Olympus Eco-Products: SZX7/SZ61, Stereo Microscopes

Realized light-weight, rigid products and saved resources by adopting structural analysis design.

Major Features as ECO-products

A series of stereo microscopes SZX7/SZ61, were developed based on specific product planning and

development goals based on conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) seeking a slim, compact design

through computer-aided engineering (CAE) that lightened weight and increased rigidity. The

SZX7/SZ61 were the first certified Olympus Eco-products marketed.

SZX7 Galileo Optical

SystemSZ61 Greenough Optical System

Use of Lead-free Glass for Optics

Lead-free glass is used for all types of optical glass such as lenses and prisms.

Structural Analysis Design Realizing Light Weight and High

Rigidity

A rigid light-weight microscope was developed based on the rigidity

analysis of basic components such as the brace and its optimal

design through 3-dimensional (3D) computeraided design (CAD) to

reduce the size and weight and the number of components to save

resources.

Simulation of CAE Frame Structure Analysis

Phase-out of

Adhesives

Improves

Separability and

Disassembly

The use of adhesives

in positioning and

fixing frames for

optical lenses was

discontinued to

improve separability

and make

disassembly easier.

Environmentally Conscious Design of Accessories

White LED lighting unit

A compact incident-light/transparent lighting unit 1) was developed as an example of

electricity-saving accessories using a white LED as the illumination source to cut electricity

consumption to one sixth that of conventional lighting units and to realize a product life 12 times

longer than conventional products.

1) The lighting stand is not certifiable as an Olympus Eco-product.