The Z326-2420 is the 24-position hermetically sealed high-speed microtube angle rotor for the Hermle Z326 / Z327 chassis family — combining 21,379 × g maximum RCF, PPS-Lid hermetic seal for BSL-2 + biosafety containment, and 3 °C temperature at max speed on the refrigerated Z326-K / Z327-K chassis. Among the highest-RCF microtube rotors in the Hermle catalog, the Z326-2420 is sized for institutional clinical-research and core-facility microtube workflows that need cold-chain integrity, biosafety containment, AND high-RCF microtube performance simultaneously — three concurrent characteristics that few rotors deliver together.
Naming-convention note: This Z326-2420 is physically distinct from the Z216-2420 (Z216-M chassis family) and the Z287-2420 (Z287-A chassis family) — three different rotors with the same 2420 suffix that fit three different chassis families. The Z- prefix in the SKU identifies the host chassis family.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z326-2420 |
| Type | Fixed-angle rotor — 24 position, hermetically sealed |
| Capacity | 24 × 1.5 / 2.0 mL microtubes |
| Compatible chassis | Z326, Z326-K (refrigerated), Z327, Z327-K (refrigerated), and -E voltage variants |
| Angle | 45° |
| Max. operating speed | 15,000 rpm |
| Max. RCF at operating speed | 21,379 × g |
| Max. radius | 8.5 cm |
| Max. tube diameter | 11 mm |
| Acceleration | 25 / 222 sec (standard / extended profile) |
| Deceleration | 17 / 261 sec (standard / extended-unbraked) |
| Temperature at max speed (refrigerated chassis) | 3 °C |
| Lid type | Hermetically sealed PPS-Lid |
| Tube format | Standard 1.5 / 2.0 mL microtubes (~11 mm OD direct fit) |
| Adapter compatibility | C1008-A5-6 (1 × 0.5 mL, 8 mm OD); C1008-A2-6 (1 × 0.4/0.2 mL PCR, 6 mm OD) |
Compatibility & Configuration
Chassis compatibility — Z326 / Z327 family. Engineered for the Z326 and Z327 chassis spindle and chamber geometry. Works across both standard and refrigerated (-K) variants and corresponding -E voltage variants.
Three concurrent characteristics — high RCF, biosafety, cold-chain. Most high-RCF microtube rotors are non-sealable (no aerosol containment) and on non-refrigerated chassis. Most sealable rotors run lower RCF (the Z326-100H sealed swing-out runs only 4,080 × g). The Z326-2420 is the rotor that delivers all three — useful for BSL-2 + microtube workflows that need cold-chain integrity through a high-RCF spin step.
24-microtube throughput. Symmetric 24-position layout matches:
- 1/4 of a 96-well plate batch (24 = 1 plate quadrant)
- Standard extraction-kit batch sizes
- qPCR and assay-prep batch sizes for institutional clinical-research
PPS-Lid hermetic seal. Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) lid material — chemical-resistant, autoclavable, durable for repeated seal cycles. The hermetic seal is rated to the rotor's full 21,379 × g maximum.
Adapter library. Standard C1008 adapter family supports 0.5 mL and 0.4 / 0.2 mL PCR formats within the 1.5 / 2.0 mL position.
Application Profile
Cold-chain BSL-2 + viral RNA extraction at high RCF — viral RNA extraction protocols handling potentially infectious sample material (respiratory pathogens, hepatitis, HIV research) where the workflow needs cold-chain integrity, biosafety containment, AND >15,000 × g spin steps. The Z326-2420 is the rotor that delivers all three.
Bacterial culture cold-chain pellet recovery at BSL-2 — bacterial-pathogen culture aliquot processing requiring high-RCF pellet recovery with hermetic containment and refrigeration.
Biobank cold-chain biosafety microtube prep — patient sample workflows handling potentially infectious specimens with cold-chain integrity from biosafety cabinet through high-RCF centrifugation back to cabinet.
Forensic and clinical-research workflows with chain-of-custody requirements that include cold-chain, aerosol-containment, and high-RCF specs.
Cross-format Z326-K / Z327-K chassis consolidation — labs running both swing-out workflows (Z326-100H bucket family) and high-RCF microtube workflows on the same chassis benefit from the chassis's cross-rotor flexibility.
Loading & Balance
24-position symmetric loading. Pair opposites (positions 1+13, 2+14, etc.) by tube mass. At 15,000 rpm and 8.5 cm radius, balance precision matters — small mass imbalances translate to substantial inertial asymmetry. Pre-balance to within rotor tolerance.
PPS-Lid engagement. Per Hermle service instructions, the PPS-Lid must be fully engaged and torqued to spec before each spin to maintain the hermetic seal at 21,379 × g.
Adapter consistency. When using C1008 adapters, paired positions must use matching adapter + tube combinations.
Selectable accel/decel. Z326 / Z327 chassis profiles apply; the unbraked extended-decel profile (261 sec) preserves loose pellets and density layers at the rotor's high RCF.
Ordering & Configuration
Z326-2420 ships as the rotor body + PPS-Lid. Adapters (C1008-A5-6, C1008-A2-6) for smaller-volume tubes are sold separately.
Confirm at quote: chassis pairing (Z326 / Z326-K / Z327 / Z327-K confirmed), workflow drivers (cold-chain, biosafety, high RCF — confirms this is the right rotor vs less-specialized alternatives), training on PPS-Lid procedures, adapter inventory for smaller-volume formats, and lead time.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the rotor body and PPS-Lid. Hermetic-seal interface is a planned-inspection item for biosafety workflows — Hermle's standard service interval recommendation includes the seal-integrity check.
High-RCF microtube rotor selection across Hermle chassis families:
- Z326-2420 (this product) — Z326 / Z327 chassis, 21,379 × g, hermetically sealed, refrigerated
- Z216-2420 — Z216-M chassis, 18,624 × g, hermetically sealed (Z216 catalog spec)
- Z287-2420 — Z287-A chassis, 13,683 × g, non-sealed
Pick the Z326-2420 when the workflow needs all three characteristics together (cold-chain + biosafety + high RCF). Pick chassis-family-specific 2420 variants when running on Z216 or Z287 chassis.
