Solid State Sample Preparation:

Solid state sample preparation refers to the act of crushing and milling rocks in such a way as to produce a homogeneous mixture with very fine particle sizes. Mining companies dig up soil cores, which are generally a solid bar of rock. It is these cores which need to be crushed down and pulverised into a powder form which is homogeneous and able to be analysed for its mineral concentrations. To perform this task, cores are placed inside specially designed ring mills which have the ability to pulverise extremely hard rock and produce a powdered form of the soil core. The ring mills reduce most rocks to a common size usable for chemical analyses.

Liquid Dosing/Dilution Systems:

There are multiple types of dosing/dilution systems available, the one to be chosen depends upon process requirements for accuracy, speed, safety etc. The peristaltic dosing systems and syringe pump dosing systems are generally the most accurate and are more commonly used for laboratory uses. These pumping systems are able to handle extremely dangerous substances (e.g. Hydrofluoric Acid) with minimal operator contact, which increases staff safety.

Liquid Mixing Systems:

Mixing is a major part of liquid analyses or liquid chemistry as it is essential to have homogeneity in solutions when using in an analysis. There are multiple types of mixing systems, some physically shake/tumble/swirl the solution in a suitable container, some bubble air through the solution. Requirements of certain processes or chemicals generally dictates the mixing method which must be used. These systems may manipulate multiple samples at a time or a single sample if required. These mixing systems are easily incorporated into larger automated systems and have been proven to be extremely efficient at producing homogeneous mixtures.

Furnaces:

Furnaces are another important item of equipment required in many laboratory and sample preparation systems. The ability of furnaces to be linked with automated doors and robot or automated component access increases the ability for laboratory companies to service their clients while also ensuring maximum staff safety. In comparison to conventional furnaces, automated furnaces are just as reliable and produce even heating across all areas of the furnace.