EpiShear™ Cooled Sonication Platform

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform was designed to improve the sample-to-sample reproducibility obtained when using probe sonicators by enabling the tip of the probe to be positioned at the same depth in the sample each sonication. The platform has been machined out of stainless steel and aluminum, and includes a hand crank, a height counter and a vertical alignment tool, so once you have determined the optimal settings for your probe and tube type, you can recreate them over and over.

The platform is designed to be used with Active Motif's Tube Coolers, which are available in sizes that fit microfuge, 15 ml and 50 ml tubes. The Tube Coolers keep the sample cold during sonication, so you don't need move the sample to and from an ice bath to keep it cold during sonication. With a programmable sonicator like the EpiShear Probe Sonicator, you can simply set the duration of the On and Off pulses, place the sample in the tube cooler, press Start, then walk away.

Figure 1: The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform in use with the EpiShear Probe Sonicator.

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform ensures that the probe tip is at the same depth in the sample tube every time. Here, the platform is being used to sonicate a sample in a 2 ml microfuge tube. Sitting on the base are the 15 ml and 50 ml tube coolers, which can also be used with the platform. The vertical alignment tool, which is used to determine the depth of the probe in the tube when it is in the Cooler, is in front of the 15 ml and 50 ml tube coolers.

Figure 2: Close up view of the EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform holding a probe in a microfuge tube.

After using the alignment tool to position the probe in the microfuge tube, the probe can be placed identically in subsequent sonications simply by setting the platform at the same height setting; in this example, the setting is "442".

Active Motif's Tube Coolers are an integral part of the EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform as they both hold the tube precisely and keep the sample cold during sonication. This enables you to take full advantage of the programmable features of Active Motif's EpiShear Probe Sonicator. No longer will you have to repeatedly take the probe out of the sample and place the sample in an ice bucket to prevent it from overheating. You can simply set the duration of the On and Off pulses, and the sample can remain in the cooler for up to 2 hours of sonication.

You have your choice of a cooler that will hold a 1.5-2.0 ml microfuge, 15 ml or 50 ml tube when you purchase the platform, and all 3 coolers are also sold separately (Figure 1). This enables you to shear samples of various sizes, or to keep samples cold on your benchtop during other experiments. The Tube Coolers have many more uses than just sonication.

Figure 1: Tube Coolers to hold 1.5-2.0 ml microfuge, 15 ml and 50 ml tubes.

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform is supplied already mounted on a stainless steel rod. Included is a lab support stand base and a rod adapter that make it easy to set up the platform for use. (Figure 1). Hardware is also included that enables you to place the platform inside Active Motif's large sound enclosure (Figure 2), which will reduce the volume of noise produced by your sonicator by approximately 35 db.

Figure 1: Close up view of the EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform's support stand base and rod adapter.

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform is supplied with a rod adapter mounted on a lab support stand base, so the only assembly needed is to place the platform's rod in the adapter and tighten the two set screws. Also shown are the 15 ml and 50 ml tube coolers, as well as the vertical alignment tool, which is used to set the depth of the probe in the tube, as you can't see the probe in the tube when the tube is in a cooler.

Figure 2: The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform mounted in Active Motif's large sound enclosure.

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform set up for use with a 15 ml Tube Cooler inside Active Motif's large sound enclosure (Catalog No. 53060). The large sound enclosure measures 23" H x 14.5" W x 12" D (584 mm x 368 mm x 305 mm).

Contents

The EpiShear Cooled Sonication Platform is supplied with the platform assembly as well as a support stand base and rod adapter on which to mount the platform. Also included is an alignment tool for setting the height of the probe in your samples and your choice of one Tube Cooler that will hold either 1.5-2.0 ml microfuge, 15 ml or 50 ml tubes. (Tube coolers are sold separately if you need more than one size.) Adapters and hex wrenches for mounting the platform in a sound enclosure, such as Active Motif's Large Sound Enclosure (Catalog No. 53060), are also included.