OHAUS FRONTIER™ FC5706 Benchtop Centrifuge

Overview

The OHAUS FRONTIER™ FC5706 is a high-performance benchtop centrifuge engineered for precision separation in routine and advanced laboratory workflows. Designed and manufactured in Germany under OHAUS’ century-long legacy of laboratory instrumentation excellence, the FC5706 operates on the principle of sedimentation-based separation—utilizing controlled rotational force to separate heterogeneous mixtures by particle density, size, and shape. With a maximum speed of 6,000 rpm and an RCF of up to 4,427 × g, it delivers robust performance for applications requiring moderate-to-high g-force resolution, including cell pelleting, nucleic acid precipitation, protein purification, and microfiltration preparation. Its compact footprint and fixed-angle rotor configuration optimize space efficiency while ensuring mechanical stability and thermal consistency during extended runs.

Key Features

• German-engineered reliability: Fully assembled and quality-tested in OHAUS’ ISO 9001-certified facility in Germany, ensuring adherence to stringent manufacturing tolerances and long-term operational repeatability.
• Precision speed & RCF control: Digital speed setting with 10 rpm increments and real-time RCF calculation; minimum RCF adjustment step of 10 × g enables fine-tuned protocol optimization.
• Integrated safety architecture: Includes automatic rotor recognition, imbalance detection with immediate deceleration, lid interlock system, and certified biocontainment design compliant with IEC 61010-2-020 for Class II microbiological safety.
• Ergonomic user interface: Intuitive LCD display with multilingual support (English, German, French, Spanish), programmable memory for up to 99 protocols, and silent acceleration/deceleration profiles to minimize sample disturbance.
• Thermal management: Passive cooling system maintains ambient temperature stability during operation—no refrigeration required, reducing energy consumption and eliminating condensation risks typical of chilled centrifuges.
• Mechanically balanced rotor assembly: Aluminum alloy fixed-angle rotor (6 × 50 mL) with certified calibration traceability to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standards; rotor lifetime monitored via integrated usage counter.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The FC5706 accommodates standard conical-bottom polypropylene or polycarbonate tubes (15 mL and 50 mL), as well as compatible centrifuge bottles meeting ISO 8573-1 purity class 4 requirements. It supports common laboratory protocols aligned with ASTM D3403 (centrifuge performance verification), ISO 21501-4 (particle sizing validation), and USP (dissolution testing sample preparation). While not a refrigerated unit, its non-condensing operation meets GLP-compliant documentation requirements when paired with validated SOPs. The device carries CE marking per Directive 2014/30/EU (EMC) and 2014/35/EU (LVD), and conforms to RoHS 2011/65/EU material restrictions.

Software & Data Management

The FC5706 operates as a standalone instrument without proprietary software dependency. All run parameters—including speed, time, RCF, acceleration/deceleration ramp profiles, and rotor ID—are stored locally in non-volatile memory with timestamped audit trails. For laboratories implementing electronic record systems, the centrifuge supports manual data export via USB port (CSV format) for integration into LIMS or ELN platforms. Optional OHAUS CentriLink™ Data Logger (sold separately) enables continuous monitoring and 21 CFR Part 11–compliant electronic signatures when used with validated access controls and audit trail configurations.

Applications

• Routine cell harvesting from suspension cultures (e.g., CHO, HEK293, bacterial pellets)
• Clarification of crude lysates prior to chromatographic analysis
• Preparation of plasma, serum, or urine supernatants for clinical chemistry assays
• Sedimentation of nanoparticles and colloidal suspensions for DLS or TEM sample prep
• High-yield isolation of extracellular vesicles using differential centrifugation protocols (e.g., 2,000 × g → 10,000 × g steps)
• Quality control testing in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments where non-refrigerated, medium-g-force separation is specified per internal SOPs

FAQ

Is the FC5706 suitable for biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) applications?
Yes—the rotor chamber and lid assembly are designed to contain aerosols generated during centrifugation of BSL-2 agents, and the unit complies with IEC 61010-2-020 Annex BB for containment integrity testing.
Can I use this centrifuge with swing-bucket rotors?
No—the FC5706 is configured exclusively for the fixed-angle 6 × 50 mL rotor; no swing-bucket or horizontal rotor options are available or certified for this model.
Does the FC5706 require routine calibration?
Per ISO/IEC 17025 guidelines, speed and timer accuracy should be verified annually using NIST-traceable tachometers and stopwatch calibrators; OHAUS recommends calibration by authorized service centers only.
What is the expected service life under standard lab use?
With scheduled maintenance (bearing inspection every 15,000 operating hours), the FC5706 demonstrates >10 years of functional longevity in ISO 13485–certified production labs.
Is remote monitoring or network connectivity supported?
No native Ethernet or Wi-Fi interface is included; however, third-party IoT gateways may be deployed for basic status polling via RS-232 serial output (optional adapter required).