The Z326-02MP is a swing-out microplate rotor for the Hermle Z326 / Z32-HK family — the 2 × 3 designation means 2 buckets × 3 microplates per bucket = 6 microplates per cycle. Microplate centrifugation is required for collecting samples to the well bottom (post-extraction concentration, post-staining washes, magnetic-bead-on-plate workflows where beads need to be settled), and the swing-out geometry produces the horizontal orientation that gets sample to the bottom of the well consistently across the plate. The rotor also accepts chamber slides, petri dishes (35/60 mm), and tube-rack inserts via the appropriate adapters — making it a multi-format centrifugation tool beyond strict microplate work.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z326-02MP |
| Type | Swing-out rotor — microplate format |
| Capacity | 2 buckets × 3 microplates per bucket = 6 microplates per cycle |
| Compatible chassis | Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per shared accessory catalog |
| Swing range | 0–90° (horizontal at full speed) |
| Compatible plate formats | Standard microplate footprint (96-well, 384-well, 1536-well plates that fit standard SBS dimensions) |
| Adapter compatibility (sold separately) | Z326-MPCA (3 × Chamber slide or 35/60 mm petri dish per bucket position) |
| Tube-rack adapters | BT1500-A1520 (20 × 1.5/2.0 mL tubes), BT1500-A05 (20 × 0.5 mL tubes) — convert microplate buckets to tube-rack workflows |
Compatibility & Configuration
Chassis compatibility — Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per the shared Hermle accessory catalog. RFID-tagged; the chassis applies the rotor's rated speed cap automatically at insertion.
6-microplate-per-cycle throughput. Two buckets, each holding 3 microplates stacked, gives 6 plates per cycle — meaningfully higher throughput than single-plate microplate centrifuges and competitive with dedicated microplate-spinner instruments at lower price point.
Multi-format adapter library (sold separately):
- Z326-MPCA — converts a microplate bucket to hold 3 × chamber slides or 3 × 35/60 mm petri dishes per bucket. Useful for cell-culture workflows that need to spin plate-format vessels other than standard microplates.
- BT1500-A1520 — 20 × 1.5/2.0 mL tube-rack adapter. Converts the microplate bucket to a tube-rack workflow (20 microtubes per bucket × 2 buckets = 40 microtubes per cycle).
- BT1500-A05 — 20 × 0.5 mL tube-rack adapter (40 × 0.5 mL per cycle).
The adapter strategy makes the Z326-02MP a flexible "second rotor" for cores whose primary workflow is microplate-format but who occasionally need to spin chamber slides or batches of microtubes.
Application Profile
Microplate-format sample collection. Post-extraction concentration in 96-well plates (collecting eluate to well bottom), post-staining wash collection, magnetic-bead-on-plate settling — anywhere a microplate workflow needs samples driven to the well bottom by centrifugal force. 6-plate parallel throughput supports batch-format ELISA, cell-based assay, and sample-prep workflows.
Chamber-slide cell-culture work via Z326-MPCA adapter — adherent-cell experiments in chamber slides where post-treatment washes need to be driven by centrifugation rather than aspiration.
35/60 mm petri-dish spinning via Z326-MPCA — useful for adherent-cell collection or post-fixation washing workflows in petri dish format.
Microtube batch workflows via BT1500-A1520 / BT1500-A05 — when the workflow needs a swing-out microtube format (rather than the high-RCF angle rotors elsewhere in the Z326 catalog) for gentle low-speed pelleting or sample-to-bottom collection.
Plate-based magnetic-bead workflows. Some magnetic-bead chemistries are run in 96-well format with the plate seated on a magnet between cycles — the Z326-02MP handles the bead-settling and wash-collection steps in plate format.
Loading & Balance
Symmetric bucket loading. Two buckets must be paired by weight (the 3 plates in one bucket must mass-match the 3 plates in the other). For maximum balance, pair plates within each bucket as well — the chassis's RFID-aware imbalance shut-off catches asymmetric loads but balancing is still operator responsibility.
Plate stack stability. The 3-plate stack within each bucket needs to be loaded so plates don't shift mid-spin. Confirm that the plate sealer / lid is intact for plates in the stack to prevent inter-plate contamination during the spin.
Selectable accel/decel. The chassis's profiles apply; for cell-based and adherent workflows, lower acceleration profiles preserve cell integrity.
Ordering & Configuration
Z326-02MP ships as the rotor body with 2 buckets. Adapters (Z326-MPCA chamber slide / petri dish, BT1500-A1520 / BT1500-A05 tube-rack) are sold separately.
Compatible accessories (sold separately):
- Z326-MPCA — 3 × chamber slide or 35/60 mm petri dish adapter (one per bucket position)
- BT1500-A1520 — 20 × 1.5/2.0 mL tube rack
- BT1500-A05 — 20 × 0.5 mL tube rack
Confirm at quote: chassis pairing (Z326 family or Z032-HK), adapter inventory per intended workflow (chamber slide, petri dish, or tube-rack configurations), and lead time.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the rotor body and buckets. Balance validation through the Hermle service network.
Microplate rotor selection: the Z326-02MP (this product, 6 plates per cycle) is the throughput pick for batch-format microplate workflows. For single-microplate spinning at higher RCF (e.g., the C2000 PlateFuge MicroPlate MicroCentrifuge at lower price point), see the dedicated mini-plate centrifuge category. The Z326-02MP earns its slot when the lab needs both microplate throughput and the multi-format flexibility of the chamber-slide / petri-dish / tube-rack adapter library.
