News. Lab Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory. Well-Balanced Dye Compositions Rely on XS Precision Balance

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1 Lab Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory 2 News Well-Balanced Dye Compositions Rely on XS Precision Balance Creating textile dyestuff is one of the main tasks of the development department of BEZEMA AG, a company specializing in the production of textile dyes as well as other components for all textile finishing steps. To cope with the challenges of handling liquid textile dyes, METTLER TOLEDO provided a superior balance solution to meet customer s specific needs. Challenges of Developing Textile Dyes Development of a new textile dye involves the extensive formulation and mixing of various liquid chemicals that influence the appearance and quality of the final product. Weighing plays a critical role in the process of formulation by discovering the right component mixture. At first glance, this appears to be a simple and straightforward task with laboratory technicians at BEZEMA AG working quickly and efficiently. However, the correct weighing of special colors, in particular liquid textile dyes and dispersions is more demanding than it would seem. The smallest weighing errors can influence the final color leading to irregularities within large scale production. In addition, the balance can become easily soiled, which in turn influences the accuracy of the weighing result as the weighing process must be interrupted for cleaning and at the same time, the textile dyes start drying out. The balance has to withstand many adverse chemical influences and, in the long run, the balance housing and terminal suffer greatly under this heavy strain. Durable Balance for Efficient Formulation In order to overcome the above described challenges faced during the development of its textile dyes, the laboratory manager of BEZEMA AG was looking for a highly accurate and robust balance which he found in METTLER TOLEDO s XS4002SDR precision balance. The high weighing capac-

2 XS Precision Balance Publisher Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory & Weighing Technologies Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Production Segment Marketing LAB Switzerland Technical articles Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory & Weighing Technologies Analytical Instruments ity of up to 4 kg allows the creation of higher volume mixtures and, thanks to a readability of 0.01 g, even small amounts of compounds below 1 g can be weighedin with a high level of accuracy. The balance workstation was further enhanced by adding a chrome-plated weighing pan and by placing the balance terminal on a stand. This special set up does not only improve the ease of balance cleaning and protect against the intrusion of liquid and dust but also enables the display to be read and operated at a convenient height. An infrared ErgoSens sensor (with IP56 protection) allows hands-free operation. In order to tare, the user simply passes his hand over this sensor when weighing; any contact with the balance is thus avoided, reducing the possibility of contamination and speeding up the weighing process. Measurement Accuracy for Reproducible Dyes Producing a textile dye mixture is a rather delicate task as the smallest of measurement errors influence the quality and reproducibility of the final color mixture. The head of laboratory explains: We cannot accept any measurement errors in the laboratory as they can have disastrous effect on large-scale production. To guarantee continuous measurement accuracy, the balance was installed and configured by an authorized METTLET TOLEDO service technician. After the minimum weight was determined and a calibration certificate issued, the balance was ready for immediate use. The comprehensive solutions from METTLER TOLEDO have satisfied these customer s needs and reached beyond their overall high standard requirements. } Subject to technical changes. Mettler-Toledo AG 08/01 Printed in Switzerland. 2

3 RAININ E-Man Hybrid: Real-Time Pipetting Improves Your Lab Performance E-Man Hybrid is a new generation pipette offering high performance, durability and ergonomics. It incorporates the operational simplicity of a manual pipette with innovative real-time sensing technology. It offers new capabilities to today s scientists that will set the standard for tomorrow s research. Total Volume Control In many laboratories, equipment position sensing can often be found in the positioning mechanisms of larger liquid handling robot systems meaning that both the position of the pipette tip and the amount of liquid dispensed are monitored in real-time. This real-time sensing technology is now also available with the E-Man Hybrid manual pipette. Continuous volume tracking is of great value for titration and partial dispensing, as well as for measuring aspirated fluids. Furthermore, in today s pharmaceutical lab environment, pipetting is carried out alongside high throughput requirements as well as regulatory aspects. Here, the added features of the E-Man Hybrid truly support the scientists in their research processes. Advanced manual pipetting with the new E-Man Hybrid from RAININ. GMP/GLP Functions and Much More The built-in GMP/GLP functions, such as saved calibration information and service alerts, are designed to guarantee optimal performance and to fulfill even the most stringent regulatory requirements. Inadequately executed pipetting cycles are indicated through a visual alert, which not only increases precision, but also supports users in practicing a perfect pipetting technique. Ergonomics and Pipettes The E-Man Hybrid includes the great feel, light weight and low forces of RAININ s pipettes using the benefits of the LTS Lite- Touch-System whilst offering an electronic real-time display and added features such as a cycle counter or maintenance and technique alerts. For ultimate comfort and performance the E-Man Hybrid is the future of manual pipetting. } } Total Volume Control Convenient 4-digit display Real-time Measurement Continuous tracking of volumes Cycle Counter Track your progress Maintenance Control GMP/GLP-ready Technique Aid Prevents human inaccuracies Hand-friendly Ergonomic design with LTS LiteTouch-System RAININ, a METTLER TOLEDO Company, is the leading pipetting solutions provider in the USA and globally present with dedicated sales and service teams. 3

4 One Click Titration Four Steps to Successful Titration Automation The quality control laboratory of Givaudan in Geneva requires a powerful titration application for high sample throughput and fast and reliable results without user intervention. Read on and find out how METTLER TOLEDO reduces their laboratory s response time from 2 days to only a few hours with their automated titration system. Step 1 Throughput In Givaudan s quality control lab in their headquarters in Geneva, more than 1,500 raw materials for perfumes are produced and analyzed. 30 titrations per day are performed to determine ketones, aldehydes, esters, lactones, halogenides, amines or the base index. The Rondo 20 sample changer makes this throughput possible. Up to 20 samples are placed on one sample changer with analyses also being performed during the night, which elongates a normal working day for Givaudan to 24 hours! Step 2 Preparation Many of the redox titrations require intensive sample preparation. The complete oxidation can only be achieved if the sample is heated up to 70 C between 10 min and 2h, depending on the sample type. This step used to require much manual work and time. The heating unit DH100 now takes care of everything controlled by the titrator. After the addition of the oxidizing agent it automatically heats the sample up to the required temperature for the defined time according to the method. Afterwards the titration is started immediately. Step 3 Protection Due to the nature of the products, most of the samples have a strong odor and the laboratory environment must be protected against it. Many samples are also highly sensitive to oxidation by the ambient air. Therefore, the sample must be closed before titration. How can this happen when the samples are placed on the sample changer some hours before titration? CoverUp, the smart lid handling device, has the answer: A magnetic cover is placed on every sample beaker. Immediately before titration it is lifted up and after titration released back onto the beaker again. This protects samples and operators alike. The CoverUp lid handling device protects samples and environment 4

5 Step 4 Result documentation Many sample analyses yield many results. The management of the documentation can be a demanding task that should be automated using PC software. LabX titration gives the operators total control over the titration systems and collects all the different data in one common database where it is safely stored and always available for review. The common method database guarantees that the same analysis can be performed on different instruments with results still being comparable. Sylvain Plagellat, the head of the analytical control laboratory at Givaudan Suisse SA in Geneva, made these four steps to titration automation. Using the automated titration systems we could significantly improve the quality, repeatability and speed of our analyses. The laboratory can now reduce the average response time from two days to a few hours. This also speeds up the complete production process because the batches can be released much faster. Sylvain Plagellat just received another titration system with a T90 Excellence titrator and a Rondo 60 sample changer for fully automated sample aliquotation. Together with METTLER TOLEDO, Givaudan is ready to take the next step in automation. The titration system with accessories are optimized to require only a minimum of user interaction } 5

6 Laboratory Electrodes Tailor-made Laboratory Electrodes for Cosmetic Products High accuracy and reliability in the determination of ph is essential for cosmetic products as end-users ultimately apply them to the skin. METTLER TOLEDO s newly developed electrodes InLab Viscous and InLab Semi-Micro are designed to measure the sticky and viscous samples often found in the cosmetic industry with high precision and the minimum of maintenance. The challenges Samples from the cosmetics industry represent one of the greatest challenges for ph measurement. Sample consistency, such as highly viscous cream or mascara, increases the difficulty of analysis. Greasy substances contained in most of the beauty & care products add to the problem. In addition, products such as hair dyes or hair tinting lotion contain coloring components, partly as micro fine pigments, which can accumulate in the reference junction of electrodes. Samples generally have a very wide ph range some are quite low (acidic), the others are very high (alkaline). All the properties mentioned above can have a negative affect on the accuracy, reproducibility and duration of the measurement. Special Samples METTLER TOLEDO recently had the opportunity to tailor-make a ph sensor to measure samples from the cosmetics industry. The project was carried out in cooperation with a well-known cosmetics manufacturer. 15 types of different samples from shampoo to mascara were tested. Specific problems associated with this product segment such as large ph range and grease, which easily blocks the junction of an electrode, were carefully analyzed. To solve the problem of covering such a large ph range, it was clear from the outset to use HA glass for the development of sensor prototypes due to its good linearity even at high ph. The second problem was the blocked junction which turned out to be the main problem. It soon became clear that a new approach was needed to overcome this difficulty. The basic idea was to achieve a constant and permanent flow of electrolyte solution through the junction because as long as the junction is flushed with electrolyte it cannot be blocked by sample substance. This idea was realized by incorporating an internal pressure system in the electrode. This generates a permanent overpressure in the reference chamber and thus provides a constant outflow of electrolyte from the reference system. The technology has been perfected to such an extent that a constant outflow of electro- 6

7 quantities or those in small or narrow neck vessels. With its A41 glass, it is also particularly good for biological samples. These two new electrodes are excellent examples that demonstrate how close cooperation with our customers drives innovation. The results are real problemsolvers! } lyte is now achieved throughout the entire lifetime of the sensor. Need Tailor-Made Solutions The system is referred to as the Steady- Force reference system. It becomes an important part of the electrode portfolio, for example, in the newly developed InLab Viscous and InLab Power electrodes. The second electrode, the InLab Semi-Micro provides the same performance as the InLab Viscous and is more suitable for less viscous samples and for the measurement of small sample 7

8 New Products and Technologies From METTLER TOLEDO METTLER TOLEDO delivers powerful solutions that simplify work in laboratories around the world. Combining our state-of-the-art technologies with our applicative competence, we have a strong value proposition to make: accurate results and productivity second to none. Weighing Solutions and Analytical Instruments XP-K Ultra Load Line Comparator Balances Peak Performance up to 6000kg With the new XP-K Ultra Load Line and its new MonoBloc weighing cell technology, peak performance can be reached easily. The dedicated centering device, Levelmatic, guarantees measurement quality and eliminates eccentric load deviation. LabX Balance Version 1.4 Avoid Mistakes Thanks to New Terminal Instructions LabX Balance software is a single software platform for balances. It enables the centralized control of balances whilst maintaining user management and weighing applications. User guidance can be customized according to each weighing process in order to avoid errors and ensure SOP adherence. Evaporation Trap Accurate Pipettes Day by Day For the occasional pipette performance check, simply convert the balance into a pipette check set-up within seconds. METTLER TOLEDO has recently introduced an evaporation trap for the XP26/XP56 microbalance as well as large evaporation traps (capacity 100ml) for the MCP system and for the WXT weighing module. icontrol RC1e Software Simply Powerful icontrol RC1e software combines flexible functionality with a concise and user friendly interface. Thanks to the integration of the novel calorimetric technology, RTCal, and direct communication with the METTLER TOLEDO in-situ analytics tools, the software now provides a wealth of information from each single experiment. Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory & Weighing Technologies Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Mettler-Toledo AG Analytical Instruments Sonnenbergstrasse 74 CH-8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland Your METTLER TOLEDO contact: For more information