COMPANY SEVEN'S QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAMS

Company Seven's staff will be your primary source of information regarding products and prices, estimated delivery dates and the status of your order for those orders placed directly with Company Seven. Your support makes resources such as this Internet Site possible. If we can be of assistance to you in any way, please call or send Email to Company Seven.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Company Seven is the only Orion retailer in North America who has the technological resources of experienced personnel and equipment to perform as detailed a survey of each instrument (aside from telescopes specifically marketed in kit form) that arrives here for resale. As such we are in a position to find the slightest discrepancies. The telescopes and mounts we offer are each so carefully examined and tested here at Company Seven that a discrepancy is not likely to be found by our customer. As the telescope check-out and preparation for delivery are completed; each telescope optics set, mechanics and electronics are checked by technicians with an average of between 20 to 30 years experience. In some cases our technicians will have found simple ways to improve the performance of a system; we may substitute improved hardware, or add some hardware to allow the telescope to perform even better. Furthermore, as every telescope is processed, we generate a comprehensive report characterizing recommended photo-visual and CCD performance parameters. This includes suggested ocular and accessory combinations for your particular telescope.

PROGRAMS OF INSTRUCTION

This is another critical aspect of our overall quality assurance program: instruction. Company Seven has developed structured complimentary programs of instruction with a course syllabus specific to each telescope. Our customers have found that our materials, combined with such one on one training has proved invaluable to their long term success. Commonly a mid size telescope with an equatorial mount generally requires about a full work day of instruction.

OPTIONAL EVALUATION/CHARACTERIZATION While Company Seven does perform a subjective evaluation of new telescopes (except some kit telescopes), Company Seven can also perform optional highly detailed testing which will produce detailed documentation of each telescope optical tube assembly.

The optional testing will be done on a Zygo Phase Measurement Interferometer and this will provide a very accurate characterization of the telescope. Our normal testing is done at 632.8nm (others available on smaller apertures), with the telescope acclimated at Standard Temperature and Pressure. The test will be performed at full aperture, with the telescope optically aligned and set to nominal infinity focus. The test will provide:

• Interferogram diagram
  
• Measure of System Peak to Valley
  
• Measure of System RMS
  
• Measure of System MTF
  
• Measure of System PSF - energy concentration at focus
  
• Measure of System Strehl
  
• Wave front diagram

The testing will be performed as part of the acceptance testing prior to delivery of the telescope to our customer. The test reports will then be delivered with the telescope in the forms of printout, and in Code V and Zygo formats on computer disk.

For detailed information about the cost of this optional Zygo testing please contact Company Seven. Please understand that this is a program we offer only in support of individual telescopes which we sell, or those owned by institutional,industry, or government.

WARRANTY AND REMEDY

Company Seven works diligently to earn and to maintain the trust of our community. To that end we evaluate each telescope with the hope that your first experience with our telescopes will be highly gratifying. However, should an issue arise that may require repair or adjustment, then Company Seven will be your point of contact.

First of all, simply call us with your concern. More often than not, then problem is a matter of operator error or a misunderstanding of directions. If we cannot quickly resolve the issue with a discussion, then we will suggest that the instrument be brought or shipped to Company Seven (or to the manufacturer if that is more convenient to the customer). If we find a fault of the instrument (in manufacture, or a premature failure) then Company Seven will be responsible for fixing it and returning it to the customer - all at our expense. Company Seven will even refund the return shipping costs if applicable.

Click HERE to learn how to order products from Company Seven.