Available equipment

Scientific equipment

The CICRP possesses a full complement of scientific equipment used by the Research and Studies and Preventive Conservation Departments.

In support of its missions, the Research and Studies Department makes use of the following equipment in order to successfully identify a wide variety of materials, in particular in the form of microsamples, and to study their properties:

two energy dispersive X-ray microfluorescence spectrometers, including a portable unit for in situ analyses of works
an X-ray diffractometer with capillary attachment (Ø = 100 µm)
a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer with an attached microscope equipped with an ATR-Ge objective
a Raman spectrometer used in combination with a microscope and a fibre optic probe equipped with 514 and 785 nm lasers
a gas chromatograph coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer, equipped with a pyrolyser and an aerosol collector
a liquid chromatograph
a device for differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry
a binocular magnifier and an optical microscope equipped with a microdrill and a heating plate
equipment to be used in situ (sound speed measurement device, fissurometer, thermohygrometers, pycnometer, U.V. meter, spectrocolourimeter, multispectral camera, etc.)
ageing chambers (climatic, U.V., saline mist)
photo studios for scientific photographs and X-ray radiographs (160 kV), the latter equipped with a radioscope
a petrophysical testing laboratory
a sample preparation laboratory

In addition, the CICRP has a mobile unit used for in situ missions.

Restoration workshop equipment

The CICRP’s restoration workshops cover nearly 2,000 m² and are particularly well suited for working on large and very large format objects. This total surface area includes:

A 60 m² workshop with a height of 10 m for the treatment of paint layers on very large objects equipped with a motorised easel and access via a trap door.

A workshop for the restoration of graphic works (300 m²) consisting of two rooms, one with suction tables and one for assembly. This workshop’s equipment notably includes six melamine tables, one low-pressure table, two wall panels (4 m x 3 m and 3.7 m x 3 m) for stretching large format works, two standing presses (platforms of 0.5 m x 0.4 m and 0.7 m x 0.5 m), a counterweighted cutter with maximum blade opening of 1400 mm (1400 mm x 1000 mm table), presses and felts, and a copy stand. One of the rooms is fitted with Gamain full-spectrum lighting.

A 220 m² workshop for the restoration of works on wooden supports with tables, workbenches, a 50 m² machine room equipped with a combined planer-jointer-mortiser, a combined circular saw-shaper, a band saw, a drill press, a portable vacuum, as well as a 38 m² workshop for testing the impact of weather conditions.

Six dual-purpose workshops for the treatment of the substrata and the paint layers of paintings, covering a total surface area of 950 m² over two floors. The three main workshops have a surface area of about 200 m² each and the next largest one is 135 m².

Two varnishing rooms and two preparation rooms with refrigerators, mats and extractors.

The list of special equipment found in these workshops is as follows:

three large work tables (8 m x 4.5 m, 7.5 m x 4.5 m and 4.52 m x 3 m)
two straddle lifts for accessing all sections of large paintings: one height adjustable (for one person) 5–6 m wide x 0.9 m deep x 1.05–0.3 m high and the other stationary (able to support up to three persons) 5 m wide x 0.9 m deep x 0.97 m high.
six large format motorised easels
one very large format easel
various hand trucks for transporting works
normal vacuum cleaners and absolute filter vacuum cleaners
two double width scaffolding units, 3.4 m high (work height is 5.4 m) x 2.4 m wide x 1.3 m deep that may be joined together
mobile lighting on stands
low-position work chairs and stools
extending frames
illuminated magnifiers
heating tables: one large (5 m x 4 m) and four smaller ones (2 m x 1.5 m)
several stationary extractors plus one mobile extractor
negatoscopes
binocular magnifiers on stands
UV lamp on a stand
presses with weights of 200 g to 10 kg
precision balances
ultrasound nebuliser
copy stand
lighting kit for photos

Access to workshops is also possible using a freight elevator (1.94 m deep x 2.38 m wide x 2.44 m high, 3.15 m diagonal) or two trap doors (5 m x 1 m and 7 m x 1 m).

Page last updated on 4 July 2008.

CICRP – Centre Interrégional de Conservation et Restauration du Patrimoine
Groupement d'Intérêt Public à Caractère Culturel
21, rue Guibal, F-13003 Marseille FRANCE