optical clean (this will include the eye pieces, objectives and condenser which are removed for inspection and cleaning).
- A full framework clean.
- An inspection of the rack and pinion mechanisms and basic external adjustment where necessary.
- An inspection of the stage, condenser & focus mechanisms and adjustment where necessary.
- A full inspection of the assembled microscope with adjustments and re-alignments made where necessary.
- Finally the unit is tested for image quality using a suitable slide, then identified by sticker that the unit has been serviced and when the next service is due.
- The engineer will report any parts that need to be replaced, regreased, repaired and if the microscope needs more significant cleaning requiring extra time. If minor repairs can be carried out within the allotted service time they will be made without extra charge.
If a lower price is, by necessity, negotiated then obviously the level of service that we are able to provide will diminish.
Microscope Repairs and Overhauls
Some microscopes are in a condition where repairs, replacements, major cleans, regreasing or more significant works are required to bring them to reasonable a state of repair. The cost of this work will be estimated and the price of parts quoted.
Microscope Assessments for Repair
If a microscope is faulty and presented for repair and if the source of the fault requires significant work such as tracing non-obvious electrical faults and disassembly* of the microscope to access the gears for example, a charge will be made for this assessment. Simple and obvious faults are often fixed on the spot with a minimal charge, or no charge at all if part of a service.
We are able to offer a range of services to our customers:
On-Site Microscope Servicing & Repairs
We provide 2 types of on-site visit to your premises to service and/or repair a microscope or accessory:
Scheduled visit
A visit by our engineer when he is next scheduled to be in the area, this is the least expensive option because the cost of travelling and travel time are amortised among other visits.
Unscheduled visit
A special visit by our engineer that falls outside our normal scheduled workplan but can usually be accommodated more quickly. This is naturally more expensive because travelling and travel time costs are not amortised among other visits on the day and other jobs will have to be abandoned in order to respond.
In-House Microscope Servicing & Repairs
As an alternative to on-site visits we are able to receive microscopes and related accessories at our Service Facility. This eliminates all visit charges and certainly makes the servicing of just one or a few small microscopes more economical. However, this introduces a very substantial risk of damage in transit, for this reason we ask that the goods are shipped at our customer’s own expense and risk. Naturally we will endeavour to pack the microscope or part as well as possible for the return journey and there is a small charge for the packing time & materials.
Microscope Service Contracts
GT Vision offer a range of service agreements to customers, these generally include an annual service visit and can include extended warranty on non-consumable, non-wearing microscope parts for GX Microscopes brand microscopes.
*Manufacturer’s Warranty Limitations
It is the responsibility of the customer to determine whether any action of a GT Vision employee is likely to invalidate any warranty on a microscope. GT Vision cannot accept any liability of loss of warranty nor unintentional damage or consequences.
Other Points
Coated Optics: Please advise the engineer at the time of booking the service or requesting a quotation if the eye pieces or objectives have any special coatings on the outer surfaces, as this will dictate the method of cleaning / materials used, longer cleaning procedures may cost a little more.
Attached Cameras: We do not disturb cameras if they are working correctly. However we do remove all external dust / light dirt and carry out an external visual inspection of the camera, the camera adapter assembly and any wires/cables that maybe attached to the unit.
Worn & Defective Parts: Any parts/mechanisms deemed by the engineer to be worn/faulty/defective or having an adverse effect on the performance of the instrument would be brought to the attention of the customer during the course of the visit (if available).
Extra Work & Parts: The cost of replacement parts or indeed any extra work necessary (eg. excessive dirt / immersion oil etc on the unit) is not included in the service price therefore would be subject to an extra cost.
Health & Safety Procedures: Should a customer require certain health and safety regulations to be followed, please advise us of those before the visit commences, extra time taken due to these requirements will be charged for at the on-site hourly rate..
Protective Equipment: Should it be necessary to wear lab coats etc. when on site, please provide on arrival.
Parking & Tolls: Onsite parking is ideally required because our service engineers carry many tools, without on-site parking additional charges may be made to cover travel time.
The customer is asked to advise as to whether or not you are able to provide onsite parking, if not, please advise where the nearest place to park would be and the costs / times involved.
London Congestion Charges and any tolls are added to the service invoice.
Should you not be able to provide onsite parking, we will invoice an extra sum to cover the cost of parking.
City Centre Servicing Surcharge
As we all know it can take a long time to reach a customer by car in a city centre location, therefore a surcharge is made for all customers in city centre locations.
Site Safety
It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that the microscope and its immediate work environment is safe and free of hazards including chemical and biological agent contamination. It is required that the customer notifies us of any hazards when requesting the service or quotation. Our engineers are required to undertake a health and safety assessment prior to the commencement of work. If it is found, in the engineer’s opinion, that it is unsafe to proceed the work will not be undertaken until the hazard has been removed. The cost an of unfinished service or repair visit terminated or delayed will be charged for under these circumstances.
Site Access
It is reasonable to assume that the GT Vision service engineer will be given immediate access to the instrument on arrival, any delays caused by staff absence, no access to site, delays in entering a facility for whatever reason not caused by our engineer will be charged for.
Microscope Service Request
What is Included in a Microscope Service
- A full optical clean (this will include the eye pieces, objectives and condenser which are removed for inspection and cleaning).
- A full framework clean.
- An inspection of the rack and pinion mechanisms and basic external adjustment where necessary.
- An inspection of the stage, condenser & focus mechanisms and adjustment where necessary.
- A full inspection of the assembled microscope with adjustments and re-alignments made where necessary.
- Finally the unit is tested for image quality using a suitable slide, then identified by sticker that the unit has been serviced and when the next service is due.
- The engineer will report any parts that need to be replaced, regreased, repaired and if the microscope needs more significant cleaning requiring extra time. If minor repairs can be carried out within the allotted service time they will be made without extra charge.
- To book a service (or get a quote) please email us: service@gtvision.co.uk
