The Z326-3020H is a 30-position fixed-angle microcentrifuge rotor for the Hermle Z326 / Z32-HK family — engineered for high-throughput microtube pelleting at high RCF. At 17,000 rpm / 30,368 × g across 30 × 1.5/2.0 mL tubes per cycle, this rotor delivers more than 2× the per-cycle throughput of the typical 12-position microcentrifuge rotor at higher RCF than most benchtop microcentrifuges achieve. The rotor's 45° angle and hermetically sealed lid spec make it appropriate for batch-format molecular biology, NGS prep, and microbiome workflows that need both throughput and high-RCF pelleting in a single instrument.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z326-3020H |
| Type | Fixed-angle rotor — 30 position with hermetically sealed lid |
| Tube capacity | 1.5 / 2.0 mL microtubes (or 0.5 / 0.2 mL PCR via adapter) |
| Tube count | 30 |
| Angle | 45° |
| Compatible chassis | Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per shared accessory catalog |
| Max. operating speed | 17,000 rpm |
| Max. RCF at operating speed | 30,368 × g |
| Max. radius | 9.4 cm |
| Max. tube ø | 11 mm |
| Deceleration | 32 / 642 sec (standard / extended-unbraked) |
| Temperature at max. speed (refrigerated chassis) | 10 °C |
| Adapters (sold separately) | C1008-A5-6 (1 × 0.5 mL, 8 mm tube ø, 45 mm length) / C1008-A2-6 (1 × 0.4/0.2 mL PCR, 6 mm tube ø, 45 mm length) |
Compatibility & Configuration
Chassis compatibility — Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per the shared Hermle accessory catalog. RFID-tagged; chassis applies the rotor's rated 17,000 rpm cap automatically at insertion.
30 × 1.5/2.0 mL direct fit. Standard 1.5 mL and 2.0 mL microtubes (Eppendorf-style and equivalent 11 mm OD tubes) fit directly without adapter. The 30-position layout is the high-throughput configuration in the Z326 microcentrifuge-rotor catalog.
Adapter library for smaller-volume work (sold separately):
- C1008-A5-6 — 1 × 0.5 mL adapter (8 mm tube ø, 45 mm length)
- C1008-A2-6 — 1 × 0.4 mL or 0.2 mL PCR tube adapter (6 mm tube ø, 45 mm length)
The adapters extend the rotor to handle 0.5 mL and 0.2 mL PCR tube workflows when the lab needs format flexibility on the same rotor body. For mixed-format batches, balance considerations require symmetric adapter placement.
Hermetically sealed lid. The lid attaches to the rotor body and seals the rotor chamber for the duration of the spin — important for biosafety workflows or volatile-content sample work where aerosol containment matters. Distinct from the open-lid configuration of standard microcentrifuge rotors.
Application Profile
High-throughput nucleic-acid prep workflows — plasmid miniprep, gel extraction, PCR cleanup, RNA precipitation across 30 samples per cycle at the 17,000 rpm / 30,368 × g range that exceeds most benchtop microcentrifuges. NGS library-prep cores benefit from the per-cycle throughput when batch-processing 30+ samples per QC cycle.
Microbiome / 16S rRNA prep at batch scale. Combined with the BeadBlaster (IPD9600) for lysis, 30-sample-per-cycle high-RCF pelleting accelerates the post-lysis prep step in microbiome workflows.
Protein precipitation at high throughput. TCA, acetone, and ammonium-sulfate precipitations across 30 × 1.5/2.0 mL aliquots in one cycle at >30,000 × g.
Cold-chain microtube workflows on Z326-K / Z032-HK. The rotor's 10 °C temperature-at-max-speed spec supports cold-stable protein and RNA workflows at high RCF.
Biosafety microtube workflows. The hermetically sealed lid supports BSL-2 + biosafety classifications where aerosol containment from microtube samples matters.
Loading & Balance
30-tube symmetric loading. With 30 positions, distribute tubes symmetrically around the rotor — even with high position counts, chassis imbalance shut-off catches asymmetric loads. Pre-balancing is operator responsibility.
Adapter consistency. When using 0.5 mL or 0.2 mL adapters, position adapters symmetrically across the rotor (e.g., 6 adapters in opposing positions, 24 direct-fit microtubes in the remaining positions, all balanced by mass).
Lid torque. The hermetically sealed lid must be properly seated and torqued before each spin. Annual lid-and-seal inspection through the Hermle service network is recommended for biosafety-critical workflows.
Selectable accel/decel. Chassis's 10 profiles apply; the unbraked decel (642 sec extended profile) supports loose-pellet preservation.
Ordering & Configuration
Z326-3020H ships as the rotor body + hermetically sealed lid. Adapters and any specialty tube formats are sold separately.
Compatible accessories (sold separately):
- C1008-A5-6 — 0.5 mL adapter (8 mm)
- C1008-A2-6 — 0.4/0.2 mL PCR adapter (6 mm)
Confirm at quote: chassis pairing (Z326 family or Z032-HK), adapter quantity needed for any 0.5 mL or PCR-tube workflow share, biosafety classification of the workflow (drives lid-replacement inventory cadence), training, and lead time.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the rotor body and the hermetically sealed lid assembly. The hermetic-seal interface in this 30-position rotor is a planned-inspection item for biosafety-spec workflows; replacement lid assemblies are available through the Hermle service network on the standard service-interval schedule.
Z326-3020H vs Z326-2420H selection: the Z326-3020H (this product, 30 positions / 30,368 × g) is the throughput-and-mid-RCF microcentrifuge rotor pick. The Z326-2420H (24 positions / 38,007 × g) trades 6 positions for higher RCF and a different angle (also hermetically sealed). Pick the Z326-3020H when batch size matters more; pick the Z326-2420H when per-tube g-force matters more.
