Design award for Oxford Instruments' benchtop analyser
2 October 2006 Oxford Instruments’ new MQC benchtop NMR analyser has
received an Instrument Business Outlook (IBO) Industrial Design Award for
innovation and distinction in analytical and life science instrumentation.
Instrument Business Outlook review said, “The MQC refashions benchtop NMR
using an industrial design that is not only intelligent but also fun. The
smooth, crisp blue finish, compact size, curved sides and design details
create a striking visual look that communicates that the instrument is easy
to use and technically advanced.” Benchtop NMR is a firmly established
industrial method of quantifying proton-bearing constituents, such as water,
oil, and fats. Compared to traditional methods of content analysis, NMR
requires minimal and solvent-free sample preparation and offers robust
calibrations, shorter processing times and non-destructive bulk measurement.
The MQC goes beyond this having been designed to accommodate the operational
conditions of today’s industrial labs.
As Barry Jones, Business Manager for Process NMR at Oxford Instruments
explained, “The MQC has been designed with separate boxes for the system’s
electronic and magnetic components, enabling the electronics to be placed
next to, above or below the analyser bench to save on space. We’ve also
rearranged many of the internal components to reduce the magnet’s footprint
and incorporated a PC motherboard with Windows inside the instrument, rather
than needing a stand-alone PC to run it.” In addition to class-leading
operational features, the MQC breaks the mould of traditional benchtop
instruments with a unique visual appeal. “We did not want yet another
cream-coloured box attached to a PC; we wanted a device that would not only
deliver fast and reliable results, but one that would also catch the eye and
be fun to use,“ continued Mr. Jones “Our design team has integrated
practical solutions into the visual look of system that blend seamlessly to
improve functionality. The coloured LEDs, for example, give instant
notification of the instrument’s status: idle, sample in, waiting to
measure, or measurement in progress. The probe has also been made easy to
remove for cleaning or to exchange for one of a different size. These are
just some of the operational and visual design features of the MQC that
serve to really set it apart from similar instruments.” Every year, the
IBO selects three analytical instruments whose industrial design
distinguishes them from the hundred of new systems available. Criteria
include visual appearance, functionality, innovation and ergonomics.
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