Microscopy is evolving rapidly, with increasingly advanced systems supporting cutting-edge life science research. Yet ensuring consistent system performance remains a core challenge. As instruments become more complex, effective quality control (QC) of their performance is essential to ensure reproducibility, improve quantitative microscopy, minimize downtime, and support high-throughput workflows.

This topic has been addressed in our earlier blog post, Modern Ways to Monitor Microscope Performance, where we explored a range of built-in and external QC strategies.

To further expand on this topic, Evident has collaborated with Argolight, a French biotech company and leader in fluorescence QC tools, to introduce easy-to-use, high-impact performance assessment solutions into our imaging ecosystem.

The Role of Quality Control in Microscope Performance

Whether you're running a core facility or managing a busy research lab, microscope performance drift can cause inconsistencies and inefficiencies. Routine QC helps:

• Detect misalignments or degradation before they affect results
• Track system performance over time
• Reduce service response time with clear diagnostic info

At Evident, our mission is to deliver reliability and efficiency in imaging workflows. That’s why we’ve developed the Microscope Performance Monitor (MPM)—a built-in QC solution for our flagship FLUOVIEW™ FV5000 confocal laser scanning system. The MPM helps track laser alignment, signal levels, and detector performance over time.

With our latest collaboration with Argolight, we’re expanding these capabilities: users can now perform even more detailed QC checks using Argolight reference slides—not only on laser scanning systems like the FV5000, but also across a broader range of platforms such as our IXplore^™ IX85 spinning disk series.

Collaboration with Argolight: A Smart Way to Assess and Monitor Microscope Performance

Argolight is known for producing high-stability, fluorescence-based reference slides and software designed for long-term QC tracking. The Argo-LM, Argo-HM, and Argo-SIM slides from Argolight can cover the whole range of fluorescence microscopes from widefield to confocal and super-resolution microscopy.

By combining this technology with our imaging platforms, we enable users to:

• Assess key performance metrics (e.g., field uniformity, resolution, flatness of illumination)
• Run automated Argolight slide image import and batch analysis
• Share results with staff for streamlined troubleshooting

Importantly, no sample preparation is needed. The QC slide is always ready to use—perfect for time-critical environments.

^{Argolight slides for QC checks of microscope performance. Image courtesy of Argolight.}

Performance Assessments Across FV5000 and IXplore Systems

The Argolight solution operates as a standalone QC tool that complements many of Evident’s latest hardware and software platforms. Whether users want a quick check before an experiment or a more detailed system assessment, the process is fast, reproducible, and well documented.

Key capabilities include:

• Software analysis of optical parameters
• Quantitative metrics for performance trending
• Customizable reporting and tracking over time

Benefits for Microscope Users and Core Facilities

Evident’s collaboration with Argolight gives access to QC tools and brings tangible benefits to labs of all sizes:

• No prep required: Ready-to-use slides save time
• Faster troubleshooting: Quantitative reports support efficient diagnosis and maintenance planning
• Improved performance tracking: Monitor changes over time or across instruments
• Efficient training: New users can verify system health without complex setup
• Cross-system comparison: Monitor a full microscope fleet with one solution

Ready to Elevate Your Microscope QC Workflow?

Whether you're working on daily operations or managing a multi-user facility, consistent instrument performance is key. The Evident × Argolight collaboration offers robust, scalable quality control for microscope performance—complementing your existing workflow with an independent, ready-to-use performance assessment tool.

To learn more or request a demo, contact your local Evident representative. For more details on Argolight's solutions, reach out here or check out the helpful resources below:

• Argolight New Range of Power Meter with Calibration Slides
• Fluorescent Calibration Slides Now 100% More Intense
• Argolight White Papers