Metallurgical microscopes are used for metallurgical inspection including metals, ceramics and other materials.  A microscope is an instrument capable of producing a magnified image of a small object.  The most common configurations of metallurgical microscopes are student, benchtop and research.  Student microscopes are the smallest and least expensive type of microscope. They are capable of advanced techniques and documentation even though they are for student use. Benchtop microscopes are used in various industries like textiles and animal husbandry.  Benchtop microscopes can do many techniques but are limited by the amount of techniques they can be used for at one time.  Research microscopes are large, weighing in the range of 30Kg to 50 Kg. This mass is composed of complex optical, mechanical, and electronic systems. They may use multiple cameras, large specimens, and the widest range of simultaneous techniques.