Inheco Single Plate Incubator

Excellent heating and protection for your cell cultures

Increase your throughput of automated cell culture incubations, without taking valuable deck space. The Inheco single plate incubator is small, flexible and fast to reach operating temperature.
Incubators provide protected heated environments where your cell samples can grow in optimal conditions, protected from light and contaminants.

SPACE-SAVING
The Inheco incubator sits off deck or beside your deck, to save you space. It is adjusted with its own internal controller, enabling on deck automated applications. Its automatically opening and closing door move out the sample plate, enabling on deck automated applications even when only this part projects into the working area of the liquid handling platform.

FAST AND ACCURATE
The Inheco Single Plate Incubator reaches its operating temperature in just 10 minutes. To provide you with highly accurate assays, our incubator operates up to a maximum temperature of 80 °C with a temperature accuracy of 0.3 K and a homogeneity of 0.5 K.

VERSATILE
Choose between versions for microplates: heated from bottom only and suitable for plates with lids, and deep well: heated from all sides to avoid condensation, suitable for vials and reservoirs. For even more flexibility, stack two or more versions together. All in just 149 mm x 268 mm of workstation space. Position wherever works best for your set-up – you can place your incubator in different orientations for easier plate insertion and removal, and complete pipetting without removing the plates from the drawer.

EASY TO INTEGRATE
API available, and already integrated with major liquid handling systems. For stacked devices, devices are individually & independently controlled (master-slave principle).

RELIABLE AND SUPPORTED
Every Inheco device is designed, engineered and made in Germany and undergoes rigorous quality control before delivery. It comes with a global two-year warranty and full customer service including remote support, diagnostic and servicing options that focusses on minimizing operational downtime.

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Technical Specifications Incubator

Incubator type Single Plate Incubator MP Single Plate Incubator DWP
Input voltage 24 Vdc
Input power Max 30 W Max 45 W
Maximum numbers of devices per pow-er supply (2400121) 6 4
Temperature range Room temperature +5 K up to +80 °C (+175 °F)
Tolerable relative humidity ambient 10-80% relative at +20 °C (+68 °F) up to +30 °C (+86 °F)
Maximum load of the shaker platform N.A.
Shaker frequency range N.A.
Maximum shaking amplitude (difference between the maxima) N.A.
Shaking direction N.A.
Dimension in YModule w connector cable 295.5 mm
Dimension in YModule wo connector cable 268.5 mm
Dimension in XModule 149 mm
Dimension in ZModule wo pin 58 mm 104 mm
Open drawer incl. door YDrawer 193.5 mm 223.5 mm
Dimension of the thermal chamber in ZChamber 18 mm 50 mm
Weight 2.5 kg 3.4 kg
Maximum number of devices in one stack due to interaction during shaking and power limitation of power supply 5 4
 
Drawer specifications
Accuracy of the end position of the drawer in x, y and z (drawer open); single unit, all parts at specified ambient temperature ±0,30 mm
Maximum drawer load 0,25 kg
Open drawer resistance for a force in Z-axis without plastic deformation 10 N
 
Environmental conditions
Tolerable relative humidity:
Operation 10-80% relative at+20 °C (+68 °F) up to +30 °C (+86 °F)
Transportation and storage -10 °C to +60 °C (+14 °F to +140 °F)
Temperature:
Operation +20 °C to + 30 °C (+68 °F to +86 °F)
Transportation and storage -10 °C to + 60 °C (+14 °F) to 140 °F)
 

Shaker functionality Incubator Shaker MP / DWP

Parameter Value
Amplitude range 0.0 – 3.0 mm *
Speed range 6.6 – 30.0 Hz *
Speed precision ±2 Hz
Load 40 – 250 g * (weight of plate and liquid and adapter)
Supervision Speed and amplitude (closed loop controller)
Shaker movement North – South (linear)
East – West (linear)
Round (orbital)
“Eight” (this is possible but not recommended because it might damage the shaker)
Shaker movement
Amplitude accuracy** ±20% (of the target amplitude)
Phase shift accuracy** ±11 °
** Validated for the Heating Plate movement / average value over 10 cycles
Single Axis (North – South and East – West) Shaker Load: 100 g
Shaker Shaker amplitude [mm]
Speed [Hz] Single device Maximum stack
10 X = 1.0 to 2.2 or Y = 1.0 to 2.2 X = 1,0 to 1.9 or Y = 1.0 to 1.9
15 X = 1.0 to 2.7 or Y = 1.0 to 2.7 X = 1.0 to 2.4 or Y = 1,0 to 2.4
20 X = 1,0 to 1.2 or Y = 1.0 to 1.2 X = 1.0 to 1.2 or Y= 1.0 to 1.2
Round (Phase shift = 90 °) Shaker load: 100 g
Shaker Shaker amplitude [mm]
Speed [Hz] Single device Maximum stack
10 X = 1.0 to 2.2
Y = 1.0 to 2.2
X = 1,0 to 1.9
Y = 1.0 to 1.9
15 X = 1.0 to 2.7
Y = 1.0 to 2.7
X = 1.0 to 2.4
Y = 1.0 to 2.4
20 X = 1.0 to 1.2
Y = 1.0 to 1.2
X = 1.0 to 1.2
Y = 1.0 to 1.2
„Eight“ (Phase shift = 0°) Shaker load: 100 g
Shaker Shaker amplitude [mm]
Speed [Hz] Single device Triple stack
X = 12 / Y = 24 X = 1.0 to 2.4 / Y = 1.0 to 2.4 X = 1.0 to 2.2 / Y = 1.0 to 2.2
X = 15 / Y = 30 X = 1.0 / Y = 1.0 X = 1.0 / Y = 1.0
 

Thermal functionality for all Incubators

Parameter Value
Temperature range Room temperature plus 5 K to +80 °C [+176 °F]
Accuracy absolute (@ ambient temperature stability ±1 K) The accuracy is defined as the difference between the target temperature of the heating plate and the average of the measured temperature on the heating plate. The heating plate temperature is measured at 5 positions on the heating plate according to the Inheco measurement head PM-0105. The 5 measurement positions are according to the Plate positions A1, H1, E6, A12 and H12.

Target temp. validation tool Accuracy [°C] for all incubator
+37 °C [+98,6 °F] ±1.0
+60 °C [+140 °F] ±1.5
+80 °C [+176 °F] ±2.0
Uniformity measured in well Uniformity is defined by the maximum difference between lowest and highest temperature according to a Greiner 96 Flat Bottom Plate (postitions A1, A12, E7, H12)

Target temp. validation tool Uniformity [°C] for non shaking devices Uniformity [°C] for shaking devices
+37 °C [+98,6 °F] ≤ 0.8 ≤ 0.8
Evaporation in unsealed Micro Plates (can be reduced by using lid or cover)
Incubator non shaker temperature +37 °C [+98,6 °F], max. 25% loss of liquid in 4 h, deionized water, room temperature 24-26 °C [75,2-78,8 °F], rel. humidity 40-50%, altitude at 410 m over Sea level Incubator shaker temperature +37 °C [+98,6 °F], max. 32% loss of liquid in 4 h, deionized water, room temperature 24-26 °C [75,2-78,8 °F], rel. humidity 40-50%, altitude at 410 m over Sea level
Heat-up time at start temperature +20°C [+68°F] with target temperature +37°C [+98°F]
Max. 30 min; Volume 280 µl per well. * Max. 100 min; Volume 1.5 ml per well. ** Max. 30 min; Volume 280 µl per well. * Max. 120 min; Volume 1.5 ml per well. **

* The target temperature is reached when all sensors are in the tolerance band of 37 °C ±1°C [98,6 °F ±3,6 °F] Measured with: 1) Greiner 96 Flat Bottom Plate

** The target temperature is reached when all sensors are in the tolerance band of 37 °C ±1°C [98,6 °F ±3,6 °F] Measured with: 1) NUNC 96 Deep Well Plate

Incubator Accessories

Inheco IMP Measurement Plate

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Why use a single plate incubator?

Cells need stable and sterile environmental conditions for optimal cell growth. An incubator allows cells to develop in a controlled and protected environment. Due to the compact design and the minimal size of the incubation chamber, single-plate incubators can very quickly compensate for process-related fluctuations in ambient conditions (e.g. when the door is opened or closed). The stress on the cells can thus be minimized.

What to look for in a single plate incubator
Incubators are available in many different configurations, but temperature ramp rate and accuracy plus protection from light and contamination are essential to all. Here are some of the main factors to consider.
  • Size and capacity – with the ability to handle samples in varying cell carriers while fitting comfortably into your workstation. Bigger is not necessarily better for all labs.
  • Floor-based or bench top – floor-based tend to have larger capacity, bench top may be easier to integrate into your workflow.
  • Programmability/automation – how will your incubator integrate with your existing set up?
  • Temperature range – what is the hottest your assays are likely to require?
  • Temperature accuracy and uniformity – essential for precise processing of all your assays.
  • Temperature ramp rate – the faster your cells get to temperature, the higher your throughput can be.
  • Cleaning and sterilizing – to keep your samples uncontaminated, your incubator should be easy to keep clean.

Use of the Inheco Single Plate Incubator

The Inheco Single Plate Incubator is used in NGS-library preparation, PCR, incubation and sequential enzymatic digestions in labs around the world.

It’s often integrated with liquid handling workstations, in combination with a reader and robotic arm.

Labs also use the Inheco Single Plate Incubator for ELISA, bioassays, NA Hybridization and dark incubation to protect sensitive (fluorescent) dyes from degradation.

Direct contact heating with temperature boost for best heating rates

Heating
The Microplate (MP) variants use bottom contact surface heating. Samples heat from 20 °C to 37 °C in approximately 20 minutes.

The Deep Well Plate (DWP) variants heat from all sides within the chamber to avoid condensation during incubation. Samples heat from 20 °C to 37 °C in approximately 10 minutes, up to 4 times faster than in conventional incubators.
 
Software
  • API available. The Inheco Single Plate Incubator is quick to connect, and ready for future developments in your lab.
Inheco
Industrial Heating & Cooling GmbH
Fraunhoferstrasse 11
82152 Martinsried / Germany
 
Inheco Sales
Phone: +49 89 899593-120
Email: sales@inheco.com
 
Inheco Technical Support
Phone: +49 89 899593-121
Email: techhotline@inheco.com
 
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Phone: +49 89 899593-421
Email: jobs@inheco.com
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