Cost-Benefit Analysis of Failure Analysis Services

Research will be limited to:
- Year: 2024-2025
- Techniques: SEM, TEM, FIB (Focused Ion Beam)
- Setting: University vs. Private Lab
- Topic: Hourly Rates/Pricing

Strategy: The goal is to find specific hourly rate data for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) services for the years 2024 and 2025. I need to distinguish between academic (university) rates and commercial (private lab) rates. University rates are often tiered (internal vs. external academic vs. industrial), while private labs typically have a single commercial rate. I will look for published fee schedules from major university core facilities and price lists from commercial testing labs to establish a representative range.
Queries:
- SEM TEM FIB hourly rates university vs commercial lab 2024 2025 price list
- average cost per hour SEM TEM FIB microscopy services 2024 2025 university vs private
- comparison of academic vs industrial rates for electron microscopy services 2024 2025

🔍 Reading and summarizing 5 new websites...

1. BILLING RATES - FY 24/25
2. External Rate Sheet FY24_rev20231016.xlsx
3. Equipment Fees: User Costs
4. Rates
5. Pricelist | Electron Microscopy - Harvard University

Found 5 websites. Summarized content:

BILLING RATES - FY 24/25
Here's a summary of the hourly rates for SEM, TEM, and FIB based on the provided website content for FY 24/25, reflecting a University setting:

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Hourly Rates:

• FESEM (SU8230/Regulus8230):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $175.00
• Variable Pressure SEM (3400, SU6600, SU5000):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $175.00
• Ultra-high resolution (SU9000):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $175.00
• Table Top SEM (TM3000):
  • Internal: $60.50
  • External, Non-profit: $71.50
  • Industry: $140.00

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) Hourly Rates:

• FIB/SEM (NB5000):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $175.00
• FIB/SEM NB5000 Sample lift-out:
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $600.00 (per sample)
• FIB/SEM (NB5000, using cryo-stage):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $400.00

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Hourly Rates:

• TEM (HT7830, H9500):
  • Internal: $71.50
  • External, Non-profit: $82.50
  • Industry: $175.00
• H9500 TEM with heating stage:
  • Internal: $82.50
  • External, Non-profit: $93.50
  • Industry: $325.00

Note:

• "Internal" likely refers to users within the university.
• "External, Non-profit" likely refers to users from other universities or non-profit research institutions.
• "Industry" refers to commercial or for-profit entities.
• The data is sourced from a university's "Electron Imaging & Analytical Services" or "Electron Microscope" facility. Thus, this represents rates at a university setting. There is no mention of private lab rates.

External Rate Sheet FY24_rev20231016.xlsx
Based on the provided "External Rate Sheet FY24_rev20231016.xlsx" website content, here's a summary of the hourly rates for SEM, TEM, and FIB at this particular university, specifically for the year 2024 (FY24):

University Rates (URnano Machines):

• SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope): $160/hour (Internal Rate), $310/hour (External Rate)
• TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope): $160/hour (Internal Rate), $310/hour (External Rate)
• FIB (Focused Ion Beam): $160/hour (Internal Rate), $310/hour (External Rate). This is specified as "FIB Focused Ion Beam used along with SEM."

Important Considerations:

• The rates are listed as "Hourly Rate Rate with Help," suggesting these prices include assistance from facility staff.
• The sheet distinguishes between "Internal" and "External" rates implying two types of users are differentiated. These are the only rates provided for this specific university facility for 2024.
• There is no provided data for private labs, or data for 2025.

Equipment Fees: User Costs
This document from the Indiana University Electron Microscopy Center (IUB-EMC) provides equipment fees effective July 1, 2025. While it doesn't include data from 2024, it provides hourly rates for various microscopy techniques at a university facility, which is relevant to the user's request.

Relevant Information:

• Setting: University (Indiana University)
• Techniques & Pricing (Hourly Fees):
  • TEM:
    • JEOL JEM 1010: Prime hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm): $39.00; Evenings & weekends: $34.00
    • JEOL JEM 1400plus: Prime hours (Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm): $50.00; Evenings & weekends: $43.00
    • JEOL JEM 3200FS: Prime hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm): Ask; Evenings & weekends: Ask
    • JEOL NEOARM: Prime hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm): $88.00; Evenings & weekends: $77.00
    • ThermoFisher Talos Artica Data Collection: All hours: $66.00
  • SEM: ThermoFisher Teneo SEM Use: Prime hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm): $55.00; Evenings & weekends: $50.00
  • Volume Scope: ThermoFisher Teneo VolumeScope Use: Prime working hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm): $39.00; Evenings & weekends: $34.00
• FIB: Not explicitly mentioned. VolumeScope is likely FIB based and may offer some similar data.
• Year: 2025 (effective date - July 1, 2025)
• Commercial Rates: Typically 3x the standard academic research rate.
• Fee-For-Service Work:
  • Staff time: Prime hours: $58 per hour; Non-prime hours: $87 per hour (billed at 1.5x the prime hourly rate).
  • The EMC will provide up to eight hours of fee-for-service work on new projects at no cost other than equipment fees.
• The fee structure is evaluated at the end of each fiscal year (June 30).

Rates
The website provides commercial hourly rates for various microscopy techniques at the University of Oregon's CAMCOR facility for Fiscal Year 2025 (July 2024 - June 2025). It distinguishes between "full-service" rates (with technician) and rates "without technician."

Here's a summary of the relevant techniques and their corresponding hourly rates:

• FIB-SEM (Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope):
  • Full-service: $389.00
  • Without technician: $294.00
• Plasma FIB-SEM (Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope):
  • Full-service: $662.00
  • Without technician: $576.00
• SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope):
  • Full-service: $325.00
  • Without technician: $230.00
  • Low-Variable Pressure SEM
    • Full-service: $378.00
    • Without technician: $283.00
• TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) / S/TEM:
  • Full-service: $420.00
  • Without technician: $325.00

The website only provides rates for services at a university facility. It does not have comparable data for rates at private labs.

Pricelist | Electron Microscopy - Harvard University
This document provides hourly rates for electron microscopy techniques at Harvard University, effective July 2024 billing. It distinguishes between Internal, External (academic and non-profit), and Corporate rates. While it includes SEM and TEM hourly rates, it does not mention FIB.

Here's a summary of the hourly rates for 2024-2025 from Harvard University:

• TEM Tecnai Microscope:
  • Internal: $95/hour
  • External: $135/hour
  • Corporate: $235/hour
• TEM JEOL Microscope:
  • Internal: $95/hour
  • External: $135/hour
  • Corporate: $235/hour
• SEM Hitachi Microscope:
  • Internal: $95/hour
  • External: $135/hour
  • Corporate: $235/hour
• EM Facility Staff Time:
  • Internal: $95/hour
  • External: $135/hour
  • Corporate: $235/hour
• Imaging by Facility Staff:
  • Internal: $190/hour
  • External: $270/hour
  • Corporate: $470/hour
• Sectioning by Facility Staff:
  • Internal: $150/hour
  • External: $220/hour
  • Corporate: $390/hour

There is no information on private lab rates or FIB available in this document.