Transcript
Lab Weighing and solutions Analysis inin the Analytical the Laboratory laboratory
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News Edition 01/2012
Differential Weighing with LabX Assures Fuel Cell Performance The capacity and performance of aviation fuel cells are directly related to the cell construction and the amount of active substance they contain. Using a differential weighing application implemented in LabX, China's Donghua University saves time in quality control and can guarantee cell performance.
The negative plate of aviation fuel cells are made of a shaped silver mesh containing the active substance in the form of a paste. The active substance is in close contact with the mesh and the current collecting plate. This reduces the electron transfer distance, improves the utilization of cell volume and thus improves cell capacity. If the negative plate is too thick or too thin, this results in reduced cell capacity and efficiency. Controlling the active substance filling is therefore key to ensuring cell performance. Using differential weighing to accurately determine the amount of active substance filling effectively saves time in quality control and process analysis. The School of Mechanical Engineering at China’s Donghua University uniquely un-
derstands the requirements of aerospace fuel cells in terms of research and development and production quality control. In order to accurately control the amount of paste applied during production, the silver mesh is first weighed alone and then again after molding and addition of the paste. The difference between the two weights is the weight of the applied paste filling. LabX – efficient and accurate The differential weighing application was implemented in LabX software in accordance with the University’s requirements. The software is connected to a METTLER TOLEDO XP203S balance and the application is started with just One Click™ on the balance touchscreen. The process incorporated the use of a barcode scanner
Differential Weighing
which was connected to the balance via the RS232C port. Researchers use the scanner to read the barcode ID on each silver mesh before and after the molding and paste application process. Dealing with hundreds of silver meshes at one time, LabX uniquely identifies each mesh via the barcode, calculates the weight difference between the two weight sets and stores all results correctly in a secure database. Simple and practical The unique barcode identification means
the weighing order of samples in the same batch is no longer important, making the process much simpler for the researchers. Previously, researchers manually input data into Excel and updated their Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) data file directory. Now, LabX exports the final results in a format suitable for reading by the PLC to facilitate efficient production control and quality inspection of products. The researchers just need to do the weighing on the balance!
Donghua University, “The automation is really convenient. It saves us a lot of time and reduces workload. I don’t want to return to the days without LabX”. Text: Ji Chen, One Click TM technical support, METTLER TOLEDO China
www.mt.com/1-click-weighing
According to a research project leader in
LabX provides SOP user guidance on the balance and automatically saves all results.
Publisher Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory Division Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Production Segment Marketing LAB Global MarCom Switzerland
Subject to technical changes. © Mettler-Toledo AG 02/12 Printed in Switzerland.
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High-throughput Genotyping Assay Achieved With Liquidator™ 96 The California-based Affymetrix’s Research Services Laboratory provides high throughput genotyping services to customers performing large-scale microarray-based studies. ARSL’s goal is to provide quality data and minimize the time needed to complete genotyping studies. Technicians process samples in 96-well plates using the Liquidator 96 for efficient highthroughput studies. Many life science labs have adapted PCR applications to fit their specific research needs. Genotyping assays using microarray technologies, for example, have helped to identify many disease specific genes and Affymetrix has developed a number of innovative gene array platforms. The ARSL offers a whole-genome genotyping assay that can provide insight into an organism’s genetic make-up and gene expression profile. Here is ARSL’s PCR plate set up protocol for processing samples on a whole-genome genotyping assay using the Liquidator 96, a
manual benchtop pipetting system which maximizes workflow without complicated programming or dedicated technician time. Aliquot ligated DNA to the PCR plates using the Liquidator 96 1. Dilute the ligated DNA sample by adding reagent to a 96-well plate using the Liquidator 96. 2. Transfer 10 μl each of diluted ligated sample from all rows to the corresponding well of each PCR reaction plate. For example (Figure 1): transfer 10 μL of each sample from Row A of the ligation stage plate to the corresponding wells of row A on the plates labeled P1, P2 and P3. 3. Seal each plate with adhesive film and place them in cooling chambers on ice until ready to add master mix. Adding PCR master mix to samples Using Rainin’s Liquidator 96, add 90 μL of PCR master mix to each sample. To avoid contamination, change the pipette tips after each dispense. The total volume in each well is now 100 μL.
1. Seal the reaction plates tightly with adhesive film. 2. Vortex the center of each reaction plate at high speed for 3 seconds. 3. Reduce the speed to 2,000 rpm and spin the plates for 30 seconds. 4. Keep the reaction plates in cooling chambers on ice until they’re ready to be loaded onto the thermal cyclers. 5. Load the plates onto a PCR block. By switching their liquid handling devices from multichannel pipettes to the Liquidator 96, Affymetrix now saves as much as 30-45 minutes for every two PCR plates prepared. Liquidator 96 streamlines many steps in PCR plate preparation, including adding master mix, sample dilution, sample distribution and sample pooling. www.mt.com/liquidator
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2 3 1 Ligation stage plate with Sty ligated samples. 2 Transferring equal aliquots of diluted and ligated samples into three 96-well reaction plates. 3 An equal aliquot of each sample from the Ligation Plate is transferred to the corresponding well of each PCR plate. For example, an equal aliquot of each sample from row A on the Sty Ligation Plate is transferred to the corresponding wells of row A on PCR plates P1, P2 and P3.
‘’We use Rainin’s Liquidator 96 for high-throughput applications. As it is versatile for many application areas, we replaced lower capacity pipettes with Liquidator 96 in PCR, purification and hybridization processes.’’ Kay Mekaru, Lab Supervisor, Scientific Services, Affymetrix Research Services Laboratory METTLER TOLEDO
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Moisture Determiantion
Verifying Moisture Analyzer Performance Within 10 Minutes National Starch, the world leader in specialty starch technology, trusts in Halogen Moisture Analyzers from METTLER TOLEDO. Trust is good, but as for all analysis devices, control is better. SmartCal is the new and quick way of verifying the performance of Halogen Moisture Analyzers.
The manufacturing site of National Starch Specialties (Shanghai) Ltd uses two methods for Loss on Drying measurements. For routine control, and to cope with the large number of samples, the fast METTLER TOLEDO HG63 Halogen Moisture Analyzer method is chosen. Drying in the oven is used as reference. If the results of the Moisture Analyzer match the reference drying oven method, it is verified that the Moisture Analyzer is working correctly. Additionally, periodical instrument calibration assures valid results. Controlling the instrument per4
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formance is time-consuming and, for this reason, is performed at prolonged intervals. Long gaps between calibrations lead to a blind spot in instrument performance monitoring. SmartCal eliminates blind spot SmartCal, an innovative and temperature sensitive reference substance, verifies the performance of moisture analyzers in 10 minutes. During a normal measurement cycle, the reference substance releases a defined amount of moisture. If this moisture amount remains within the
control limits, the moisture analyzer is confirmed to be functioning properly. Test frequency with SmartCal has been defined specifically for the process and quality requirements of National Starch with the help of METTLER TOLEDO’s customer service. For National Starch, monitoring the status of their moisture analysis equipment has never been so quick and easy. Text: Helen Vogt, Product Manager Moisture Analyzer
www.mt.com/smartcal
Know-how
Meeting Worldwide Norms For Emission Control Meeting emissions standards with minimal costs is a key task in emissions determination throughout the world. Due to the increasingly strict requirements of international regulations, determining particulate matter mass is a definite challenge for environmental laboratories and the
Join the online webinar Our expert on filter weighing solutions explains everything you need to know in order to accurately and reliably determine particulate matter on filters using manual or automatic balances.
automotive industry. The F_Line Filter Robots automate, simplify and
faster, the high-throughput from F_Line Filter Robots effectively minimizes time and costs.
He reveals best practice techniques, e.g. to minimize external influences on the weighing result, and provides valuable background information on how to successfully manage challenging weighing processes.
Watch the video and see how filter weighing can be automated at: www.mt.com/filter.
Visit us and access this recorded Webinar:
accelerate your workflow while simultaneously help you to reach norms with minimal effort.
With the introduction of the F_Line Filter Robots in 2008, METTLER TOLEDO was the first to design automatic filter weighing systems. Today, the Filter Robots are supplied as turnkey solutions for all types of emissions filters from 25 mm cellulose membranes, for human safety validation, to 70 mm quartz filters, for off-road diesel engine certification. High accuracy The F_Line Filter Robots comply with all present and upcoming standards in these industries robots and deliver quick results with a readability of 0.1 μg. The Windows® based software, FilterControl, facilitates filter coding via its barcode scanner and allows data integration with existing software systems. Due to the advanced measurement technology and absence of human interaction in the weighing and documentation procedures, results now reach an unmatched accuracy and precision.
Text: Alain Bantli, Product Manager
www.mt.com/filter
www.mt.com/ webinar-filterweighing
Short throughput times The Filter Robot can easily read-in up to 80 filter IDs via barcodes and has the flexibility to measure filters with 47 mm and 70 mm diameters. All process steps are performed automatically without any delays caused by transferring samples, filter removal or other interruptions. The innovative filter holder allows acclimatization, storage, transport and weighing all in one. With filter weighing becoming four times New F-A770 Filter Robot METTLER TOLEDO
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Material Characterization
Flash DSC Technology Revolutionizes Polymer Physics The Flash DSC 1 is a completely new type of DSC instrument. It has been developed to obtain information not previously available concerning the formation of structure and reorganization of metastable materials through the use of extremely high heating and cooling rates.
Flash DSC
Flash DSC 1 is a completely new type of commercial DSC with a signal time constant of less than 1 millisecond. This allows very high heating and cooling rates to be achieved. Although the time constant is so short, the sensitivity of the DSC is still excellent so that measurements can also be performed at relatively low heating rates. The heating rate range is 1 K/s to 40 000 K/s (60 K/min to 2 400 000 K/min). The maximum cooling rate achieved is 4 000 K/s (240 000 K/min). Isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) High cooling rates and rapid switching from cooling to isothermal conditions
(Figure 1) allow fast crystallization processes to be measured.
reduced molecular mobility. At 48 °C, the peak time is about 0.5 seconds.
The crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was measured at different crystallization temperatures after cooling from the melt at 2000 K/s. Some of the curves are displayed in Figure 2. The time to the crystallization peak characterizes the crystallization rate. At 100 °C, the material crystallizes relatively slowly with a peak time of about 2.5 seconds. The curves show that the crystallization rate first increases with decreasing crystallization temperature. The peak time at 80 °C reaches a minimum of 0.4 seconds. At lower crystallization temperatures, the crystallization rate then decreases due to
At still lower temperatures, the crystallization process becomes faster again. The reason for this is the change from heterogeneous to homogeneous nucleation.
Figure 1: Behavior of the sample temperature after cooling to 50 °C at 1000 K/s.
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This new technology will undoubtedly expand and enhance the knowledge of complex melting, crystallization and reorganization processes and will be an important tool for polymer and material scientists. Text: Matthias Wagner, Product Manager Materials Characterization
www.mt.com/ta-flashdsc
Figure 2: DSC curves of the isothermal crystallization of iPP at temperatures between 100 and 46 °C, measured by the Flash DSC 1.
A Sharper Look at Titration Indicators With a DP5 Phototrode™ Color indicators in titration can lead to large variations from one operator to another due to varying interpretation of color shifts. METTLER TOLEDO’s DP5 Phototrode can level reproducibility issues as a standard eye.
More and more food and beverage products are fortified with calcium, magnesium or even zinc for added health benefits. Determining the content of these minerals can be accurately performed by complicated analytical techniques using atomic absorption or ion chromatography. Alternatively, a classic titration can be performed with EDTA titrant and Eriochrome Black T as a color indicator for visual endpoint detection. Subjectivity of the human eye in determining color changes yields poor reproducibility when performing color indicative titrations. A digital look at color change Performing the classic EDTA titration with a DP5 to detect color change removes analysis reproducibility issues. The DP5 sends a light beam into the sample solution and measures this light’s reflected transmittance. More or less light is trans-
mitted depending on solution color. Since the color change alone is measured, only infrequent signal strength adjustment with water is needed, keeping the system easy to maintain and extremely robust. Using the DP5 combines time tested color indicator titration advantages with the objectivity of spectroscopic analysis. Operator subjectivity can be completely avoided and mineral content accurately determined in today’s functional food products. METTLER TOLEDO One Click® titrators, combined with the DP5, autosamplers and LabX® titration software for data processing have modernized time tested color indicator titrations for modern food product analysis. Text: Matthew Eby, Product Manager Titration
www.mt.com/titration-sensors DP5 Phototrode on an Excellence Titrator's manual stand.
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Good Measuring Practices
Good Measuring Practices For Balances, Titrators and Pipettes
Risk-based lifecycle approach
Reduce risk and optimize cost
needs, the associated risks and
METTLER TOLEDO, with its
in just five steps
the regulatory norms of your in-
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dustry. Based on this information,
Practices program for titration,
you in ensuring compliance with
the guidelilnes generate tangible
weighing and pipetting, provides
the requirements of your qual-
recommendations for selecting,
you with a scientific approach to
ity system at any moment in the
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lifecycle of your instruments, and
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mal performance of your laboratory
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tory equipment. The guidelines
nal audits at all times.
begin by evaluating your process
Step 1: Evaluation
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Step 2: Selection
Step 3: Installation & Training
Thorough analysis
Perfect choice
Fast, easy start-up
• Evaluate and document the device requirements for current and future applications. • Identify the limiting factors of your process specifications.
• Choose the instrument that best fits your process needs to ensure highest accuracy and minimize process risk. • Select the best option for your after-sales support agreement.
• Ensure perfect installation and commissioning of instruments. • Profit from comprehensive user trainings and documentation. • Achieve immediate operational readiness.
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Step 4: Calibration & Qualification
Step 5: Routine Operation
Good Measuring Practices Guidelines METTLER TOLEDO’s risk-based guidelines for titration, weighing and pipetting empower you to take the right decision when and where it really matters.
Compliant to regulations
Optimized operational efforts
• Ensure consistent and timely calibration and certification. • Qualify your devices according to IQ / OQ / PQ guidelines. • Obtain encompassing, traceable, documentation for quality audits.
• Define testing and maintenance schemes for your specific process risk. • Benefit from our extensive application database and application support for your daily work.
Enjoy every confidence in your process safety and instrument performance day in, day out, knowing that you fully comply with the regulatory norms of your industry. Good Measuring Practices guidelines satisfy all your needs for quality control and assurance, thus providing you with peace of mind at all times.
For more information: www.mt.com/GP METTLER TOLEDO
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Product Highlight
Increase Productivity With Efficient Moisture Control When moisture content determines productivity, the HS153 is the instrument of choice. The high performance MonoBlock weighing cell ensures accurate results required for precise control of moisture content in production. The hanging weighing pan enables 360° free access. Real-time drying curves and control charts display performance and boost productivity in the lab and the factory.
Productive The drying curve is visualized in realtime on the display. The integrated control charts show how the moisture content of the samples trend over time for optimal process control and increased productivity
Robust 360° free access to the weighing chamber facilitates sample handling. The flat surfaces are easy-to-clean. The weighing sensor is completely sealed. Spilled samples can not obstruct the balance.
Easy-to-Use To start frequently used methods, all you need to do is press a shortcut button. The small footprint of the HS153 requires minimal bench space. When using the optional stand, the instrument is narrower than an A4 size sheet of paper.
www.mt.com/moisture
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Enhanced pH Measurement With New SevenCompact ™ Be it QA during production or QC of finished products and raw materials in cosmetics industry, the SevenCompact™ series stands up to demanding data input, measurement and archiving tasks.
Infinite data storage space LabX direct software provides no data storage restrictions and displays your measurements graphically.
One single keypress By switching to uFocus™ view, you will not be distracted by information of less importance.
Broad sensor offering Find the best sensor for your application with tips and tricks from: www.mt.com/electrode-guide.
www.mt.com/sevencompact
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Academia Solutions
Enhance Solar Cell Lifetime With Automated Titration Analysis
Novel photovoltaic module technologies made it possible to construct an emission-free airplane and the successful 24-hour flight of a solar powered airplane is no longer just a vision! Solar cells offer a clean and sustainable source of power that demands high standards. Material studies are key features used in the constant improvement of module efficiency and lifetime where water analysis plays a major role. Solar technology pioneer The world of solar cells is a broad field with an immense potential for exploration and inno vation. The world famous project ‘SOLAR Impulse’, which aims to pilot an airplane around the world solely powered by sunlight, is a challenging task waiting for realization. The official
EPFL (École polytechnique fédéral de Lausanne) Karl Fischer C30
Pioneering work in solar technology
We offer comprehensive application support for weighing, moisture analysis, titration and many other analytical methods. Our titration application database alone holds over 300 applications for all relevant industry segments. e.g. Titration applications www.mt.com/titration_applications e.g. Thermal Analysis applications www.mt.com/ta-applications e.g. Moisture Applications www.mt.com/moisture-methods
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