The Z496-K is the top of the Hermle line: a floor-standing high-volume refrigerated centrifuge with 4 × 1,000 mL bottle capacity at 10,500 rpm / 16,022 × g, full -20 °C to +40 °C chamber refrigeration, and a 2.3 kW motor drive sized for production-scale separations. This is the institutional purchase for biomanufacturing, large-scale environmental processing, vaccine pilot lines, and clinical bulk-blood-component preparation. 230 V only, no 120 V variant. Plan the install: 419 lb, 24.4 × 38.5 × 27 inch footprint, freight delivery, professional installation recommended.
Voltage options: This unit can be ordered with European voltage requirements (230V/50Hz). Contact us to order.
Key Specifications
| Max. speed | 10,500 rpm |
| Max. RCF | 16,022 × g |
| Temperature range | −20 °C to +40 °C (1 °C increments, °C or °F selectable) |
| Refrigeration | CFC-free; pre-cooling program; standstill cooling |
| Max. volume | 4 × 1,000 mL |
| Speed range | 200 – 10,500 rpm |
| Running time | 10 s to 59 min 50 s; 1 min to 99 h 59 min; continuous |
| Program memory | 99 saved runs (including rotor type and temperature) |
| Dimensions (W × H × D), Floor-Standing | 24.4 in × 38.5 in × 27 in (62 × 98 × 69 cm) |
| Weight, Floor-Standing | 419 lb (190 kg) |
| Power input | 2.3 kW |
| Power supply | 230 V / 50 – 60 Hz (only; no 120 V variant) |
| Underbench variant | Z496-K-UC: same chassis at 27.5 inch height (24.4 × 27.5 × 27 in), 346 lb, sold as a separate SKU |
| Centrifuge interface software | Z496-HCTRL (sold separately): for centralized monitoring / multi-instrument oversight |
| Safety standards | IEC 61010 |
Application Profile
Biomanufacturing-scale cell harvest. 4 × 1,000 mL bottle capacity at 16,022 × g supports bench-to-pilot-line scale-up of bacterial, yeast, mammalian, and insect-cell harvest from spinner flasks, wave-bag bioreactors, and small-volume stirred-tank fermentations.
Vaccine pilot-line concentration. Bulk virus concentration via sucrose-cushion or step-gradient at 1,000 mL bottle scale, refrigerated for cold-chain integrity.
Clinical bulk plasma and blood-component preparation. Component therapy, cryoprecipitate, and plasma fractionation at large-volume bottle scale with refrigeration.
Environmental high-volume processing. Bulk water, sediment, and effluent prep where 250 mL or 750 mL bottle capacity is no longer adequate for the sample throughput.
Industrial QC at production volume. Crude-oil, lubricant, and slurry analysis where ASTM-method bottle volumes exceed 750 mL or where pilot-line process control demands chilled separation at production scale.
Design Architecture
CFC-free refrigeration sized for 1,000 mL bottle volume. Set-point control from −20 °C to +40 °C in 1 °C increments. Pre-cooling brings the chamber to set-point before insertion. Standstill cooling holds between sequential cycles, important at this scale where each cycle takes longer to load and the chamber would otherwise warm meaningfully between runs.
RFID rotor identification with per-rotor over-speed protection. Standard across the Hermle Z-series; the Z496-K applies the same automatic rotor-cap and imbalance-threshold logic.
Active imbalance identification with rotor-specific cut-off. Per-rotor thresholds; asymmetric loading at this volume class is non-trivial. The Z496-K's monitoring is tuned for the inertia of fully-loaded 1,000 mL rotors.
Motor-driven lid lock. Hard interlock; lid cannot unlock during a run.
2.3 kW maintenance-free induction motor. Sized for the rotational inertia of 4 × 1,000 mL fully-loaded rotors at high RCF without thermal stress. No brush wear.
Microprocessor with touch-operation control panel. Large LCD with simultaneous set / actual display for speed, RCF, time, and temperature. 99-slot program memory persists across power cycles.
Selectable accel/decel including unbraked deceleration for gradient and loose-pellet preservation.
Centralized control software (Z496-HCTRL). Optional add-on (sold separately). It provides PC-based monitoring, multi-instrument oversight, and audit-trail logging for facilities that need centralized quality records or 21 CFR Part 11-style traceability across multiple Z496-K units.
Stainless-steel sample chamber.
Ordering & Configuration
Ships without rotor. The Z496-K body ships with operator's manual and power cord. Select your rotor from the Z496-K rotor catalog (linked from this page), common configurations include the 4 × 1,000 mL swing-out, 6 × 500 mL angle rotors, 6 × 250 mL angle, plus deep adapter library down to 1.5 / 2.0 mL micro tubes.
Voltage: 230 V / 50-60 Hz only. There is no 120 V variant of the Z496-K. Confirm 230 V service availability at the installation point before order.
Underbench alternative: Z496-K-UC: same instrument at 27.5 inch height (intended for underbench mounting in fitted casework). 346 lb. Sold as a separate SKU.
Step-down: Z446-K for 4 × 750 mL bottle capacity in a benchtop chassis. Z366-K for 6 × 250 mL with refrigeration if 1,000 mL volume is more than the workflow needs.
Centralized monitoring: Z496-HCTRL centrifuge interface and operating software (sold separately), for facilities running multiple Z496-K units or needing centralized audit-trail logging.
Warranty & service: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain). Refrigeration service, rotor validation, balance checks, and North American support available through the Benchmark / Hermle distributor network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum speed and RCF of the Z496-K? 10,500 rpm / 16,022 × g.
What is the Z496-K's bottle capacity? 4 × 1,000 mL, with 6 × 500 mL and 6 × 250 mL angle rotors plus a deep adapter library down to 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes.
What voltage does the Z496-K require? 230 V / 50–60 Hz only. There is no 120 V variant. Confirm 230 V service availability before order.
Is there an underbench version of the Z496-K? Yes. The Z496-K-UC is the same instrument at 27.5 in height for mounting under standard casework, sold as a separate SKU.
How is the Z496-K delivered? As a 419 lb floor-standing instrument by LTL freight with liftgate at minimum; white-glove inside delivery and professional installation are recommended.
Installation planning notes:
- Freight delivery. 419 lb floor-standing instrument; LTL freight with liftgate at minimum, white-glove inside-delivery recommended.
- Floor planning. 24 × 27 inch footprint plus service clearance front and rear; floor must be rated for 419 lb static plus dynamic load during high-RCF spins.
- Electrical. 2.3 kW at 230 V; confirm dedicated circuit, breaker rating, and grounding with site facilities before delivery.
- Professional installation recommended. Hermle / Benchmark distributor service network can quote install + first-spin validation as a line item.
