ABB has developed a rugged, research-grade spectrometer – equipment used in a variety of industries to test the physical and chemical properties of samples – that features a long lifespan and the lowest cost on the market.
The MB3000 spectrometer was on show today at Automation World, ABB’s annual forum for the automation industry. The configuration of the new instrument emphasizes simplicity at low cost while maintaining surprising versatility.
It uses software with a logical and intuitive command system to analyze the properties of compounds and complex mixtures, from the sugar content of food and drink to the chemical composition of forensic and toxicology samples.
“The software was specifically designed to make the instrument as simple to use as possible,” said Henry Buijs, an internationally-renowned expert on applied spectroscopy and developer of the MB3000.
Buijs is a senior ABB engineer and co-founder of the Quebec-based analytical products and systems manufacturer Bomem, now ABB Bomem. “From the point of view of cost, there is a huge advantage to this device,” he said.
Reliability
The MB3000 is easy to use and can be customized by operators to suit individual working methods and technical requirements.
It’s maintenance free, thanks to a lack of moving parts and a self-calibrating solid-state laser, which has a lifetime well in excess of 10 years.The central component of the device, the interferometer, comes with a life-time warranty against wear and breakage, providing years of reliable and accurate results. A unique lifetime warranty against deterioration of optical components is also provided with this new spectrometer.
Spectrometers test samples in factories, field locations, educational institutions, and quality-control laboratories.
Proven performer
An infrared signal is passed through the sample or reflected off the sample surface, which alters the signal in a way that is characteristic of the sample’s composition. Data on the emerging signal are interpreted using the mathematical technique of Fourier Transformation to produce a readable spectrum, revealing the chemical composition of the sample.
Buijs and two associates founded Bomem in the 1970s to market the results of his research in Fourier Transformation and infrared spectrometry. In the 1980s, the company took on the industry applications market, with the large-scale production of spectrometers to meet specific needs.
The spectometry technology developed by Buijs and his team has become crucial to quality control in fields as varied as milk processing, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and semi-conductors. It has set a world standard in satellite spectrometry, and is currently measuring greenhouse gas emissions from orbit on the GOSAT satellite.
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