Laboratory Centrifuge

Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories

<h2>What Are Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories?</h2>
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Laboratory centrifuge accessories are the components that determine a centrifuge's practical versatility, safety profile, and service life: replacement and additional rotors (fixed-angle and swing-out), tube adapters that allow one rotor to process multiple tube formats, aerosol-tight sealed lids and safety buckets for biocontainment during infectious sample centrifugation, rotor lubricants, balance tubes, and replacement O-rings and gaskets. All centrifuge accessories are model-specific&mdash;rotors are not interchangeable between manufacturers or between centrifuge models within the same brand, and using an uncertified rotor on any centrifuge is a serious safety hazard.
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<h2>What You Will Find:</h2>
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<ul>
<li>Rotor Shields for 130 mm Tubes: Safe, steady centrifugation for taller tube formats</li>
<li>Adapter Pack for 5 mL and 7 mL Tubes: Perfect fit for 5 mL and 7 mL tubes in 15 mL rotors</li>
</ul>
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<h2>How to Choose Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories</h2>
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Rotor Selection (Fixed-Angle vs. Swing-Out)
If your centrifuge supports interchangeable rotors, specify the rotor type matched to your primary workflows: fixed-angle for molecular biology spin-column kits, pelleting, and bacterial harvesting; swing-out for density gradients, serum preparation, and gentle mammalian cell processing. Confirm the rotor's maximum RCF matches your highest-speed protocol and that the rotor radius is compatible with the centrifuge drive shaft and motor rating.
Tube Adapters
Tube adapters extend a single rotor to accommodate smaller tube formats. When ordering, confirm the adapter's bore inner diameter (ID) matches the outer diameter (OD) of the tube being used, ensure the adapter length seats the tube bottom at the correct radial position within the rotor bore, and verify the adapter material is chemically compatible with your samples. Adapter fit is critical&mdash;a loose tube in an adapter creates imbalance and ejection risk at high speed.
Aerosol-Tight Lids and Safety Buckets
Specify aerosol-tight sealed lids for all BSL-2 or higher specimens, human blood specimens, and any sample requiring biocontainment. Inspect O-rings before each run and replace them at the first sign of flattening, cracking, or discoloration. ClickSeal-type lids and equivalent sealed bucket systems provide certified biocontainment up to the rotor's rated maximum RCF.
Lubricants and Maintenance Items
Use only OEM-specified rotor grease (silicone- or PTFE-based) on fixed-angle lid threads and swing-bucket pivot points. Apply a thin layer after each cleaning or autoclaving of swing-bucket components. Never use petroleum-based lubricants, which can degrade centrifuge rotor seals and O-rings over time.
Balance Tubes
Balance tubes (empty, capped, and filled to the same mass as the loaded sample tubes) maintain rotor balance when an odd number of samples is run. Running an unbalanced rotor induces vibration, accelerates bearing wear, and at high speed can cause catastrophic rotor failure. Most centrifuge manufacturers supply balance tubes or specify the tube format and fill volume for balancing.
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<h2>Specifications Context</h2>
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Tube adapters must be matched by outer diameter with a tolerance of &le;0.5 mm to prevent movement during spinning. Aerosol-tight rotor lids are pressure-rated; confirm the lid's burst pressure rating exceeds the maximum pressure generated by the rotor at its rated speed before using them for potentially infectious specimens.
Rotor retirement schedules are manufacturer-specified and typically based on cumulative hours at maximum rated RPM. Many aluminum rotors have retirement schedules after several thousand hours at peak speed, regardless of visible condition, because stress-corrosion fatigue is not detectable visually. As of 2026, polypropylene (PP) and HDPE rotor materials have replaced anodized aluminum in several mid-speed rotor lines, improving chemical resistance to salt solutions and acidic buffers that can cause stress corrosion in aluminum.
<a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us">Contact the expert team</a> at Molecular Biology Products Inc. today and find accessories that integrate perfectly with your centrifuge.

Adapter pack, for 5ml and 7ml (12-13mm) tubes in 15ml rotors, 8/pk.

The C3100-ADP by Benchmark Scientific is an 8-pack of latex-free adapters that fit 5 ml and 7 ml (12-13 mm OD) tubes into 15 ml rotor positions on Benchmark LC-8 and LC-8 Plus centrifuges, eliminating the need for a dedicated small-tube rotor.

Manufacture

<h2>What Are Laboratory Centrifuges?</h2>
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Laboratory centrifuges separate biological and chemical samples by exploiting density differences under centrifugal force, measured as relative centrifugal force (RCF, &times;g). Benchtop models are the workhorse of the research lab, handling tube formats from 0.2 mL PCR tubes to 50 mL conicals across a speed range from a few hundred to ~20,000 &times;g. Low-speed benchtop centrifuges (up to ~6,000 &times;g) suit cell culture pelleting, serum separation, and density-gradient collections; high-speed benchtop models (up to ~20,000 &times;g) handle bacterial harvesting, protein precipitate recovery, and nucleic acid column spins. Two rotor types cover most applications: fixed-angle rotors for fast pelleting at maximum RCF per RPM, and swing-out rotors for clean layer separation in gradients and blood processing.
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<h2>What You Will Find</h2>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://mbpinc.net/equipments/centrifuges/laboratory-centrifuge/laboratory-centrifuge-accessories">Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories</a> &ndash; Includes tube adapters and rotor shields for secure handling, better tube support, and efficient sample processing.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>How to Choose a Laboratory Centrifuge</h2>
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Define Required RCF Range
Match the centrifuge to the highest RCF your protocols require. Mammalian cell pelleting needs 200&ndash;600 &times;g; nucleic acid kit spin-columns typically specify 10,000&ndash;16,000 &times;g; bacterial harvesting 3,000&ndash;10,000 &times;g. A mid-range benchtop centrifuge reaching 15,000&ndash;21,000 &times;g covers most molecular biology and microbiology protocols without requiring a separate high-speed unit.
Tube Format and Rotor Versatility
A single benchtop centrifuge can serve multiple workflows if the rotor accepts adapters for different tube formats: 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes, 15 mL and 50 mL conicals, PCR strips, microplates, and blood collection tubes. Confirm which adapters are available for the base rotor before purchasing; the cost and availability of adapters significantly affects the centrifuge's practical versatility.
Fixed-Angle vs. Swing-Out Rotor
Fixed-angle rotors are the default for molecular biology (spin-column kits, pelleting, precipitation recovery). Swing-out rotors are specified for density gradient separations, cell washing in gentle conditions (low-speed mammalian cells), and serum/plasma preparation where layer-interface clarity is important. Some benchtop centrifuges offer interchangeable rotors of both types; confirm rotor compatibility before specifying.
Refrigerated vs. Ambient Temperature
Refrigerated benchtop centrifuges (0&ndash;4&deg;C) are required for coagulation panels, enzyme assays, and cell viability-critical applications. Most general molecular biology pelleting and plasmid prep protocols run at ambient temperature without sample degradation in standard spin times.
Footprint and Noise Level
Modern benchtop centrifuges with brushless DC motors are significantly quieter (some rated &le;45 dB) than legacy brush-motor models, an important consideration for shared or open-plan lab spaces. Confirm the footprint fits the available bench space with the lid fully open in the upright position.
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<h2>Specifications Context</h2>
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RCF is calculated as 1.118 &times; 10&minus;5 &times; r &times; N2, where r = rotor radius in mm and N = RPM; this is the only reliable basis for transferring centrifuge protocols across instruments with different rotor sizes. Most nucleic acid purification kit protocols specify 10,000&ndash;16,000 &times;g for spin-column steps; check the kit insert for the exact RCF and confirm the rotor reaches it without exceeding the tube's rated RCF limit.
Aerosol-tight sealed rotors or safety buckets are required for all BSL-2 or higher samples&mdash;never centrifuge infectious specimens in an open rotor without a sealed lid. As of 2026, brushless DC motor benchtop centrifuges operate at &le;45 dB and offer longer service intervals than legacy brush-motor designs, reducing noise in shared lab spaces and lowering long-term maintenance costs.
Find your perfect laboratory centrifuge. <a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us">Contact now</a> with the expert team at Molecular Biology Products Inc. and get matched to the right system for your lab's needs.

Product Literature

Adapter pack, for 5ml and 7ml (12-13mm) tubes in 15ml rotors, 8/pk

LC-8 Lab Centrifuge with 8 x 15ml rotor  Accessories

LC-8 Series Laboratory Centrifuges

C3100 by Benchmark Scientific is the LC-8 series benchtop centrifuge with an 8-position rotor for 10 ml and 15 ml test tubes, reaching 3,500 RPM / 1,500 × g. Backlit LCD, lid-lock safety, air-flow cooling, 115/230 V dual-voltage, 150 W. Footprint: 11.6 × 14.4 × 8.3 in., 15 lbs. 2-year warranty.

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LC-8 3500 Centrifuge with 8 x 15ml rotor,Max. Speed 3500 rpm, 120V

LC-8 3500 Centrifuge with 8 x 15ml rotor,Max. Speed 3500 rpm, 230V

LC-8 5000 Centrifuge with 8 x 15ml rotor,Max. Speed 5000 rpm, 120V

LC-8 5000 Centrifuge with 8 x 15ml rotor,Max. Speed 5000 rpm, 230V

Rotor shields for 130mm tall tubes, 8/pk

C3100-130RS by Benchmark Scientific is a set of 8 rotor shields for tubes up to 130&nbsp;mm tall, designed for the Benchmark C3100 LC-8 Laboratory Centrifuge (8-position fixed-angle rotor, up to 3,500&nbsp;rpm / 1,500&nbsp;&times;&nbsp;g). They secure tall clinical sample tubes — blood collection, urine culture — in the rotor during centrifugation and protect the rotor chamber from tube breakage damage.

United States

Texas

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