The Z366-250-B50 is a direct-fit bucket dimensioned for 4 × 50 mL conical tubes — sized for the Hermle Z366-250-HC swing-out rotor on the Z366 / Z366-K chassis 4-place configuration, sold as a 2-pack. Distinct from the bucket-plus-insert approach (Z366-250 + Z366-250-A50 insert delivers 12 × 50 mL conical per cycle), the B50 direct-fit bucket on the HC rotor variant delivers 16 × 50 mL conical tubes per cycle (800 mL total) — 33% higher throughput. The deep cold-chain capability of the Z366-K chassis (−2 °C at max speed) supports cold-stable 50 mL conical workflows at scale.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z366-250-B50 |
| Type | Direct-fit bucket — 4 × 50 mL conical |
| Pack quantity | 2 buckets per SKU (full 4-bucket configuration takes 2 units = 4 buckets) |
| Per-bucket capacity | 4 × 50 mL conical tubes |
| Per-cycle throughput (full configuration) | 16 × 50 mL conical = 800 mL total per cycle |
| Tube format | 50 mL conical Falcon-style (29 mm OD, 116 mm length) |
| Compatible rotor | Z366-250-HC swing-out rotor (HC = high-capacity variant of Z366-250) |
| Compatible chassis | Z366, Z366-K (refrigerated), and -E voltage variants |
| Max. operating speed | 4,500 rpm at 3,735 × g maximum |
| Max. radius | 16.5 cm (0.0 cm radius correction — full radius preserved) |
| Temperature at max speed (Z366-K refrigerated) | −2 °C |
| Geometry | Swing-out (0–90°) — flat sediment surface |
| List price | $534 (2-pack) |
Direct-Fit Bucket vs Bucket-Plus-Insert — Configuration Choice
The Z366 chassis offers two paths for swing-out 50 mL conical workflows:
| Configuration | Per cycle | Approach |
| Z366-250-B50 (this SKU) | 16 × 50 mL conical | Direct-fit bucket on Z366-250-HC rotor (33% higher throughput, dedicated to 50 mL conical) |
| Z366-250 + Z366-250-A50 insert | 12 × 50 mL conical | Bucket + insert on Z366-250 rotor (bucket holds other inserts too) |
Pick the B50 when higher per-cycle 50 mL conical throughput matters and the lab's primary workflow is 50 mL conical clinical-research / biobank prep. Pick the bucket+insert path when the bucket needs to serve multiple tube/bottle formats.
Compatibility & When to Order This SKU
Bucket pairing — Z366-250-HC rotor only. Order this SKU when:
- Commissioning a Z366-250-HC for institutional 50 mL conical clinical-research workflow — order 2 units for full 4-bucket configuration (16 tubes/cycle, 800 mL total).
- Adding higher-throughput 50 mL conical capability to an existing Z366 / Z366-K install that currently uses the bucket+insert configuration on the Z366-250 rotor.
- Replacement buckets if a current set is damaged or worn.
Application Profile
Institutional 50 mL conical clinical-research and biobank prep at scale — patient sample fractionation, aliquot prep, freeze-storage workflows at 16 × 50 mL conical per cycle on the deep cold-chain swing-out chassis (vs the 12-tube bucket+insert configuration).
Cell-culture pellet recovery in 50 mL at scale — pelleting cells from 16 parallel 50 mL suspension batches per cycle on the cold-chain chassis for downstream-stable cell preparation.
Density-gradient prep in 50 mL at scale — Ficoll, Percoll, sucrose-gradient prep at 16 parallel preps per cycle on the deep cold-chain swing-out chassis.
Cold-chain protein prep in 50 mL conical at scale — TCA, ammonium-sulfate, organic-precipitation in 50 mL working volume at 16 parallel preps with deep refrigeration.
Bioprocess intermediate prep at 50 mL — vaccine-development and bioprocess workflows that batch 50 mL conical at higher per-cycle throughput.
Cross-format Z366-K / HC core facilities — labs running 50 mL conical at high throughput alongside other workflows benefit from the direct-fit bucket for the dominant workflow plus the bucket+insert approach for occasional other formats.
Ordering & Configuration
4-bucket symmetric loading. All 4 buckets must be installed for symmetric balance at 4,500 rpm.
Per-bucket symmetric loading. Within each bucket, the 4 conical tubes should be balanced symmetrically — pair tubes by mass.
Tube cap confirmation. All conical tubes must be securely capped before spinning at 4,500 rpm.
Z366-250-B50 ships as 2 buckets. 50 mL conical tubes are operator-supplied (commodity Falcon / Corning / equivalent formats).
Required for operation:
- Z366-250-HC rotor body (sold separately) or already in inventory
- For full 4-bucket configuration: order 2 units of this SKU
Confirm at quote: rotor pairing (Z366-250-HC in inventory), chassis pairing (Z366 or Z366-K), tube format (50 mL conical Falcon-style), pack count (2 packs for full 4-bucket configuration = 16 tubes/cycle), and lead time.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the buckets.
Z366-250 50 mL workflow paths (Z366 / Z366-K chassis):
- Z366-250-B50 (this product) — 4 × 50 mL conical direct-fit bucket on Z366-250-HC (16/cycle, dedicated higher throughput)
- Z366-250-A50 — 3 × 50 mL conical insert on Z366-250 (12/cycle, bucket-insert flexibility)
- Z366-250-A50R — 3 × 50 mL round-bottom insert on Z366-250 (12/cycle, round tube envelope)
Pick B50 when 50 mL conical throughput is the dominant workflow driver; pick A50 / A50R for bucket-insert flexibility or round-bottom tube format.
