Tag Archives: pcr thermal cycler

Cole Parmer 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler

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Cole Parmer 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler

Have you ever dreamed of a PCR thermal cycler for your lab but dismissed that idea due to lack of space? Then you should better get to know the 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler made by Cole Parmer. This PCR machine combines maximum performance with a very small footprint.

Who’s Cole Parmer?

Cole Parmer was founded as a distribution company for laboratory equipment, instruments and supplies by Jerry Cole and John Parmer in 1955. They started business in a small shop in downtown Chicago and did not even possess the capital for hiring further employees. Instead, the two of them provided their customers with high-quality technical assistance and customer services that were and still are second to none. Their success proved them right and soon the company expanded by purchasing several manufacturers of laboratory equipment. From this moment on, Cole Parmer was able to offer a wide range of products, many of which were modified and improved due to customer feedback. Today, the company’s headquarters are located at Vernon Hills, Illinois (USA). Nevertheless, their aims did not change:

Providing their customers with reliable products and with first-class support.
Thermal Cycler made by Cole Parmer

The 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler

As PCR technology is used with increased frequency in all kinds of laboratories, Cole Parmer developed a suitable thermal cycler for all purposes that requires much less space as many other thermal cyclers with similar capacities. The 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler will be the right device for all labs, which do research in molecular biology and medicine or which perform routine diagnostics involving DNA and RNA investigations. This personal thermal cycler provides the option to change between heating blocks that accommodate 24 0.2 ml reaction tubes (compatible with 8-well strips) and those that can hold up to 18 0.5 ml reaction tubes. In order to prevent condensation in the tubes, temperature of the heated lid can be adjusted in a temperature range from 100° C to 115° C. Although the 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler is excellent value for money, it is equipped with two Peltier element blocks that provide precise heating and cooling of the probes. Therefore, this PCR cycler possesses a temperature accuracy of +/- 0.2° C at 50° C and a temperature uniformity of +/- 0.3° C at 50° C. Both the ramp rate and maximum heating rate are up to 3.0° C per second, the maximum cooling rate is 2.1° C per second. The colour touch screen with graphical display offers high user-friendliness for programming and observing PCR reactions. 1,000 programs can be stored at the machine’s memory, via USB memory space is unlimited. It does not matter if it is a research, educational or diagnostic lab, the 3 Prime Base Thermal Cycler by Cole Parmer is truly an asset for daily routine in the lab.

Specifications

Product Type Personal Thermal Cycler
Accuracy ±0.2° C at 50° C
Display 3.2″ color touch screen with graphical display
CE Compliance Yes
Temp range 4 to 100° C
Max heating rate up to 3.0° C/sec
Block Description 24 x 0.2 mL tubes
Additional interchangeable blocks 15 x 0.5 mL tubes
Ramp rate up to 3.0° C/sec
Uniformity ±0.3° C at 50° C
Selectable heated lid temperature 100 to 115° C or off
Heated lid pressure Fixed
Description 2 Peltier element blocks
Serial port USB port
Memory 1000 programs stored, or unlimited via USB
Programmable Yes
Auto restart on power failure Yes
Cooling rate (Max) 2.1°C/sec
Dimensions 35 x 21 x 18 cm
Dimensions (” L) 13-3/4
Dimensions (” W) 8-1/4
Dimensions (” H) 7-1/8
Power 100 to 230 VAC, 50/60 Hz
Brand Techne
Model 3PRIMEBASE/02
Manufacturer number 3PRIMEBASE/02

Thermo Scientific* Arktik Thermal Cycler

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Thermo Scientific Arktik Thermal Cycler

The Arktik Thermal Cycler made by Thermo Scientific is the perfect PCR machine for any laboratory in the life sciences. Due to its high flexibility and reliability, the Arktik Thermal Cycler serves all purposes, no matter, if individual tests or high throughput PCR screenings are required.

Thermo Scientific is one of the global players when it comes to high-quality laboratory equipment, reagents and consumables. The company with headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts (USA) was established by the fusion of Fisher Scientific International Inc. and Thermo Electron Corp. in 2006. The approximately 39,000 employees of Thermo Scientific pursue the goal to make the world a little bit healthier and safer. For that purpose, they provide their customers from hospitals, universities, research institutes, biotech and pharmaceutical industry with innovative products that are designed and developed in state-of-the-art in-house research departments. In this way, work-flow in the lab can be optimized for increased productivity and even sophisticated diagnostics and analysis are no longer the challenge that they used to be.

PCR technology became an important tool for molecular biology and clinical diagnostics. Thermo Scientific has entered this field with the Arktik Thermal Cycler. This PCR machine is manufactured in Vantaa, Finland and hence it combines innovative technology with European craftsmanship. It is suitable for all laboratories, which are involved in research of molecular biology or which perform DNA- and RNA-based routine diagnostics. The Artik model provides the user with the possibility to accommodate three heating blocks at the same time. What is even better, 96-well blocks, 48-dual blocks and 384-well blocks can be interchanged in no time at all. With 48-dual blocks two different protocols can be performed at the same time. For convenient use, this PCR cycler is equipped with a heated lid that possesses an over-tightening protection system in order to guarantee the correct pressure level. Peltier technology ensures exact heating and cooling of the tubes for highest temperature precision and accuracy. In this way, a temperature accuracy of +/- 0.3° and a temperature uniformity of +/- 0.4°C (reference temperature 90°C) is provided, combined with a maximum ramp rate of 3.0°C per second. The user-friendly interface displays protocols graphically and makes programming most comfortable. Up to 99 programs can be stored. Ethernet and USB ports allow easy protocol transfer to and from personal computers. The handy machine even fits in the smallest lab and its low noise level makes it also convenient for installation in working spaces. All these features are the reason that the Arktik Thermal Cycler is a true gem in every life science lab.

Arktik Thermal Cycler Base Unit by Thermoscientific

Thermo Scientific* Arktik Thermal Cycler  Features

  • Interchangeable blocks with excellent thermal precision
  • Dual 48-well block for multi-user option
  • Broad (up to 30°C) and accurate temperature gradient†
  • Reliable and easy to use with low noise level
  • Over-tightening protection system in the heated lid
  • Accepts almost all standard PCR plastics

Arktik Thermal Cycler 2x48 wells by Thermoscientific

†Gradient feature not available for 48/48-well blocks. Gradient feature not available in the U.S., Germany and Japan.

 

Ordering Alerts: Purchase of a heat block is required for operation of the Arktik thermal
cycler.
Arktik Thermal Cycler 96 well block by Thermoscientific Arktik Thermal Cycler 384 well block by Thermoscientific

 

Thermo Scientific* Arktik Thermal Cycler is Recommended for: PCR

Purchase of this instrument conveys a limited, non-transferable immunity from suit for the purchaser’s own internal research and development and applied fields other than human in vitro diagnostics only under Canadian Patent 1,339,653, U.S. Patent 5,475,610 (claims 160-163 only) and non-U.S. counterpart claims as applicable.

 

Thermo Scientific* Arktik Thermal Cycler Specifications

Size (W x D x H) 29 x 38 x 29cm
Weight 10.5kg
Power Requirements Universal input with maximum draw of 600 W
Block Configurations 96 x 0.2mL, 384 x 0.03mL, 2 x 48 x 0.2mL (dual block). Interchangeable
Max. Ramp Rate Up to 3°C per second
Thermal Uniformity ±0.4°C
Thermal Accuracy ±0.3°C
Thermal Range 4 to 99.9°C
Gradient Range† Max. 30°C
User Interface Semi-graphical programming
Number of Programs 99
Heated Lid Manually adjustable. Over-tightening protection system.
Warranty Two years

 

Cat. No. Description
TCA0001 Arktik base unit with gradient
TCA0002 Arktik base unit without gradient
TCA0096 96-well block only
TCA4848 Dual block only (2 x 48 wells)
TCA0384 384-well block only
†Gradient feature not available for 48/48-well blocks. Gradient feature not available in the U.S., Germany and Japan.

PCR Thermal Cycler Open Source Solution

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PCR Thermal Cycler Open Source Solution

How about OpenPCR ?

An open source solution for development of PCR thermal cyclers
Open source movement is an old hat with respect to computer software but since the last two years there is a similar trend among molecular biologists interested in DNA testing. In fact, there is growing support for a project that provides information about the elaborate technology behind PCR thermal cyclers. There are encouraging signs that open source constructed PCR thermal cyclers could become a reality soon.

How much would OpenPCR cost ?

The Californian biologists Tito Jankowski and Josh Perfetto took matters into their own hands and collected more than $10,500 for their project OpenPCR. Here they launch an open source PCR machine that is financially attractive enough to inspire scientists to develop their own thermal cycler. Open PCR aims to provide this open source PCR thermal cycler for less than $400 – an astonishing price for an instrument that usually costs more than $4,000!

Jankowski and Perfetto state that their project OpenPCR will give interested users the possibility to undertake various experiments involving DNA. For example, food and plants could be tested for the presence of genetically modified organisms and even human genomes can be investigated.

How to become a part of OpenPCR ?

Interested in becoming part of the project or in the PCR thermal cycler itself? Just visit the OpenPCR kickstarter page to learn more.