Orbital Shaker ADOS-506

1. What is an Orbital Shaker and how does it work?

An Orbital Shaker is a laboratory device designed to agitate liquids in flasks, tubes, or other containers by moving them in a circular, orbital motion on a horizontal plane. This motion ensures even mixing without introducing bubbles or violent agitation, making it ideal for cell cultures, bacterial growth, and chemical reactions. It typically consists of a motorized platform that oscillates at set speeds and time durations, which can be adjusted depending on the application.

2. What are the common applications of an Orbital Shaker?

Orbital shaker is widely used in microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, and chemistry labs. Common applications include growing microbial cultures (like E. coli), mixing reagents, dissolving solids, hybridization experiments, and staining or destaining gels. Their gentle, consistent motion helps promote even distribution of nutrients and gases in culture media, making them especially important in biological applications.

3. What types of flasks and containers can be used with an Orbital Shaker?

Orbital shaker is compatible with a wide range of labware, including Erlenmeyer flasks, petri dishes, culture plates, test tubes, and beakers. It comes with adjustable clamps, sticky mats, or specialized platforms to securely hold different sizes and shapes of containers. It's important to ensure that your container type and volume are supported by the shaker’s capacity and platform size to ensure safe and efficient operation.

4. What safety precautions should I follow when using an Orbital Shaker?

Ensure that containers are securely fastened to the platform to prevent spills or breakage. Don’t overload the Shaker, as this can affect performance and increase wear. Operate the Shaker on a flat, stable surface and away from the edge of the bench. Always turn off the unit before adjusting or removing samples to avoid injury.

5. Do Orbital Shaker require calibration?

Yes, calibration ensures that the RPM displayed on the Shaker matches the actual shaking speed. Over time, mechanical wear or electronic drift may cause discrepancies. Regular calibration (often annually or biannually) using a tachometer or strobe light is recommended to maintain experimental accuracy, especially in GLP- or GMP-compliant labs.