Retsch vibratory mill MM 500 vario
With its enormous flexibility and high performance, the Retsch vibrating mill MM 500 vario offers an ideal solution for a wide range of grinding, homogenizing and mixing tasks in laboratories in a wide variety of industries. It is particularly impressive in areas such as materials research, pharmaceuticals or environmental analysis thanks to its high vibration frequency and large sample capacities. Thanks to the possibility of operating six grinding stations in parallel, the sample throughput is increased considerably. Similar to the Retsch CryoMill vibrating mill dry, wet and cryogenic grinding can be carried out precisely and reproducibly. The comprehensive selection of grinding bowls and adapters makes this mill the more convincing choice compared to many competitor models when it comes to high flexibility and diverse application scenarios.
Performance features and special features
This tabletop appliance enables very short grinding times with frequencies of up to 35 Hz. The energy-saving oscillation mechanism ensures that hard, brittle, elastic and fibrous samples can be ground down to a fineness range of around 5 μm within a very short time. At the same time, samples are perfectly homogenized within a few seconds. With up to six grinding bowls operating simultaneously, significantly more samples can be processed at once compared to conventional vibrating mills, which only have two grinding points.
Other key features: - 6 grinding points for high throughput rates
- Feed particle size up to 8 mm
- Final fineness up to ~5 µm possible
- Can be used for dry, wet and cryogenic grinding
- Digitally adjustable oscillation frequency from 3 to 35 Hz
- Storable SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for reproducible work
- Adapter for disposable vessels (0.2 ml to 5 ml) for biological applications
In addition, the device is equipped with a touch display that allows all settings to be made intuitively. The variable grinding bowls with a capacity of up to 50 ml are available in different materials such as hardened steel, stainless steel, tungsten carbide, agate, zirconium oxide and PTFE. This wide range allows precise adaptation to the sample material so that corrosion or abrasion can be reliably minimized.
Typical areas of application
This mill really comes into its own in demanding research fields such as agricultural science, chemistry/plastics, biology and the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. Frequent applications include: - Homogenization of tissue samples under refrigerated conditions
- Comminution of samples such as ores, minerals or glass for meaningful analysis
- Mechanical alloying and mechanochemistry for the targeted modification of material properties
- Cell disruption of biological materials such as liver, muscle or plant material
The integrated cryogenic grinding option is particularly useful for heat-sensitive or viscous samples that can be cooled in liquid nitrogen. This prevents the undesirable rise in sample temperature and guarantees gentle comminution without changing the material.
Certifications and standards
The vibrating grinder is CE-certified and therefore meets the basic health and safety requirements. The robust design made of high-quality materials offers both safety and durability in daily operation. It therefore meets the requirements of professional research laboratories, quality assurance departments and all industrial production laboratories where reliable results are crucial.
Examples from practice
- In pharmaceutical laboratories, tablets or coated tablets can be broken down to precisely determine the distribution of active ingredients.
- For food analysis, cereal grains or oilseeds can be finely crushed to analyze fat and protein content.
- In polymer research, the comminution of plastics enables precise characterization of their composition.
- Environmental and recycling laboratories use the grinding of waste or soils to test their pollutant load
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FAQs
How long does a typical grinding process take?
In most cases, 30 seconds to 2 minutes is sufficient to achieve significant comminution. For more sensitive or unusual samples, longer run times of up to 99 hours are possible.
Is the grinder suitable for cell disruption methods?
Yes, the device supports various adapters for disposable vessels for cell disruption. Cells can be efficiently disrupted within a short time using bead beating techniques.
Can the device be operated at different voltages?
The variety of electrical connections (100-120 V and 200-230 V, 50/60 Hz in each case) allows the device to be used in laboratories worldwide.
What safety precautions must be observed during cryogenic grinding?
Suitable protective gloves and goggles should always be worn during cryogenic sample preparation to avoid direct contact with the cryogenic materials.
Conclusion
This powerful tabletop device combines fast shredding, homogenization and flexibly adjustable operating modes in an attractive, ergonomic design. The high oscillation frequency of up to 35 Hz, a wide range of grinding bowls and adapters and the ability to process several samples simultaneously make it one of the most productive solutions in the modern laboratory environment. Thanks to its precise control, extensive programming options and the option for cryogenic grinding, this mill is ideally suited to a wide range of applications in research and industry.
