Art Conservation

BTS distributes products with a number of different applications for use in art conservation.   Our methods are focused on non-destructive or minimally-destructive techniques to ensure the work of art is maintained in the most pristine condition possible.  Some applications include:

• Micro Support benchtop micromanipulators– Our benchtop systems provide for very precise sampling while ensuring that any modification is not visible to the naked eye.
• Some of the most useful applications with the Micro Support micromanipulator involves the isolation of a very small particle for isolation by another technique (g., FTIR, Raman, or another technique).    This application is described in the Steve’s Solutions article Particle and Defect isolation with a benchtop micromanipulator.
• The Micro Support micromanipulator may also be used to scrape material off a surface.  This technique can be used for precise cleaning of a surface.  This application is described in the Steve’s Solutions article Micro Support Micromanipulator for Separation of Paint Layers in Trace Analysis.
• The Micro Support Axis Pro micromanipulator can be equipped with large-table options for works of art that are larger than the standard sample size used on these systems.
• Micro Support also supplies individual micromanipulators arms. These may be positioned of reticulating arms to precisely approach a large work of art for precise manipulation or cleaning.
• For the molecular characterization of materials, Raman microscopy can often be used for non-destructive testing.  More information on these systems may be found on the SOL Instruments Raman microscopes page.