The Z326-100H is the biosafety-spec swing-out rotor for the Hermle Z326 / Z32-HK family, 4 × 100 mL bucket capacity in swing-out geometry, with hermetically sealed buckets (Z326-100H-BUK + Z326-100H-LID) that contain aerosols during the spin. For workflows handling blood-borne pathogens, BSL-2 / BSL-3 clinical samples, infectious-disease research samples, or any material where aerosol release during centrifugation would compromise lab safety, the sealed-bucket configuration is the spec, open-bucket rotors do not provide the aerosol containment that BSL-2+ workflows require. At 5,000 rpm / 4,080 × g, this rotor handles the standard low-speed clinical and biosafety workflows; the 4-position 100 mL bucket envelope accommodates 100 mL RB glass, 85 mL RB/OR, 50 mL RB/OR / Falcon, and smaller formats via adapter inserts.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z326-100H |
| Type | Swing-out rotor (4 position with hermetically sealed buckets) |
| Bucket capacity | 100 mL each (with adapter inserts for smaller formats) |
| Bucket count | 4 |
| Compatible chassis | Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per shared accessory catalog |
| Swing range | 0–90° (horizontal at full speed) |
| Max. operating speed | 5,000 rpm |
| Max. RCF at operating speed | 4,080 × g |
| Max. radius | 14.6 cm |
| Deceleration | 15 / 150 sec (standard / extended-unbraked) |
| Temperature at max. speed (refrigerated chassis) | 2 °C |
| Hermetically sealed buckets | Z326-100H-BUK (bucket with lid attachment) + Z326-100H-LID (lid for sealed configuration) |
| Tube formats accepted (direct fit) | 100 mL RB Glass (40 mm ø), 85 mL RB/OR (38 mm), 50 mL RB/OR (29 mm), 50 mL Falcon® (29 mm) |
Compatibility & Configuration
Chassis compatibility: Z326 family + cross-compatible Z32-HK per the shared Hermle accessory catalog. RFID-tagged; chassis applies the rotor's rated 5,000 rpm cap automatically at insertion.
Hermetically sealed bucket design. The Z326-100H-BUK bucket is engineered with a sealing surface that mates with the Z326-100H-LID; once the lid is installed and torqued (per the Hermle service instructions), the bucket-lid assembly is hermetically sealed for the duration of the spin. Aerosols generated during the spin (from cap-seal failure, tube fracture, or volatile liquid contents) are contained within the sealed bucket rather than released into the rotor chamber.
Adapter library (sold separately, all in the Z326-100H-A* SKU family per brochure):
- A100: 1 × 100 mL adapter (positioning insert for 100 mL conical or smaller bottle formats); 90/108 mm length
- A85: 1 × 85 mL adapter; 90/108 mm length
- A50R: 1 × 50 mL round-bottom adapter; 90/133 mm length
- A50: 1 × 50 mL Falcon® adapter; 116 mm length
The adapters extend the bucket fit to multiple tube formats while maintaining the hermetic seal of the bucket assembly. The seal is between the bucket and lid, not between the tube and bucket.
Tube count per bucket per adapter. The brochure tube-rack table specifies 4 tubes per adapter per bucket, the 4-position rotor with appropriate adapters scales to 16 × 50 mL conical, 16 × 50 mL round-bottom, etc. per cycle.
Application Profile
BSL-2 / BSL-3 clinical sample separation. Blood-borne pathogen samples (HBV, HCV, HIV-positive samples), tuberculosis sample workflows, and infectious-disease research where aerosol containment is the spec. Many BSL-2 / BSL-3 protocols require sealed-rotor or sealed-bucket centrifugation as a hard requirement. The Z326-100H meets that spec.
Blood-borne pathogen primary tube separation for clinical-research workflows where standard open-bucket rotors would be a containment failure.
Infectious-disease research sample handling. Viral preparation work, bacterial culture pelleting where aerosol release would risk lab contamination, and similar workflows.
Volatile-content sample workflows. When samples contain volatile organic solvents or other materials where vapor release during the spin would compromise lab air quality, the sealed-bucket configuration provides containment.
Blood-bank and component-therapy work at the 100 mL bag-format scale where aerosol containment is preferred even when not strictly required by biosafety classification.
Cold-chain biosafety work when paired with the refrigerated Z326-K or Z032-HK, combines aerosol containment with chamber temperature control for cold-sensitive infectious materials.
Loading & Balance
4-bucket symmetric loading. Pair opposite buckets by weight (positions 1+3, 2+4); pre-balance each pair before insertion. Weight balance is especially critical for sealed buckets. An asymmetric load that triggers an imbalance shutdown mid-spin can stress the seal interface; pre-balancing prevents this.
Lid torque. The Z326-100H-LID lid must be installed and torqued per the Hermle service instructions before each spin. Under-torqued lids may not maintain the hermetic seal at full RCF; over-torqued lids can damage the seal interface. Annual lid-and-seal inspection by the Hermle service network is recommended for biosafety-critical workflows.
Selectable accel/decel. Chassis's 10 profiles apply; for biosafety workflows, lower acceleration profiles are conventional (less mechanical stress on the sealed interface during spin-up).
Ordering & Configuration
Z326-100H ships as the rotor body with 4 buckets and 4 lids: the complete sealed-bucket configuration ready for biosafety workflows. Adapters are sold separately per workflow tube format.
Compatible accessories (sold separately):
- Z326-100H-BUK: Individual bucket (replacement or supplementation)
- Z326-100H-LID: Individual bucket lid (replacement; lids should be inspected and replaced per the Hermle service interval)
- Z326-100H-A* adapter family: A100 / A85 / A50R / A50 covers the standard tube formats
Confirm at quote: chassis pairing (Z326 family or Z032-HK), biosafety classification of the workflow (BSL-2 vs BSL-3 may have different procedural requirements around sealed-bucket use), adapter inventory needed for tube formats, lid-replacement inventory (annual replacement is conventional for biosafety-critical workflows), and training. Pre-installation biosafety consultation typical.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the rotor body and buckets. Lids are wear items in biosafety workflows; warranty covers manufacturing defect, but operator should plan annual replacement inventory.
Sealed vs open-bucket selection: for non-biosafety workflows (general lab samples, routine clinical separation without infectious-disease implications), open-bucket rotors at lower price point are appropriate. The Z326-100H earns its slot specifically when aerosol containment is a hard requirement, biosafety classification BSL-2+, infectious-disease research, or volatile-content sample handling. Don't over-spec to sealed buckets when open buckets meet the workflow requirement.
