New SensoQuest LabCycler Thermal Cyclers from Progen Scientific

Progen Scientific Limited of Mexborough, South Yorkshire has just released the SensoQuest LabCycler Thermal Cyclers range. These models are built to the highest specifications yet are affordable high quality end of the thermal cycler market. The new SensoQuest LabCycler thermal cyclers will amaze you with their features, specifications and upgrade options to keep up with future thermal cycler developments. Available in two models, basic and gradient, the quality begins with the gold plated silver thermoblocks and continues through all the features listed below.

Precision
The LabCycler is characterised by precision in the smallest detail - seen in its development and in practical operation.

Quality
The solid metal design oozes precise, high quality workmanship. This makes the LabCycler a reliable and lasting device. Peltier elements of the latest generation offer high speed and long life. More than 250,000 standard PCR cycles have been done without any failures and the tests are continuing...

Flexibility
The LabCycler has a unique system of exchanging the thermoblock. Currently there are three block formats: 48 wells for 0.5 ml, 96 wells for 0.2 ml, 96 well micro titre plates or 384 well micro titre plates. The equipment is gradient capable and will soon be available in a robotic version.

Innovation
Understanding that scientists don't want to invest in a new cycler regularly SensoQuest devised their system with enough far sightedness, so that room is left for future expansions. They keep developing the LabCycler for tomorrow's demands.

The User Interface
Experience shows that a thermal cycler is only as good as its user interface. This is a lesson that SensoQuest have taken to heart. Their LabCycler has a large scale touch screen. The window-based surface is intuitively operated, allowing convenient programming of protocols. The machine automatically restarts after power failure. The large programmable memory offers a clearly represented directory structure. The illuminated and coloured graphic display gives you all the important information at a glance and lets you follow everything in real time. A familiar keypad complements the modern visual user interface. The protocols of the 16 most recent programme sequences can be retrieved at any time. By the way, you will hardly ever need the user manual. At a stroke of a key the context sensitive online help will inform you about the next steps.

The Thermoblock
The heart of the LabCycler is its thermoblock, setting new standards for temperature uniformity and ramp rate. There are gold coated silver blocks for 0.5 ml. tubes (48 wells), 96 well micro titre plates and 384 well micro titre plates, which through new construction methods, show exceptional temperature homogeneity with high heating (4.2°C / second) and cooling (3.2°C / second) rates. The homogeneity is further enhanced by a 6 zone regulation. Of course the block is gradient capable. The silver block has only half of the heat capacity of an aluminium block, halving the consumption of energy and, as well, the unwanted heating of the laboratory. The peltier elements of the latest generation can take hundreds of thousands of cycles. Due to the unique changing system the thermoblock module can be exchanged in seconds with one hand only. The inserted block is immediately operational. The block has its own processor, identifies itself to the device and stores its operational data. Extensive self check functions continuously verify the perfect conditions of device and thermoblock. Because the temperatures are measured by the block itself, one block will work identically in any machine.

The Heated Lid
The heated lid is integrated into the case lid's elegant design. Pressure and temperature are fully programmable. Through high power the heated lid quickly reaches its uniform temperature. Sealing of foils is possible. The temperature and force of the lid can be pre selected for every programme. Versions will be available in the future with electrically opening / closing heated lid for use with robotics systems

The Upgrading
Should the need be to use the thermal cycler in robotic systems this is not a problem. The LabCycler is equipped with interfaces for remote control as well as software updates. The LabCycler Basic model can also be upgraded to the LabCycler Gradient if required by purchasing a software activation key.