What is Micro Plate Shakers

• A Micro Plate Shaker is the most ideal device for mixing micro plates and even micro tubes of various kinds.

• It is a very popular laboratory device and it’s applications include immunoassay, cell cultures, ELISA, denaturation of nucleic acids and proteins, stains and bolts.

• The capacity of these devices vary as per the application requirements. In addition to which there are several different accessories available to customize the micro plate shaker for various different applications.

• The device from Neuation, iShak Uno VT is one good example of a common everyday lab instrument. Besides having a very small footprint it provides mixing with orbital motion of 2 mm diameter and a variable speed selection from 200 rpm to 1500 rpm.

• There are several options available too. There is one with a variable speed only and the other has one (VT) has variable speed as well as timer setting & USB connectivity.

Plate Shakers of various kinds:

There are many different kinds of Plate Shakers as listed below:

• iShak Uno.

• iShak Uno VT.

• MPS-1, High Speed Multi Plate Shaker.

• T-100, Thermo Shaker for Micro Tubes and PCR plates.

• PST – 60HL Plate Shaker Thermostat.

• Orbit Digital Micro Tube an Micro Plate Shakers.

Specifications:

The specifications of a Micro Plate Shaker can vary depending upon the application required. Here are two sample devices from Neuation with their specifications to give you a rough idea of what to expect:

i Shak Uno:

• The i Shak Uno has an orbital diameter of 2 mm for thorough mixing. It also has a tiny footprint. With a speed setting of 200 to 1500 rpm it is  microprocessor controlled for high accuracy.

• It also sports a special turn down toggle clamp that prevents spills and simple slide in (slide out) for loading (and unloading) of micro plate.

• It is a universal fit which comes with interchangeable clamps for different micro plates. The procedure of changing the clamp is very easy and does not require the use of tools. Furthermore it is stable due to the inbuilt counter balance and can be used inside fume hoods or cold rooms.

The more detailed specification goes something like this:

• Speed setting – 200 to 1500 RPM

• Motor Type – Stepper

• Orbital Diameter – 2mm

• Inbuilt Counter Balance – Yes

• Dimension (w x d x h) – 127 x 85 x 86 mm

• Weight – 1.36 kg

• Power Supply – Universal (90 to 230v, 50 / 60 Hz)

• Attachments – Replaceable clams provided to make use of different types of standard micro plates.

i Shak Uno VT:

• i Shak Uno VT is very similar to the i Shak Uno. In the sense that this too has an orbital diameter of 2 mm and a tiny foot print.

• The speed setting can be set between 200 to 1500 RPM and it is microprocessor controlled for higher accuracy. the special turn down toggle damp is also present on this one which make it spill proof.

• The loading and unloading of micro plate is made simple via the slide in and slide out functions.

• It is a universal fit and the things have been kept simple by making the clamp changing procedure a tool free process. In addition to this there is also a USB for integration and interfacing with robotic systems.

• It can be operated via a computer (laptop or desktop) and the user is capable of writing up to 4 predefined programs.

• The user can also save data logs for operations through the computer. It even has a timer setting function.

The specification are described here in simple format:

• Speed setting – 200 to 1500 RPM

• Motor Type – Stepper

• Orbital Diameter – 2mm

• Inbuilt Counter Balance – Yes

• Remote Operation – Yes

• Robotic Integration – Yes (via USB)

• Dimension (w x d x h) – 127 x 85 x 86 mm

• Weight – 1.36 kg

• Power Supply – Universal (90 to 230v, 50 / 60 Hz)

• Attachments – Replaceable clams provided to make use of different types of standard micro plates.

Overview of Magnetic Stirrer

What is Magnetic Stirrer:

• A magnetic stirrer is an equipment used to create rotating magnetic field. The magnetic stirrer is designed such that there is a small bar magnet and a stand or plate containing the rotating magnet.

• In general the bar magnet is coated with plastic and plate contains rotating magnet. It is possible to create a rotating magnetic field with the help of a rotating magnet.

Working of Magnetic Stirrer:

• An external magnetic field is applied to the magnetic stirrers mix solution which facilitates the rotating of the small magnetic bar placed in the mixture of interest.

• The way this works is the rapidly rotating magnetic field makes the bar magnet rotate which ends up stirring the liquid. Since their size is usually small they are highly preferred in laboratory experiments.

Functions and uses of a Magnetic Stirrer:

• The magnetic stirrers are also known as magnetic stir plates and quite commonly used for experiments in chemistry and biology.

• There are very useful when you need to mix component, either solids or liquids and get a homogeneous liquid mixture. Some of the common samples include bacterial growth media as well as buffer solutions.

• The main function of a stirrer is to agitate the liquid for speeding up the reactions or improving mixtures. A magnetic stirrer is often used with hot plates.

Types of a Magnetic Stirrer:

There are several types of Magnetic Stirrer available and it all depends on your selection of size, application and configuration. The various different type are listed below:

Magnetic Mini Stirrer:

As the name suggests, the mini magnetic stirrer is a compact sized stirrer that occupies very little space and allows the users to regulate the speed with great precision with the help of the controls provided. It has been wisely designed to be resistive to harmful chemicals present in a laboratory environment. In addition to which it also consists of a speed regulator that ensures that the device never exceeds the maximum speed.

Magnetic Stirrer with Timer:

Again the name says it all. This is the type of stirrer that has the ability to automatically shut off the motor after the set amount of time. The way this works is that it uses an in built timer to shut off the stirrer when the pre – selected period of time has been over. Besides which the speed is also automatically reduced and the load is automatically removed.

Heavy-Duty Magnetic Stirrer:

The heavy duty magnetic stirrer are true to their name. They have a greater chemical resistance and are highly durable, besides which they also have a high mixing capacity. Additionally they have an internal electronic control device that regulate the speed automatically with respect to the load. Thus the heavy duty magnetic stirrer makes for a perfect instrument for use in a laboratory or production environment.

Battery Powered Magnetic Stirrer:

The battery powered magnetic stirrer come in handy where there is no electric outlet. Their main application is in incubators. They consist of rubber feet and their speed can be controlled with the help of the speed control knobs provided. In general alkaline batteries can be used with these devices though rechargeable batteries should work just fine.

Air Operated Turbine Magnetic Stirrer:

If you have the requirement for stirring liquid up-to one liter than the air operated turbine separator is the ideal equipment. The major advantage being that it eliminates the hazards associated with sparking from electrical sources.

Benefits of using a Magnetic Stirrer:

One of the major advantages of a magnetic stirrer is that it minimizes the risk of contamination since only there is only an inert magnet bar that is placed inside the sample (fluid).
Additionally this can also be easily cleaned. A manual stirrer is not as consistent as the magnetic one and the magnetic one is also critical for reproducible mixing or mixing over long time scale. For example, protein dialysis requires multi hour or overnight sample mixing and is sensitive to bacterial contamination.

Specifications of using a Magnetic Stirrer:

• There are many different types of Magnetic Stirrers available.

• Here are the specifications of a Magnetic Stirrer from Neuation, called i Stir Uno.

• This one has no moving parts and is truly maintenance free.

• It has a software driven gradual acceleration and an adjustable speed.

• It is microprocessor controlled and has the last run memory storing ability.

The basic specification goes as below:

• Max RPM  – 1500 RPM

• Speed Setting – 15 to 1500 RPM

• Speed Indicator – Yes

• Load Capacity – 800 ml

• Recommended Stir bar length – 25 mm

• Pulse function – Yes

• Sync mode – no

• Last run memory – Yes

• Dimensions (W x D X H) – 120 x 164 x 12 mm

• Weight – 400 gms

• Protection Class – IP65 compliant design (Water Spill resistant).