American Laboratory (March 2018) - Pittcon 2018, to be held February 26 through March 1 in Orlando, Florida, is a “must-attend” event for anyone involved in the identification, analysis, or testing of the chemical or biological properties of compounds or molecules. This premier conference and exhibition promises to keep scientists apprised of the latest findings, instrumentation, and cutting-edge technologies. Below are important new products that will be on display, listed in alphabetical order by company name.
ARGOS TECHNOLOGIES—Booth 2054
Pipette Controller
Users can get more than nine hours of continuous use with the Omega Zen pipette controller. This portable, lightweight, and ergonomic unit can be used with plastic or glass pipettes from 1 to 100 mL. Its balanced design and contoured buttons help prevent hand fatigue even after hours of use. A liquid crystal display for speed modes and battery life make pipetting easy. Magnetic sensors provide more accurate speed control. http://www.argos-tech.com
AXCEND—Booth 1802
Mobile Gradient Liquid Chromatograph
The Axcend Focus LC is a gradient liquid chromatograph designed specifically for mobile and on-the-go use, but powerful enough to be used in any state-of-the-art laboratory. Developed in the Brigham Young University laboratories of Professor Milton Lee, Ph.D., the nanoflow liquid chromatograph measures ~30 × 20 × 20 cm, weighs ~12 lb, and operates on battery or electrical outlet power. Visual/statistical output from the LC is delivered securely and wirelessly to any Web-connected smartphone, tablet, or PC capable of HTML5 display, with the additional ability to connect via a USB cable to any PC. It provides 100× greater sensitivity than traditional LC systems, while dramatically reducing volume sizes. In addition, it requires as little as 1/500th the volumes of samples and solvents. If run continuously for one week, the instrument produces only 1 tsp of waste. https://www.axcendcorp.com/
BEL-ART/SP SCIENCEWARE—Booth 2953
Triple-Scale Beer and Wine Hydrometer
Users can achieve perfect beer-brewing and wine-making results with the shatterproof DURAC triple-scale beer and wine hydrometer. Specific gravity, potential alcohol by volume (PAV), and Brix scales provide invaluable data points when crafting beer, wine, kombucha, mead, cider, and more. Useful in either a commercial or home-brew setting, the unit’s all-plastic design removes the risk of contamination due to instrument breakage, and the flat surface makes results easy to read. http://www.belart.com
BIOTAGE—Booth 3112
Automated Evaporation System
The modern design of the Biotage TurboVap LV features many new enhancements, including a well-lit glass tank for much greater visibility, removable/replaceable nozzles on the lid, on-the-fly nozzle adjustment, easily exchangeable manifolds to extend functionality, programmable evaporation flow gradients, easy access drain port, and user-friendly touchscreen interface. The system can be vented from the bench or placed in a fume hood. Because the footprint is noticeably smaller on the modern unit, less space is required. http://www.biotage.com
CARVER INC.—Booth 3453
Automatic Hydraulic Laboratory Presses
Carver, Inc. Auto Series Plus automatic hydraulic laboratory presses feature a large 7” color touchscreen operator interface, enhanced platen temperature control and autotuning, ramp heating capability, real-time trending of force and temperature, and optional seven-day timer for auto heat-up. They also offer storage of up to 250 recipes, recipe preview, and optional datalogging for cycle parameters, and are available with 15–48 tons of clamping force and 6” × 6” to 19” × 19” platens. http://www.carverpress.com
CEM—Booth 2627
Automated Solvent Extraction System
The CEM EDGE extraction system performs solvent extraction in less than 5 minutes, including system setup and sample filtration. It combines traditional pressurized fluid extraction with dispersive solid-phase extraction to achieve high recovery and repeatability. The automated system can process 12 samples per hour to keep up with the demands of high-throughput labs. It is well-suited for U.S. EPA 3545A and Pesticides in Foods. http://www.cem.com
COLE-PARMER—Booth 2053
Advanced Networking Drives
Advanced networking drives for Masterflex peristaltic pumps provide options for popular networking protocols without the need to install gateways or adapters. Users can choose from either native Ethernet/IP or Profibus bi-directional communication with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity and a downloadable iOS-based mobile app to permit local pump monitoring and control. Cloud-based remote pump monitoring and control capability provide pump status and alerts and full operational control. http://www.ColeParmer.com
DATAAPEX—Booth 2432
Chromatography Software
Clarity Chromatography SW enables users to control hundreds of different instruments (including those from Agilent, Hitachi, Shimadzu, etc.) from one environment. The software is multilingual—users can switch between English, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, and German. Features include easy operation, user support such as free SW updates, and optional extensions (PDA, MS, GPC, NGA, etc.). Customized Clarity OEM versions are available. http://www.dataapex.com
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPRESS—Booth 2052
Metals Digestion System
The latest generation of the AutoBlock from Environmental Express safely and accurately automates the most dangerous step of sample prep for metals digestion—the addition of acids and reagents. The AutoBlock Fill unit fits any size HotBlock digestion system to provide automation at an affordable price. The system is well-suited for any laboratory performing its own unique metals digestion method. http://www.EnvExp.com
FLUID METERING, INC.—Booth 2300
Valveless Dispensing Pump
The 400 µl Dispensing Pump from Fluid Metering, Inc. (FMI) is well-suited for medical, analytical, and biotech instrumentation. With the same compact design dimensions as the STH and STF OEM pump lines, the pump expands dispense and metering capabilities of previous STH designs by 100% while maintaining 0.5% precision. It is available in nine drive configurations ranging from 200 through 400 µL in 50-µL increments. Each drive model (STF1, STF2 … STF9) has an adjustable displacement of ±25 µL. An adjustment tool rotates an eccentric bushing to precisely make microvolume adjustments. There are four standard pump head options available to provide a fluid path with maximum chemical and dispense volume/flow rate compatibility. http://www.FluidMetering.com
FRITSCH—Booth 2862
Knife Mill
The PULVERISETTE 11 knife mill from FRITSCH GmbH is for very fast and gentle comminution and homogenization of moist, oily, fatty, soft, medium-hard, and fibrous samples. Features include an autoclavable 1.4-L grinding vessel made of transparent and scratch-resistant plastic PC or 316L stainless steel, simple programming and saving of standard operating procedures (SOPs), and practical reduction lid made of plastic PP for reduction of the grinding chamber volume to 0.54 L for clean grinding. Applications include the food industry, agriculture and forestry, pharmaceuticals, and biology.
Particle Sizer
The FRITSCH ANALYSETTE 28 ImageSizer is for the measurement of particle shape and size of suspensions and emulsions, and is well-suited for quality control, research, and laboratory tasks. For wet dispersion, the sample material is fed into a closed liquid circulation system and is pumped with high power through the measuring cell between the camera and LED strobe light. Continuously obtained images are the basis for analysis with a variety of evaluation possibilities. Results are available immediately. http://www.fritsch.de
HEMCO—Booth 3253
Chemical-Resistant Fume Hoods
UniFlow AireStream Fume Hoods from HEMCO are constructed entirely of chemical-resistant, flame-retardant, nonmetallic composite resin materials and feature “Unitized” construction that does not require screws, bolts, rivets, or metallic hardware for assembly. The fume chamber is molded one-piece seamless with all corners coved for easy cleaning and light reflectivity. This series of fume hoods is UL 1805 certified and is offered in 48”, 60”, 72”, and 96” widths in either constant air volume or restricted bypass models. http://www.hemcocorp.com
ZEISS—Booth 2645
Axio Observer Inverted Microscope Platform
The Axio Observer platform from ZEISS is designed for live cell imaging, offering modularity, automation, and flexibility. It accommodates a broad range of contrasting techniques and accessories, including incubation equipment for precise environmental control. Featuring ZEN imaging software, the system enables seamless workflows and reliable data capture. It is ideal for advanced research applications in cell biology, developmental biology, and molecular biology. http://www.zeiss.com/microscopy
ZEMAN INSTRUMENTS—Booth 2161
Electrochemical Gas Sensor Technology
Zeman Instruments introduces a line of miniaturized electrochemical sensors for the detection of a wide array of gases including CO, NOx, SO₂, and ozone. Designed for OEM integration, these sensors offer high sensitivity, stability, and low power consumption. Applications include environmental monitoring, industrial hygiene, and indoor air quality systems. The sensors feature fast response times and long operational life. http://www.zemaninstruments.com
ZWICK/ROELL—Booth 2107
Universal Testing Machines
Zwick/Roell’s AllroundLine testing machines provide flexible, modular solutions for a wide range of mechanical testing applications. These universal testers are designed to perform tensile, compression, flexure, and other mechanical tests with high precision. Features include intuitive testXpert III software, ergonomic design, and digital extensometry options. The systems are ideal for use in quality control, research, and educational laboratories. http://www.zwickroell.com
Originally published on American Laboratory.