Orbital shakers, also known as laboratory shakers, are a must have in the lab for mixing, shaking and incubating samples. They are used in many applications such as cell culture, microbiology, biology and protein chemistry. The orbital motion of these shakers provides a gentle yet thorough mix action, perfect orbital shaker for cell cultures or mixing reagents without foaming or splashing in a cold room with ace glass.
Orbital shakers come in various sizes and configurations to suit different lab settings. Some are designed for small benchtop spaces, others are larger floor models for high capacity shaking. The orbit sizes of these lab shakers also vary, 19mm, 25mm and 50mm orbits to accommodate different sample volumes and types.
Besides standard orbital shakers, there are also specialized models for specific applications. For example, rocking shakers for applications that require a rocking motion, microplate shakers for powerful shaking of microplates. Incubator shakers for shaking and temperature control and basic shaking control for cell cultures or enzyme reactions.
In general, digital orbital shakers are versatile tools that are used in many laboratory and scientific industries applications and life sciences. Whether you need to mix solutions, grow cell cultures or run biochemical assays, there is likely a digital orbital shaker for you. With their reliability and ease of use, these laboratory shakers are must have equipment for any lab.
Orbital shakers are a must have in professional labs, providing the agitation and thorough mixing for many scientific industries applications and life sciences. From culturing microbes to general thorough mixing tasks, these laboratory shakers provide the motion needed for experimental consistency and results. They also work well in controlled environments like a cold room so suitable for temperature sensitive experiments. This 5000 word overview will cover the features, applications and considerations of orbital shakers in the lab, why they are important for scientific research.
Orbital shakers move in a circular motion, creating a vortex that mixes solutions in flasks, beakers and other lab containers. These laboratory shakers are designed to produce low heat output to preserve samples, perfect orbital shaker for sensitive biological cultures. They come in various sizes and capacities, from compact benchtop shaker for smaller labs to large, floor standing units for high volume workloads.
Digital Controls: Modern orbital shakers have digital interfaces that allows for precise and basic control of speed and frequency so users can customize the shaking motion for their experiment. Digital orbital shakers often have timers and programmable parameters to make them more versatile and user friendly.
Platform and Capacity: The size of the platform and the overall capacity of the shaker is important when choosing an orbital shaker. Platforms can hold one large vessel or multiple small containers, to accommodate different types of experiments.
Shaking Motion and Speed: The circular motion helps to mix uniformly without creating a vortex that can disturb the sample. Speed can be set to gentle or vigorous depending on the experiment.
Low Heat Output: Low heat output is important especially when culturing temperature sensitive microbes or running biochemical reactions that are heat labile.
Quiet Operation: Many orbital shakers are designed to be quiet, minimizing noise in the lab, which can be critical in shared space or when running multiple experiments at the same time.
Choosing the right orbital shaker means considering size, speed range and tilt angle to match your experiment requirements.
Orbital shakers are versatile lab equipment used in many scientific research applications. In cell cultures, these shakers provide gentle mixing and aeration for healthy cell growth and development. In molecular biology, orbital shakers are essential for mixing and incubating samples in applications like PCR, DNA sequencing and gene expression analysis. Biochemistry labs use orbital shakers to mix and incubate biochemical samples, enzyme assays and protein purification. Microbiology applications and general mixing applications use orbital shakers to mix and incubate microbial cultures, bacterial and yeast cultures. Pharmaceutical research uses orbital shakers to mix and incubate samples during drug development and testing. The consistent and controlled environment of orbital shakers gives reliable results across these many scientific fields.
Orbital shakers have many benefits in scientific research and are a must have in any lab. One of the main advantage is gentle mixing and aeration which reduces sample damage and contamination. Many orbital shakers have temperature control feature so you can control the sample conditions. The wide speed range allows you to customize the mixing and incubation conditions for your experiment. They are versatile and can be used in cell cultures, molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology. Plus they are compact and space saving so perfect orbital shaker for labs where space is limited. These benefits make orbital shakers a crucial tool for getting accurate and reproducible results in scientific research.
Orbital shakers are used in:
Culturing Microbes: A consistent and controlled shaking environment for bacterial cultures under incubated conditions.
General Mixing: Mixing chemical solutions so solutions are well mixed and reaction outcome is better.
Washing Blots: Gentle agitation of washing blots during molecular biology protocols to improve probe binding and detection without disrupting the target.
Cell Culturing: Keeping cell suspension evenly distributed and providing aeration through gentle movement.
Choosing the right orbital shaker means considering:
Capacity: How many samples will you be processing at the same time and what is the volume of the samples to determine the platform size and weight capacity.
Environmental Conditions: Will the shaker be used in ambient, in an incubator or refrigerator for temperature controlled experiments such as bacterial suspensions.
Durability and Reliability: How is the build quality and reliability of different models, which will affect the lifespan and maintenance frequency of the equipment.
Flexibility and Ease of Use: Features like interchangeable platforms, attachment options for different container types and user friendly controls can make the shaker more flexible and easy to use.
When using orbital shakers from Thermo Fisher Scientific, VWR International, and Heathrow Scientific, always follow safety precautions and guidelines to ensure safe and proper operation. Read the user manual to understand the operation and safety features of the orbital shaker. Wear protective gear like gloves and lab coats when handling samples and operating the shaker. Make sure the orbital shaker is properly installed and leveled to prevent vibration and noise which can affect the performance and safety of the equipment. Regular maintenance is crucial to ensure optimal performance and prevent contamination. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and servicing the shaker. Also follow laboratory protocols and guidelines for using orbital shakers including proper sample handling and disposal. By following these safety precautions you can ensure safe and proper use of orbital shakers in your lab.
Orbital shakers form Thermo Fisher Scientific must comply with various regulations and certifications to be safe and proper to use. CE marking is required for orbital shakers, means the product meets EU safety and performance standards. ISO certification means the orbital shaker meets international standards for quality and performance. For pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications, FDA compliance is required, means the product meets strict safety and performance standards. For laboratory use, orbital shakers must comply with laboratory accreditation standards which means the product meets safety and performance requirements. Compliance to these regulations and certifications means orbital shakers are reliable and safe to use in scientific research, gives laboratory professionals peace of mind.
Proper maintenance is key to the lifespan and performance of the shaker:
Regular Cleaning: Clean the shaker from spills and debris to prevent damage and functionality.
Inspection and Calibration: Periodic check and calibration to ensure the shaker is operating within specifications, consistent performance over time.
Servicing: Follow manufacturer’s instructions for servicing to identify potential issues before they become failures.
Orbital shakers are a common fixture in many labs, loved for their ability to provide consistent and reliable mixing for various scientific experiments. Whether for biochemistry, microbiology or chemical analysis, these lab shakers improves the precision and reproducibility of the results, making them an essential tool in scientific research. As technology advances, features like digital controls and integration with other lab shakers and systems will further enhance the capabilities of digital orbital shakers and cement their place in science research.
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