IKA Trayster basic Top-Loading Horizontal Rocker Mixer

Overview

The IKA Trayster basic is a compact, top-loading horizontal rocker mixer engineered for gentle yet effective sample agitation in life science and bioprocessing laboratories. Unlike orbital or vortex shakers, the Trayster basic operates on a precise rocking motion—tilting the platform through a fixed angular displacement at a constant 20 rpm—optimized to minimize shear stress while ensuring homogeneous mixing of sensitive biological samples. This principle of low-shear horizontal oscillation makes it particularly suitable for applications where cell integrity, protein stability, or immunoassay performance must be preserved. Designed for reliability in demanding environments, the device features a robust polymer housing, sealed electronics compliant with DIN EN 60529 (IP21), and a thermally stable heating system enabling operation across a broad ambient-compatible temperature range of 4–50 °C. Its continuous-duty architecture supports unattended 24/7 operation, making it ideal for incubator-integrated workflows or long-duration hybridization, staining, or washing protocols.

Key Features

• Gentle horizontal rocking motion with fixed 20 rpm speed—engineered to prevent foaming, denaturation, or sediment disruption in delicate suspensions.
• Integrated Peltier-based temperature control enables precise thermal regulation from 4 °C (refrigerated storage compatibility) up to 50 °C (e.g., for enzyme reactions or antigen retrieval).
• Modular clamp system: accommodates up to three independently removable clamps—compatible with standard microcentrifuge tubes (0.2–2.0 mL), Eppendorf tubes, 15 mL and 50 mL conical tubes, and flat-bottom multiwell plates (e.g., 96-well formats).
• Top-loading design ensures ergonomic access and simplifies integration into biosafety cabinets or cold rooms; no front-panel obstructions or protruding controls.
• Compact footprint (460 × 180 × 140 mm) and lightweight construction (1.6 kg) support benchtop stacking (when used with compatible IKA accessories) and flexible placement within constrained lab spaces.
• Compliance with international safety standards: CE-marked, RoHS-compliant, and certified to DIN EN 60529 (IP21) for protection against vertically falling solid objects and limited ingress of moisture.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The Trayster basic is validated for use with a wide range of biological and biochemical sample types—including whole blood, serum, plasma, PBMC suspensions, antibody-coated beads, agarose gels, and tissue lysates. Its low-acceleration rocking profile meets common requirements for ELISA plate washing, Western blot membrane incubation, and nucleic acid hybridization steps where uniform reagent distribution without bubble formation is critical. The device complies with general laboratory equipment safety directives under EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU. While not equipped with digital audit trails or electronic signatures, its mechanical simplicity supports GLP-aligned documentation when paired with standardized SOPs and manual logbook entries. No regulatory certification for FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance is claimed due to absence of data storage or user authentication functions.

Software & Data Management

The Trayster basic is a standalone, hardware-controlled instrument with no embedded microprocessor, display interface, or connectivity options (no USB, RS232, or analog output). All operational parameters—including temperature setpoint and rocker activation—are managed via front-panel rotary dials and mechanical switches. Consequently, it generates no digital data logs, requires no driver installation, and imposes zero cybersecurity or IT validation burden—a key advantage in regulated QC/QA labs where software qualification complexity must be minimized. Temperature calibration is performed using traceable NIST-certified reference probes during annual maintenance, per ISO/IEC 17025 guidelines for measurement equipment.

Applications

• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) slide incubation with primary/secondary antibodies and detection reagents.
• Low-speed mixing of viscous solutions such as glycerol stocks, agarose gels, or high-concentration protein buffers.
• Blood bank workflows: gentle resuspension of RBC pellets and leukocyte preparations prior to crossmatching or flow cytometry analysis.
• Cell culture maintenance: periodic agitation of adherent cell flasks during extended incubation phases to improve nutrient homogeneity without compromising monolayer integrity.
• Environmental microbiology: mixing of soil suspensions or water samples for viable colony enumeration under CLSI M07-A10-recommended conditions.
• Pharmaceutical QA: dissolution testing support for low-solubility APIs where minimal turbulence avoids premature particle aggregation.

FAQ

Does the Trayster basic support variable speed control?
No—the device operates exclusively at a fixed 20 rpm rocking frequency. It does not offer adjustable speed or programmable ramp profiles.
Can it be used inside a CO₂ incubator?
Yes, provided the incubator’s internal temperature remains within the 4–50 °C operating range and relative humidity does not exceed 80 % non-condensing. Verify compatibility with your incubator manufacturer prior to installation.
Is the unit suitable for GMP-regulated environments?
It may be deployed in GMP settings for non-critical mixing tasks, but users must establish and validate their own operational qualification (OQ) protocol, including temperature uniformity mapping and mechanical timing verification.
What maintenance is required?
Annual calibration of the temperature sensor using an accredited external probe is recommended. Wipe-down cleaning with 70 % ethanol or isopropanol is sufficient; avoid submerging or spraying liquid directly onto the unit.
Are replacement clamps available separately?
Yes—IKA offers OEM-certified clamp kits (e.g., universal tube holder, microplate adapter, and custom-fit adapters) under part numbers TRAY-BASIC-CLAMP-SET and TRAY-BASIC-PLATE-ADAPTER.