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Multiple different adapters for all types of vessels and tubes exist. Often it is difficult to decide which one is the correct adapter for the vessel, centrifuge and application. We help finding it by explaining necessity and giving seven useful tips.
To fit different vessels into one bucket (for swing-out rotors) and ensure that a wide variety of tubes can be accommodated, it is often necessary to use an adapter designed for the specific vessel. These adapters are inserted into the bucket.
Most centrifuge manufacturers differentiate between one-piece and modular adapters. A modular adapter consists of several layers that are stacked. This has the advantage that the user can simply remove layers of the adapter to adjust it to different vessel lengths.
Why is an adapter necessary?
Let’s say you want to use a swing-out rotor and 50 mL conical tubes. The bucket cannot hold the tubes without an adapter (in contrast to fixed-angle rotors with boreholes, such as those dedicated to 50 mL conical tubes). Usually, centrifuge manufacturers offer a huge number of adapters for all kinds of vessels, so it can become a challenge to find the correct one for your tube!
First, it is important to use original adapters from the manufacturer of the rotor and centrifuge. Manufacturers test their adapters for centrifugation stability and safety at the end of the adapter development process, so the customer can always be sure that this adapter/rotor/centrifuge combination is safe. Trying to fit adapters from other manufacturers or even “do-it-yourself” adapters in a rotor can lead to all kinds of problems – from imbalance, a non-correct swing-out of the bucket, or even a rotor crash.
When looking for the correct adapter for your tube, there are a few things to keep in mind: