Microtrac S3500, Operation And Maintenance Manual, Page: 30 / 38

24 Microtrac S3500 Particle Size Analyzer Operation and Maintenance 9/03
4. Maintenance
4.1 Introduction
This section contains information and procedures for routine and corrective maintenance.
4.2 Cleaning Optical Elements
A Microtrac S3500 system operated in a typical office or laboratory environment (non-dusty, non-
corrosive) should require no maintenance on most optical elements. There are some sample materials that
can cause deposits to form inside the sample cell which will require occasional cleaning.
Routine maintenance of optical elements is generally not necessary, except under special circumstances
where materials or the operating environment results in contamination of the components. When
maintenance is necessary it consists of cleaning the optical elements of the S3500 and any surfaces in
contact with sample materials.
Optical elements comprise any element in the path of the laser beam and include lenses, mirrors, prisms
and the sample cell. It is recommended that qualified Microtrac service personnel perform the removal and
cleaning of any mounted optical components.
Cleaning only as necessary helps to ensure continued optimum performance of your S3500. Cleaning
procedures can be performed at intervals that are determined by the amount and severity of S3500 use. If
the SETZERO numbers are within limits, cleaning of the optical sample cell and optics system is not
necessary and not recommended.
SETZERO measurements determine whether background is within acceptable limits. If high background
is not corrected by cleaning the optical elements, contact Microtrac Technical Support. Cleaning the
interior of the sample cell is much more likely to correct a high background condition than cleaning lenses.
It is important to use proper materials for thorough cleaning and to avoid damage to easily scratched
coatings on optical surfaces. Microtrac lens cleaning materials are recommended. Other soft lens tissue
can be substituted if it does not contain silicones. Always use the lens cleaner solution provided in the
accessory kit (see section 5.4) on any and all coated optical components. Water and isopropyl alcohol are
not recommended on optical surfaces. They may be used on the interior of the sample cell, but are not as
effective as the method described below.
Turn S3500 power off before removing any optical element. Optical elements should be removed and
visually examined before cleaning.
Use proper cleaning methods. To clean optical elements, first remove the element, and visually inspect it.
If you find any problems with the element, correct them before continuing with your cleaning effort. After
all problems are corrected, use the appropriate materials and methods to clean the elements.