Ultracentrifuges Offer Cutting-edge Usability and Communication Features

New Optima X Series preparative ultracentrifuges from Beckman Coulter, Inc incorporate an array of contemporary  technical features to enhance the user experience, increase productivity and reduce costs. The new floor-model instruments also incorporate the industry-leading technology that originally put Optima ultracentrifuges at the top of their class.

A large touchscreen display on all Optima X Series products offers a selection of nine languages so that speakers of English, Japanese, German, Chinese (simplified), Korean, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian can work in their  native language. The screen is big enough to be visible from across the lab and is easy to operate, even with gloved hands. Clean, intuitive design and on-screen help make it easy even for new users to quickly be acclimated and working. Real-time graphing plots speed and temperature over time as a run progresses.

Enhanced remote control capabilities allow the ultracentrifuges to be monitored from a personal computer or a smart phone. Users, therefore, do not have to stay in the lab or continuously go to the lab during a run. Should on-board diagnostics sense a problem or out-of-parameter condition, an email can be sent to the user as an alert, a feature that is exclusive to Beckman Coulter. High-level security and tracking features enable users in regulated environments to track run history and to keep run logs, and new electronic signature capabilities can be used to approve a run.

Regenerative braking captures the energy generated in slowing the rotor and applies it back to the lab’s local circuit, reducing overall energy costs. When powered on but not running, the unit requires the same energy as a 60-watt incandescent bulb, further increasing energy efficiency. Optima X Seriesultracentrifuges reach a maximum speed of 100,000 rpm and generate forces up to 802,000 x g. With noise output of less than 51 dBa, this is the quietest floor model ultracentrifuge available today. Optima X Series instruments are available in two models: the XE, which delivers all of the basic features required to quickly set up and complete a run, and the XPN, which includes all features of the XE plus networking capability, on-board simulation tools and a variety of customisable security and tracking features. The XE is available in 90,000 and 100,000 rpm configurations, while the XPN is offered in 80,000, 90,000 and 100,000 rpm configurations.