IKA lab dancer Test Tube Shaker, Touch Function, 2800 rpm, 0003365000

Briefly mixing a single test tube before the sample goes into the photometer: for this, a whole orbital shaker does not have to start up and no speed has to be set. The IKA lab dancer is tailored to exactly this moment. The tube is pressed by hand against the rubber pad, the touch function immediately starts the circular motion, and on release it stops just as immediately. With a shaking stroke of 4.5 mm and a fixed speed of 2,800 revolutions per minute, the unit covers the classic vortex application for small vessels up to 30 mm in diameter, from test tubes through centrifuge tubes to microtubes.

Touch operation for individual tubes

Unlike a continuous-running unit with display and timer, the lab dancer has neither a speed display nor a timer. This is not a sacrifice but the concept behind it: anyone who briefly mixes several individual samples one after another, for example before a dilution series or between two pipetting steps, does not need to set any parameters. Press the tube down, wait a few seconds, done. The fixed speed of 2,800 rpm is strong enough for most routine tasks without any control being necessary. With a permissible duty cycle of 100 percent, several tubes can be processed directly one after another without the drive having to cool down in between.

Compact design for the workstation

At 100 x 70 x 100 mm and a weight of only 0.776 kg, the lab dancer takes up hardly any bench space and can be placed directly next to the centrifuge, pipette or photometer, where it is actually needed in the workflow. The power supply is via a supplied 12 V plug-in power supply, which handles input voltages of 100 to 240 V at 50/60 Hz. This allows the unit to be operated at practically any laboratory workstation without an additional voltage converter, even when moving between locations with different mains voltages.

Less repetitive movement in everyday laboratory work

Anyone who mixes many individual samples one after another every day often resorts to manual shaking by hand without a vortex mixer. The touch function of the lab dancer takes over this repetitive movement: pressing instead of shaking, across any number of individual samples with consistent intensity. This relieves the strain above all in series with many small batches, for example in sample preparation before a measurement series, and at the same time ensures more even mixing than by hand, because stroke and speed remain identical for every operation.

Typical applications

As a benchtop unit for the quick individual operation, the lab dancer finds its place above all where brief mixing is needed several times a day without a larger orbital shaker being worthwhile:

• Mixing reagents in test tubes before photometric measurement
• Resuspending cell pellets in centrifuge tubes after centrifugation
• Brief mixing of individual samples in routine analysis
• Homogenising small volumes in tubes between individual pipetting steps
• Dissolving reagent tablets or powder samples in small vessels

Selection guide: which type of shaker is suitable

lab dancer, Vortex 2 and ROCKER 3D digital cover three different types of movement at IKA. Which unit is suitable depends on whether individual tubes are to be mixed briefly, larger batches shaken in continuous operation, or sensitive samples moved gently.

For individual small vessels up to 30 mm diameter and quick in-between use, the lab dancer is the right choice. Anyone who regularly mixes larger quantities in continuous operation or needs attachments for plates and flasks will find the more suitable solution in the Vortex 2, and for gentle wobbling of larger vessels the ROCKER 3D digital is better suited.

Technical details

Scope of delivery

• 1 x IKA lab dancer test tube shaker
• 1 x 12 V plug-in power supply

Differences from the neighbouring series

Anyone who wants to move whole flasks, culture flasks or microtitre plates in an orbital motion instead of individual tubes is in the wrong place with the lab dancer design. For this, LT Laborhandel carries the IKA hula dancer series, for example the hula dancer basic or the hula dancer digital with adjustable speed. Both are intended for larger, flat set-ups instead of individual small vessels. An overview of all mixers, stirrers and shakers in the range is offered by the category Mixers, stirrers and shakers.

Application, installation and maintenance

The lab dancer is designed for operation at 5 to 40 °C and a relative humidity of up to 80 percent, and protection class IP 40 protects against larger foreign objects but not against splashing water. A dry, level laboratory bench within reach of the other work steps is sufficient as a location, and a stand or fixed mounting is not necessary. Maintenance is essentially limited to cleaning the rubber pad on which the tubes rest, especially after contact with aggressive or staining reagents, to avoid carry-over between different samples. Since the unit stands directly on the work surface without a stand, a fixed, easily accessible place near the rest of the sample preparation is worthwhile, so that reaching for the lab dancer does not become a work step of its own. At the end of its service life, the unit as small electrical equipment belongs in the separate collection of waste electrical equipment and not in household waste.

Individual requirements & procurement service

Factory calibration certificates and qualification documents (IQ/OQ) are available for the lab dancer, for example for laboratories with documented equipment testing. Do you need one of these documents, an additional plug-in power supply as a spare part or support in choosing between lab dancer, Vortex 2 and ROCKER 3D digital for your specific application? Through our procurement service , LT Laborhandel supports you with procurement and configuration.

Frequently asked questions

For which vessels is the lab dancer suitable?
For small vessels up to 30 mm diameter, such as test tubes, centrifuge tubes and tubes.

Can the speed be set?
No, the lab dancer runs at a fixed speed of 2,800 rpm. Anyone who needs an adjustable speed between 500 and 2,500 rpm will find it in the Vortex 2.

Is a power supply included in the scope of delivery?
Yes, the lab dancer is supplied with a 12 V plug-in power supply for 100 to 240 V, so a separate purchase is not necessary.

How is the lab dancer operated?
Via the touch function: the tube is pressed against the rubber pad, which starts the circular motion, and on release it stops again immediately.

Is the unit suitable for continuous operation?
The permissible duty cycle is 100 percent, but the touch principle is designed for short individual operations. For genuine continuous operation with several attachments, the Vortex 2 is the more suitable choice.

What protection class does the lab dancer have?
IP 40 according to DIN EN 60529, suitable for normal laboratory operation, not for damp rooms or splash areas.

Can several tubes be mixed at the same time?
The lab dancer is designed for one vessel per operation, and the permissible shaking load of 0.1 kg corresponds to the weight of a filled small vessel up to 30 mm in diameter.