PerkinElmer FLEXAR™ Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography System

Overview

The PerkinElmer FLEXAR™ Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) System is an engineered platform designed for high-resolution, high-throughput separation of complex mixtures in regulated and research-intensive laboratory environments. Built upon over three decades of PerkinElmer’s chromatographic expertise, the FLEXAR™ architecture integrates dual binary solvent delivery, ultra-low gradient delay volume, and pressure-stable flow control—enabling robust operation at pressures exceeding 18,000 psi. Its core measurement principle relies on high-efficiency liquid-phase partitioning across sub-2-µm particle-packed columns under precisely controlled mobile phase gradients and temperature conditions. This system supports both routine HPLC and demanding UHPLC applications—including pharmaceutical impurity profiling, biopolymer characterization, environmental contaminant screening, and clinical biomarker quantification—while maintaining method transfer fidelity from legacy HPLC platforms.

Key Features

• Dual binary pump configuration with synchronized piston actuation ensures exceptional retention time reproducibility (<0.05% RSD) and minimizes pressure pulsation for improved baseline stability.
• Integrated piston wash module continuously cleans seal surfaces during buffer-based methods—reducing maintenance frequency and extending seal lifetime without manual intervention.
• Modular column oven supports precise thermal control from ambient to 90 °C (extendable to 110 °C), enabling method robustness across temperature-sensitive separations.
• Low-volume, low-dead-volume fluidic path design reduces extra-column band broadening—critical for preserving peak capacity when using narrow-bore or microflow columns.
• Real-time pressure monitoring and visualization via Chromera CDS allow immediate diagnostics and proactive system health assessment during sequence execution.
• Plug-and-play waste management system automates drain line routing and enables seamless integration with lab-scale solvent recycling infrastructure.
• Onboard degasser with active solvent level sensing provides continuous, stable mobile phase composition—eliminating air bubble-induced retention shifts.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The FLEXAR™ system accommodates a wide range of sample matrices—including aqueous extracts, organic extracts, protein digests, plasma supernatants, and polymer solutions—when paired with compatible column chemistries (e.g., C18, HILIC, SEC, chiral). It meets essential regulatory requirements for analytical laboratories operating under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) frameworks. Full audit trail functionality, electronic signature support, and secure user access controls are natively implemented in TotalChrom CDS. Chromera CDS includes configurable electronic records compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, including immutable acquisition logs, method change history, and instrument parameter validation reports. All firmware and software modules undergo periodic cybersecurity assessments per IEC 62443 guidelines.

Software & Data Management

Two validated chromatography data systems (CDS) are supported: Chromera CDS and TotalChrom CDS. Chromera is purpose-built for UHPLC workflows, featuring Device Descriptor™ technology that dynamically adapts the user interface to reflect connected hardware modules—eliminating manual configuration errors. Its intuitive “one-click” navigation, real-time instrument simulation, and interactive chromatogram-based peak annotation streamline method development and troubleshooting. TotalChrom offers enterprise-grade scalability, supporting distributed client-server deployments and handling multi-instrument, multi-user environments with centralized data archiving. Both platforms provide automated report generation, customizable integration algorithms, and decision-point logic for conditional sequence interruption—enabling adaptive analysis protocols aligned with quality-by-design (QbD) principles.

Applications

The FLEXAR™ UHPLC system delivers consistent performance across diverse application domains. In pharmaceutical QC/QA labs, it supports USP/EP-compliant assays for assay uniformity, dissolution testing, and stability-indicating methods. In environmental testing, it enables trace-level detection of PFAS, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues in water and soil extracts using LC-MS/MS coupling. For academic and biotech research, its high-speed gradient capability accelerates peptide mapping, metabolomics profiling, and oligonucleotide purity analysis. The system’s low solvent consumption—up to 15× reduction versus conventional HPLC—supports sustainability initiatives without compromising resolution or sensitivity, aligning with ISO 14001-aligned green chemistry objectives.

FAQ

Does the FLEXAR™ system support method transfer from existing HPLC methods?
Yes—its pressure-tolerant dual binary pump and low dispersion flow path facilitate straightforward back-calculated method scaling from HPLC to UHPLC, with built-in tools in Chromera for retention time and gradient adjustment.
Is remote monitoring and control available?
Both Chromera and TotalChrom support secure remote access via TLS-encrypted HTTP/S connections, allowing real-time instrument status review and sequence initiation from authorized endpoints.
Can the system be integrated with mass spectrometers?
Yes—the FLEXAR™ LC is fully compatible with PerkinElmer’s AxION® iQT™ and third-party API sources via standard analog/digital I/O and TTL-triggered start/stop interfaces.
What validation documentation is provided?
PerkinElmer supplies IQ/OQ documentation templates, factory calibration certificates, and DQ evidence packages aligned with ASTM E2500 and EU Annex 11 expectations.
Is column switching automation supported?
Optional valve modules enable up to 6-position column selection and inline sample cleanup configurations—fully programmable within both CDS platforms.