Square plate magnetic stirrer

Introduction

A square plate magnetic stirrer is a magnetic stirrer with a square top plate, used for the stirring and the mixing of the liquids, and it is used in the laboratories, the chemistry, the biology, the clinical, and the research applications. The square plate magnetic stirrer consists of a housing with a square top plate, a rotating magnet under the plate, a motor, a speed control, and, in some models, a heating function, and it operates by the rotation of the magnetic field, which rotates the magnetic stir bar in the liquid in the container placed on the top plate, and it provides a continuous stirring, with features such as the adjustable speed, the digital display, and the timer; the square plate magnetic stirrer is used for the mixing of the reagents, for the preparation of the solutions, for the titration, for the stirring of the samples, for the incubation with the stirring, and for many other applications, and it is available in various sizes, with the different stirring capacities and the plate sizes; the square plate magnetic stirrer is an essential instrument for the stirring in the laboratory. Square plate magnetic stirrers are used in the chemistry and the biology laboratories, in the clinical laboratories, in the pharmaceutical industry, in the food industry, and for many other applications. With their square plate, square plate magnetic stirrers are essential for the convenient stirring.

Square Plate Magnetic Stirrer LPMS-T2010

Square Plate Magnetic Stirrer enables stirring up to 1.5 liters of liquid media. It supports a 300 to 2000 rpm speed range for consistent and uniform mixing results. The unit includes on...

Send Inquiry View more

Standards

IEC 61010-2-051:2018-Particular requirements for laboratory equipment for mixing and stirring

Complies with the above standards, but is not limited to them.

Features

1. Square plate magnetic stirrer for efficient mixing of solutions in beakers and flasks on a flat square platform.

2. Magnetic induction stirrer with square plate for stable placement of multiple vessels and uniform stirring.

3. Suitable for chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical, clinical, food, environmental and research laboratories.

4. Includes stirrer body, square plate, magnetic stir bar, speed controller, power supply and operation manual.

5. Supports magnetic stirring of solutions, reagents, samples and culture media in various laboratory vessels.

FAQ

Q1: What testing scenarios is this stirrer mainly applied to?

A: The square plate magnetic stirrer is used in chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical, clinical, food and beverage, environmental, and research laboratories to stir solutions using a rotating magnetic field that drives a magnetic stir bar placed inside the vessel, providing gentle to vigorous mixing without direct mechanical contact (no impeller shaft, reducing contamination risk). The square plate provides a stable, flat surface for beakers, flasks, and bottles. It supports chemical synthesis (stirring reaction mixtures in round-bottom flasks, beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks; homogeneous reactions, dissolution of solids, titration), sample preparation (dissolving reagents, preparing standards and buffers, mixing samples for analysis), biology and microbiology (preparing culture media (stirring while heating to dissolve agar, broth), staining solutions, buffer solutions), pharmaceutical (preparing formulations, dissolving APIs, mixing excipients, buffer preparation), clinical laboratory (reagent preparation, sample mixing, urine/serum mixing), food and beverage (sample preparation, dissolving additives, mixing standards), environmental (water sample preparation, reagent mixing for analysis), and general laboratory use where clean, efficient stirring is needed (no shaft seal, no contamination, easy to clean).

Q2: What standards does the stirrer comply with?

A: The square plate magnetic stirrer follows relevant IEC, ISO and GB/T standards including IEC 61010 (safety requirements for electrical laboratory equipment), and applicable laboratory equipment standards. The hardware complies with applicable EMC standards (IEC 61326). For pharmaceutical/regulated use, follow GMP requirements (equipment qualification, maintenance records). Calibration should verify stirring speed (RPM) using calibrated tachometer or optical RPM meter. For heated models, temperature calibration with certified thermometer. Magnetic stirrers are generally low-risk laboratory equipment; no specific medical device certification is required for general laboratory use.

Q3: What is the warranty period for the whole stirrer and key components?

A: The whole magnetic stirrer is covered by a 12-month warranty. The motor, magnets, drive mechanism, controller, square plate, and housing are covered, while magnetic stir bars (consumable - multiple sizes, replaceable), power cord, and fuses are consumables or accessories. Damage from improper use, overloading (exceeding maximum volume or viscosity - causes motor strain, stirring bar decoupling (spin-out)), liquid spillage (corrosion of electronics - clean promptly; some models have spill-resistant design), motor/gearbox failure, dropping, or unauthorized repair is excluded. Extended warranty may be available. Motors have long lifespan (typically 5-10 years with normal use; continuous operation at high load shortens life).

Q4: Is this device difficult to operate? Is professional training required?

A: Operation is very simple (place vessel with stir bar on plate, turn on, set speed). No professional training is required for basic use. We provide operation manuals. Proper instrument setup (place on stable, level surface (vibration can affect stirring; stable bench prevents movement), ensure adequate ventilation (motor generates heat - do not block vents), connect power), vessel preparation (select appropriate vessel (beaker, Erlenmeyer flask, round-bottom flask (with heating mantle separately), bottle; ensure vessel bottom is flat and compatible with magnetic coupling (flat bottom works best; round-bottom flasks may need special support), select magnetic stir bar (size matches vessel: small bar for small volumes (5-50 mL), large bar for large volumes (1-5 L); use PTFE-coated stir bar (chemical-resistant, easy to clean; avoid glass-coated (fragile) or bare metal (corrosion); ensure stir bar is clean and undamaged (cracked PTFE coating exposes magnet, can contaminate)), place stir bar in vessel (bar should rest flat on bottom; if bar jumps or sticks, vessel bottom may be uneven or bar too large), add liquid (ensure liquid covers stir bar (at least 1-2 cm above bar; too little liquid causes bar to jump and splash), place vessel on center of square plate (centering ensures optimal magnetic coupling; off-center can cause uneven stirring or bar decoupling), speed setting (start at low speed (100-200 RPM) and gradually increase (prevents stir bar from jumping out of liquid or decoupling; set desired speed (typical range 100-1500 RPM; gentle mixing = 100-300 RPM, moderate = 300-800 RPM, vigorous = 800-1500 RPM; do not exceed maximum speed for vessel size (large vessels at high speed cause splashing and vortexing), operation (monitor stirring (stir bar should rotate smoothly, creating a small vortex (for vigorous mixing) or gentle rotation (for sensitive samples); if bar stops or spins erratically (spin-out), reduce speed or use larger bar; if bar jumps, reduce speed, check vessel flatness, or use larger bar), do not leave unattended with volatile or hazardous samples (splashing, spills), set timer if available (some models have timer; for timed reactions), post-operation (turn off stirrer, wait for stir bar to stop before removing vessel (removing while spinning can cause spills; use magnetic retriever to remove stir bar from vessel (do not pour out with bar - can lose or damage bar; magnetic retriever wand is convenient), clean plate and vessel (wipe plate with damp cloth; do not use abrasive cleaners (scratch plate surface, affect coupling); clean stir bar (rinse with solvent/water, store separately), maintenance (periodic cleaning (wipe exterior, remove spills immediately), speed verification (every 6-12 months with tachometer), motor inspection (listen for unusual noise, check for overheating), and safety (do not stir flammable solvents near ignition sources (magnetic stirrer motors can spark (use explosion-proof stirrer for flammable environments); do not place hands near moving stir bar (when removing vessel); do not overload (excessive volume or viscosity causes motor overheating and stir bar decoupling)) are important for reliable stirring.

Q5: What is the typical lead-time for order delivery?

A: Standard models require 7-30 working days. In-stock units can ship within 3-7 working days. Custom configurations or large built-to-order systems may require additional time, and we confirm the exact schedule before order confirmation.

Q6: Is regular calibration required? What is the recommended calibration cycle?

A: Stirring speed (RPM) verification recommended every 6-12 months using calibrated tachometer or optical RPM meter (verify at multiple speed settings (e.g., 200, 500, 1000 RPM); accuracy typically +/- 5-10% for analog models, +/- 2-5% for digital; if speed is significantly off, service or adjust). For heated models (hotplate stirrer), temperature calibration every 6-12 months with certified thermometer (verify plate temperature at multiple set points (e.g., 50, 100, 200 degrees C); note: plate temperature may differ from liquid temperature (use immersed probe for accurate liquid temperature control)). Routine functional check before each use (turn on, verify smooth rotation, no unusual noise). Full maintenance annually (motor, bearings, drive magnets, electrical). For regulated labs (GMP, ISO 17025), follow applicable equipment maintenance schedules and maintain records. Magnetic stirrers are low-maintenance; calibration is less critical than for analytical instruments, but speed verification ensures reproducible mixing (important for reaction kinetics and dissolution studies).

Q7: Are supporting consumables universal?

A: Magnetic stir bars (PTFE-coated, various sizes (cylindrical, oval, ring-shaped; 5 mm to 50 mm length; available from any lab supplier - ensure size matches vessel; use PTFE-coated for chemical resistance; some have pivot ring for smoother rotation), magnetic retriever wand (for removing stir bars from vessels - convenient, prevents losing bars), power cord, and fuses are available from laboratory supply companies. Stir bars are universal (standard PTFE-coated bars work with any magnetic stirrer). Long-term consumable cost is minimal (stir bars are durable (years) but can crack, lose coating, or become demagnetized over time; replace as needed).

Q8: Can I customize parameters or supporting accessories?

A: Customization includes plate size (small (10x10 cm to 15x15 cm) for 50 mL-1 L vessels; medium (15x20 cm to 20x20 cm) for 1-5 L; large (20x30 cm+) for 5-20 L; square plate provides stable surface for multiple vessels or large beakers), speed range (100-1500 RPM standard; 50-2000 RPM for high-speed; 0-300 RPM for low-speed gentle stirring (cell culture, sensitive samples)), speed control (analog (dial, simple, durable) or digital (LED display of actual RPM, memory presets, soft start/stop, timer)), heating capability (stirrer only (no heat) vs hotplate stirrer (integrated heating plate - combines stirring and heating; useful for dissolution, reactions requiring heat; temperature range ambient to 300-500 degrees C; note: this entry is for stirrer only, but hotplate version is common), number of positions (single position (standard) or multi-position (4, 6, 10, 15 positions - for parallel experiments, high-throughput; each position may have independent speed control or shared speed)), construction (plate material (stainless steel (durable, chemical-resistant, easy to clean), ceramic (smooth, chemical-resistant, good for heated models - even heat distribution), aluminum (good heat transfer for heated models)), housing (plastic (lightweight, low cost) or metal (durable, for heavy use)), spill-resistant design (gaskets, raised edges to protect electronics from spills), safety features (over-temperature protection (for heated models), overload protection (motor shuts off if stalled), soft start (prevents stir bar jump), emergency stop), power (AC only, or AC + rechargeable battery (for field use)), explosion-proof (for flammable solvent environments - requires sealed motor, intrinsically safe electronics; rare for standard stirrers), language and accessories. Additional stir bars, retriever wand, support stands, and accessories can be ordered separately.

Q9: Does the purchase include on-site installation and commissioning service?

A: Standard delivery includes the magnetic stirrer, one or more stir bars, power cord and instruction manual. On-site installation is not required (plug-and-play - place on bench, place vessel with stir bar, turn on). On-site training is not included for standard orders (operation is intuitive). Remote guidance is provided.

Q10: What types of samples are compatible with this equipment?

A: The square plate magnetic stirrer mixes various liquid samples in flat-bottom vessels including chemical solutions (reagents, solvents, reaction mixtures, titration solutions, standards - in beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, round-bottom flasks (with support), bottles; volumes from 5 mL to 20 L depending on model), biological buffers and media (PBS, Tris, HEPES buffers, cell culture media (without cells - magnetic stirring can damage cells; for media preparation only), agar/broth media (with heating to dissolve), staining solutions), pharmaceutical formulations (API solutions, suspensions, emulsions (gentle stirring), buffer solutions, reagent preparation), clinical samples (urine, serum, reagents (gentle mixing - do not stir whole blood (causes hemolysis; use rotator/inversion for blood)), food and beverage samples (sample preparation, dissolving additives, mixing standards, beverage analysis), environmental samples (water samples, soil extracts, reagent mixing for analysis), and other homogeneous liquid solutions. NOT suitable for: Highly viscous materials (greases, pastes, dense suspensions - magnetic stir bar cannot couple or rotate effectively; use overhead mechanical stirrer or homogenizer), large volumes (>20 L - beyond magnetic coupling capacity; use overhead stirrer), solid-heavy mixtures (high solid content, slurries - stir bar may get stuck or decouple; use overhead stirrer), cell cultures (living cells - magnetic stirring causes shear and cell damage; use orbital shaker or roller bottle for cell culture), anaerobic/hypersensitive reactions (standard stirrers are not sealed; use sealed reactor with overhead stirrer or magnetic stirrer with inert gas purge), very small volumes (<5 mL - stir bar may be too large; use micro stir bar or vortex), and ferromagnetic particles in sample (can interfere with magnetic field, cause stir bar to attract particles; use overhead stirrer if sample contains iron/steel particles). IMPORTANT: Magnetic stirrer fundamentals: (1) How it works: A rotating magnet (or array of magnets) under the plate creates a rotating magnetic field. The magnetic stir bar (P TF E-coated permanent magnet) inside the vessel aligns with and follows the rotating field, spinning and stirring the liquid. No direct mechanical connection through the vessel wall (unlike overhead stirrer with shaft), so no contamination risk and easy sealing. (2) Stir bar selection: Size (length should be 50-80% of vessel inner diameter; too small = insufficient mixing, too large = cannot rotate smoothly), shape (cylindrical (standard, most common), oval (for round-bottom vessels, less likely to get stuck), ring-shaped (for special vessels), with pivot ring (reduces friction, smoother rotation at high speed)), coating (PTFE/Teflon (chemical-resistant, low friction, easy to clean - standard; glass-coated (fragile, for high-temperature or special chemical compatibility; rare), bare magnet (corrodes, contaminates - not recommended)). (3) Speed and vortex: At low speed, stir bar rotates gently with minimal vortex (good for dissolving, sensitive samples). At high speed, a vortex forms (liquid spirals down toward stir bar) - good for vigorous mixing, dissolution, but can cause splashing and air entrainment (avoid for oxygen-sensitive samples or foaming solutions). Optimal speed creates a small vortex without splashing. (4) Spin-out (decoupling): When speed is too high or vessel is too large, the stir bar can decouple from the magnetic field and stop spinning or jump erratically. Solution: reduce speed, use larger stir bar, ensure vessel is centered, use more powerful stirrer. (5) Heating: Many magnetic stirrers are combined with hotplate (hotplate stirrer). For heated stirring, use ceramic or stainless steel plate. Note: plate temperature is not the same as liquid temperature (liquid lags behind plate; use immersed temperature probe for accurate control). Do not heat flammable solvents on open hotplate (use heating mantle or explosion-proof stirrer). (6) Square plate advantage: Square plate provides more stable surface for large vessels and multiple small vessels (compared to round plate). Flat, even surface ensures good magnetic coupling across the plate. Good for beakers and rectangular vessels. Common errors: (1) Starting at high speed (stir bar jumps out of liquid, splashes; always start low and ramp up). (2) Wrong stir bar size (too small = no mixing, too large = stuck; match to vessel). (3) Off-center vessel (uneven coupling, spin-out; center vessel on plate). (4) Not enough liquid (stir bar cannot rotate properly, jumps; ensure liquid covers bar). (5) Using damaged stir bar (cracked coating exposes magnet, contaminates sample, can rust; replace damaged bars). (6) Overloading (too large volume or too viscous = motor strain, spin-out; use overhead stirrer for large/viscous). (7) Spilling liquid on plate (can corrode electronics; clean immediately; use spill-resistant model). (8) Stirring flammable solvents near ignition sources (fire hazard; use explosion-proof stirrer or fume hood with no ignition sources).