New Optima™ MAX-XP Benchtop Ultracentrifuge is Fast, Quiet and Easy to Use

Beckman Coulter, Inc., introduces the Optima™ MAX-XP benchtop ultracentrifuge. The next generation in the company's successful Optima line, the new instrument delivers fast run times of up to 150,000 RPM (2,500 revolutions per second) and is exceptionally quiet – producing only half the sound power of other benchtop models. A new MLA-150 fixed-angle rotor for the Optima MAX-XP has a low k-factor for rapid separation of small volume samples such as subcellular particles, viruses and proteins.

The Optima MAX-XP features redesigned software with significant ease-of-use enhancements. The user interface is intuitive and customisable with control via a full-colour touch screen. Optional remote monitoring and control of the system is also available. Users can easily switch between RPM and RCF modes. Important data, including detailed run histories, can be easily exported through a USB port. The software supports 21 CFR Part 11, GLP and GMP compliance and new user ID and login features provide important lab management tools.

As with many Beckman Coulter centrifuges, the Optima MAX-XP is offered with multiple levels of biocontainment and is designed to fit in a standard biosafety hood. For added protection, this new ultracentrifuge is also offered in a biosafe version featuring HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filtration. A selection of labware and rotors for biosafety requirements is available and all existing Optima MAX and Optima TLX rotors are compatible with the new ultracentrifuge.

"As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our centrifuge business, we're pleased to launch yet another advancement for our Optima line, which was first introduced in 1984," commented Margie Rogers, business manager for Beckman Coulter. "The software makes this new system powerful, yet easy to work with, and the quiet operation makes it a pleasure to have in the laboratory."

Beckman Coulter, Inc., based in California, USA, develops, manufactures and markets products that simplify, automate and innovate complex biomedical tests. More than 200,000 Beckman Coulter systems operate in laboratories around the world supplying critical information for improving patient health and reducing the cost of care. Recurring revenue consisting of supplies, test kits, service and operating-type lease payments represent more than 75 percent of the company’s 2006 annual revenue of $2.53 billion.