Laboratory Shakers: What Are They?
with a small footprint. A shaker contains an oscillating board that is used to place the flasks, beakers, or test tubes.
The laboratory shakers are useful tools that can make a mixture of different things that are all the same. Life sciences uses these shakers in waste water treatments, biotech industries, and in life sciences. They are not just used in science labs; they are used in many different industries. They are vital equipment in many labs.
How does a shaker work?
A shaker usually works by creating a shaking motion. This occurs at a low speed (rpm). Inside the beaker, an oscillating board will hold the test tubes and flasks. These bottles, as well as the devices, shake to mix and blend the substances that are inside the bottles. Laboratory shakes will condense two different processes into one substance. They are small and perfect for life science and molecular laboratories.
Feature & benefits of a laboratory shaker
Most of the laboratory shakers do not cause vibration on the benchtops in which they are held, this keeps the other equipment and processes undisturbed.
Shakers are small and compact in design, hence they don’t take up too much space in the laboratory and are easy to move.
The footprint of many shakers is small.
These shakers can hold a variety of containers, such as test tubes, flasks, beakers, and more.
Orbital shakers can be cold room and incubator compatible.
Some shakers also provide over-speed detection and protection.
There are remote functions on the shaker which can provide PC control and data transmission.
Many shakers also provide free software for PC control and data logging.
Uses of the laboratory shakers
- General mixing
- Diagnostic testing
- Cell culture
- Bacterial suspensions
- Hybridization
- Staiting
- Solubility studies
- Destaining
- Extraction procedures
- Washing procedures
Types of shakers
When it comes to laboratory shakers, versatility is very important. Keeping that in mind, there are many different kinds of shakers. Below is a thorough understanding of each type of shaker and its functions.
Vortex Shaker
A vortex shaker is usually a small device used to shake or mix small vials of liquid substances. Its most unique quality is that it works by the user putting a vial on the shaking platform and turning it on; thus, the vial is shaken with the platform. This type of shaker is very variable in terms of speed adjustment, for the shaking speed can be continuously changed while shaking by turning a switch.
Platform Shaker
A platform shaker has a tabletop that oscillates horizontally. The liquids to be stirred are held in beakers, jars, or Erlenmeyer flasks that are placed over the table or, sometimes, in test tubes or vials that are nestled into holes in the plate. This type of shaker can also be combined with other systems, like rotating mixers for small systems, and was made to be made in laboratories with open-source scientific equipment.
Orbital Shaker
Like the name suggests, it has a circular shaking motion with a slow speed. It is suitable for culturing microbes, washing blots, and general mixing. It does not create vibrations, and it produces low heat compared to other kinds of shakers, which makes it ideal for culturing microbes. Due to its low temperature and vibrations, it can also be changed by putting it in an incubator to make an incubator shaker.
Incubator Shaker
An incubator shaker or thermal shaker can be considered a mix of an incubator and a shaker. It can shake while maintaining the right conditions for growing bacteria or making copies of DNA. This shaker is very useful because in order for a cell to grow, it needs oxygen and nutrients that require shaking so that they can be distributed evenly around the culture.
If you are wondering what type of shaker you need, you can consider some of these questions and opt for the type of laboratory shaker according to your preferences.
What kind of shaking method do you need? Do you want a temperature-controlled shaker? What is the RPM range you need? What is the capacity of the laboratory shaker that you need? (This includes volume and total weight.) What programming functions does the shaker you are looking at have, if any?
Neuation Technologies Pvt. Ltd. offers laboratory shakers and mixers like the iShak Quattro Nxt, iShak T$4 Nxt, iShak BLUno VI, iShak 3D-5 NXT, iShak PS 10/20, iShak US15, and many more. For lab consumables, call 9924477224.
Original source: https://vocal.media/journal/laboratory-shakers-what-are-they
