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) — 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.
