Selecting the Right Agitation Equipment for Your Needs

From pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, agitation equipment can be used for a wide variety of applications. There are a variety of different agitator options available with varying levels of speed, capacity, and more. With so many options, you might have a hard time determining which Labnet International agitator is best for you. It's helpful to find out more about the basic functions and uses of different kinds of agitators to ensure that you make the right selection for your lab.

Types of agitators

• Laboratory Rockers: Just like the name would indicate, a lab rocker mixes samples using a back and forth motion. Rockers are designed to gently mix samples with a low level of agitation. It is essential to have this kind of gentle agitation for things like chemically fixing tissues before incubation. Rockers are also used for blotting applications including blot protein analysis-- the fragile membranes that are analyzed in this application require slow and consistent movement. If you need an agitator for fixing, blocking, or incubating tissues, cells, or blots, laboratory rockers are the right choice for you.
• Laboratory Shakers: Shakers move in linear patterns parallel to the work surface. Orbital shakers usually rotate along two planes but some models have a third range of motion, allowing them to reciprocate. There are many different applications for orbital agitators including electrophoresis gel staining, bacterial cell growth, and dissolution studies. Microcentrifuge tubes, microplates, Erlenmeyer flasks, and gel trays are all compatible with orbital shakers.
• Laboratory Rotators: Laboratory rotators move in a circular pattern around a central axis. Traditionally, rotators have been designed to accommodate samples in a linear arrangement parallel to the work surface. You can also find rotators with a wheel orientation for samples which can help ensure more effective dispersion. Rotators can be used for dissolving cell pellets and mixing laboratory reagents into solution.

Regardless of your lab’s specific application, it is important to purchase quality agitation equipment. Labnet International’s laboratory agitators are designed to deliver outstanding reliability and function. We have a number of products to choose from including rockers, vortex shakers, rotators, and more.

Click to view all of Labnet’s agitation equipment.