OHAUS Frontier™ 5816R Refrigerated Benchtop Centrifuge

Overview

The OHAUS Frontier™ 5816R Refrigerated Benchtop Centrifuge is an engineered solution for high-throughput, temperature-sensitive separation workflows in life science, clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical laboratories. Operating on the principle of sedimentation under controlled centrifugal force, it delivers reproducible pelleting and layering of biological particles—including large organelles (e.g., mitochondria, lysosomes), viral particles, and subcellular complexes—within defined thermal boundaries. Its refrigerated architecture enables precise thermal management from –20 °C to +40 °C, critical for preserving labile biomolecules during extended runs or heat-sensitive sample preparation steps such as plasma fractionation or exosome isolation. As a benchtop platform, the FC5816R balances footprint efficiency with robust mechanical performance, integrating a brushless induction motor for zero-maintenance operation and long-term torque stability across speed gradients.

Key Features

• Threadless quick-clamp rotor mounting system ensures rapid, tool-free installation and alignment—reducing setup time and minimizing operator-induced mechanical stress on rotor hubs.
• Auto-rotor identification technology reads embedded RFID tags or mechanical coding to automatically load validated speed/RCF limits and safety thresholds, eliminating manual configuration errors.
• Dual-stage imbalance detection continuously monitors vibration signatures during acceleration, deceleration, and steady-state operation; halts rotation if asymmetry exceeds rotor-specific tolerances.
• Hermetically sealed rotors (including swing-bucket and fixed-angle variants) comply with WHO and CDC biosafety recommendations for BSL-2 containment and are compatible with decontamination protocols involving ethanol, hydrogen peroxide vapor, or autoclaving (where specified).
• Pre-cool function initiates refrigeration prior to lid closure, enabling chamber equilibration to setpoint within ≤15 minutes at –10 °C—critical for maintaining sample integrity during cold-start protocols.
• Backlit LCD interface with tactile keypad and rotary encoder supports glove-compatible operation and real-time display of RCF, speed, elapsed time, remaining time, temperature, and error codes.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The FC5816R accommodates a broad range of primary and secondary containers, including 15 mL and 50 mL conical tubes, blood collection tubes (13 mm × 100 mm), microcentrifuge tubes (0.2–2.0 mL), and specialized carriers for PCR strips or deep-well plates. Its horizontal rotor configurations support maximum loads of 6 × 250 mL bottles when filled to nominal volume, enabling scalable processing for cell culture harvests or bioprocess intermediate clarification. All rotor geometries are certified to ISO 15883-1 for cleaning validation and conform to IEC 61010-2-020 for laboratory equipment safety. When used with OHAUS-certified rotors and accessories, the system meets traceability requirements for GLP-compliant studies and aligns with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 data integrity expectations when paired with compliant third-party LIMS integration.

Software & Data Management

While the FC5816R operates as a standalone instrument, its internal memory stores up to 99 user-defined protocols—including speed, time, temperature, acceleration/deceleration profiles, and rotor ID—each timestamped and retrievable without external software. Protocol export is supported via USB port (FAT32-formatted drive) in CSV format for audit-ready documentation. Optional OHAUS CentriLink™ software (v3.2+) provides remote monitoring, firmware updates, and automated report generation aligned with ISO/IEC 17025 quality management frameworks. All stored parameters include rotor-specific calibration offsets, ensuring RCF accuracy remains traceable to NIST-traceable torque standards.

Applications

• Isolation of extracellular vesicles and exosomes from serum, plasma, or conditioned media using differential ultracentrifugation protocols (e.g., 10,000 × g for 30 min followed by 100,000 × g spins—note: ultra-high-speed capability requires optional rotor upgrade).
• Preparative separation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) via Ficoll density gradient centrifugation at 400–800 × g, with temperature stabilization preventing lymphocyte activation.
• Routine purification of plasmid DNA, RNA, or recombinant proteins where thermal control prevents nuclease activity or aggregation during spin-down steps.
• Quality control of vaccine formulations, including antigen particle size distribution analysis after low-speed clarification (≤3,000 × g) and final sterile filtration support.
• Environmental microbiology workflows requiring cold preservation of waterborne pathogens prior to concentration and enumeration.

FAQ

Does the FC5816R support continuous operation at maximum speed and minimum temperature?
Yes—its dual-compressor refrigeration system and optimized airflow path maintain stable chamber temperatures within ±1 °C at 16,000 rpm and –20 °C for durations up to 60 minutes, verified per OHAUS Thermal Stability Protocol TS-5816R-02.
Can non-OHAUS rotors be used with this centrifuge?
No. Only OHAUS-certified rotors with integrated identification features are recognized by the auto-ID system; use of uncertified hardware voids safety certifications and invalidates warranty coverage.
Is the instrument compliant with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) directives for shared laboratory environments?
Yes—the FC5816R conforms to EN 61326-1:2013 for EMC emission and immunity, including resistance to RF interference from nearby NMR spectrometers or mass spectrometry systems.
How is rotor lifetime tracked and managed?
Each rotor contains a non-volatile memory chip logging cumulative run time, maximum RCF exposure, and number of acceleration cycles; this data is accessible via the front panel or exported for preventive maintenance scheduling.
What documentation is provided for regulatory submissions?
OHAUS supplies a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) report, Certificate of Conformance (CoC), and IQ/OQ templates aligned with ASTM E2500-13, supporting qualification in GxP-regulated facilities.