Compressor-Free Plate Sealer Provides Flexibility and Process Efficiency to Researchers

Thermo Fisher Scientific announces the launch of a next-generation, compressor-free plate sealer, designed to alleviate the maintenance burden on operators, while offering unparalleled process customisation capabilities, intuitive operation and significant work efficiencies. 

As a fully electrically operated system, the Thermo Scientific ALPS 5000 has been developed to increase the efficiency of the heat plate sealing process and offers maximum flexibility to support high throughput applications. The system eliminates the need for tedious and costly replacement of expensive vacuum cups, onboard compressors and compressed air lines, typically required when using conventional pneumatically driven equipment. Designed as one of the most user-friendly units available on the market, the ALPS 5000 facilitates easy, tool-free foil loading and does not require the use of adapters to change between different plates. The system is operated via a large intuitive touchscreen with a modern user interface, which allows for precise control over sealing parameters to ensure repeatability, while including programming parameters for integration into automation or robotic workflows.

The ALPS 5000 offers superior process customisation capabilities to address varying application needs, from polymerase chain reaction and high performance liquid chromatography to next generation sequencing, compound storage and flow cytometry. Users can program the sealing time, temperature and pressure parameters to suit their specific requirements. They can also choose the most appropriate sealing foil length, opting for a longer foil to improve pealing or a shorter one to reduce foil usage by up to 10%. Moreover, the ALPS 5000 offers the flexibility to use either a traditional force sealing, or a distance sealing to maximise the number of times a plate can be resealed.

The ALPS 5000 offers fast sealing times, being able to seal up to four plates per minute. It also features a compact footprint to save valuable bench space. Furthermore, the ALPS 5000 has been equipped with an Eco Mode, which triggers a temperature reduction down to 30°C when the system has been inactive for a pre-specified amount of time, allowing for considerable energy savings.