IKA Tube Mill Control Agriculture Solution, single-use milling kit, 40 ml, 0010013298

Kinetics of contamination-free solid comminution

In the agricultural industry, food analysis and official seed testing (such as the determination of mycotoxins or genetic modifications), the absolute prevention of cross-contamination is the most fundamental process engineering requirement. The IKA Tube Mill Control Agriculture Solution addresses precisely this analytical challenge through a patented single-use concept (disposable grinding cups). Instead of grinding samples in a solid, permanently installed stainless-steel grinding chamber and then having to decontaminate it in a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, the entire physical digestion takes place within a sealed 40-ml plastic tube. Grinding, subsequent storage and transport to the analytical periphery all take place in exactly the same hermetically sealed vessel. This seamless workflow physically prevents carry-over of residual particles one hundred per cent and guarantees an absolutely pure, unadulterated sample matrix for subsequent chromatographic or spectroscopic analyses.

Fluid mechanics and thermodynamics of impact comminution

The comminution of hard, brittle or dry agricultural products – such as wheat grains, maize or soya beans – requires a massive input of kinetic energy. The drive unit of the Tube Mill control generates a continuously variable speed range from 5,000 to 25,000 revolutions per minute. At these extremely high rotational speeds, the beater integrated into the grinding bowl generates circumferential velocities of up to 65 metres per second. The resulting massive impact and shear forces break down the crystalline and organic lattice structures of feed materials with a hardness of up to 5 on the Mohs scale. An outstanding fluid dynamics advantage of the compact 40-ml geometry is the complete fluidisation of even the smallest sample quantities (from approx. 1 gram). To protect thermolabile analytes from the inevitable frictional heat generated, the intelligent motor control system enables the precise limitation of a safety speed and a maximum safety time, thereby preventively avoiding thermodynamic heat stress on the sample.

Safety architecture and digital process monitoring

The processing of powdered solids always carries the risk of respirable aerosol formation. To protect the sensitive motor windings and the drive shaft from the ingress of fine dust, the motor housing of the Tube Mill control is fitted with a highly complex labyrinth seal. Overall hardware safety is ensured by a redundant sensor system: the motor’s magnetic field ignores any start commands as long as the transparent protective hood is not fully locked in place and the disposable grinding cup is not correctly positioned within the coupling. Incorrect configurations are immediately signalled to the user as an alphanumeric error code on the multilingual, high-contrast OLED display. Accidental opening of the grinding chamber during high-speed rotation is mechanically impossible, which significantly enhances occupational health and safety in day-to-day laboratory work.

The Agriculture Solution Package for GLP-compliant workflows

This “Agriculture Solution” set has been precisely assembled by IKA process engineers to meet the high throughput requirements of agricultural science laboratories. In addition to the basic drive unit, the package includes a starter set of ten transparent MT 40.10 disposable grinding jars, as well as one MMT 40.1 reusable grinding jar for non-critical routine tasks. For certified laboratories subject to strict GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) or GMP guidelines, the USB interface integrated on the rear of the unit offers significant analytical added value. It not only allows the installation of the latest firmware, but also enables tamper-proof, comprehensive data documentation and control of all milling parameters via a PC. The IKA Tube Mill Control Agriculture Solution thus combines unrivalled mechanical grinding performance with second-to-none contamination protection and maximum digital reproducibility.

Technical details

• Product type: Batch mill with single-use crushing cup system (Single-Use Crushing)
• Drive power (feed/discharge): 100 W / 80 W
• Speed range: 5,000 – 25,000 rpm (continuously and electronically adjustable)
• Max. peripheral speed: 65 m/s
• Max. feed particle size: 10 mm
• Max. feed material hardness: 5 Mohs
• Useful volume (grinding bowl): 40 ml (capable of processing very small quantities from 1 g)
• Speed display & control: Multilingual OLED display
• Safety features: Start-up protection when the lid is open, vessel detection, adjustable safety speed and safety time
• Interfaces: USB (for PC control and comprehensive data documentation)
• Sealing system: Labyrinth seal on the motor to protect against dust aerosols
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 180 x 170 x 300 mm
• Weight: 2.7 kg
• Protection class (according to DIN EN 60529): IP 30
• Permissible ambient temperature: 5 – 40 °C

Scope of delivery

• 1 x IKA Tube Mill control (drive unit)
• 1 x MT 40.10 disposable grinding beaker (pack of 10, 40 ml, transparent)
• 1 x MMT 40.1 reusable grinding beaker (40 ml)
• 1 x Coupling extractor
• 1 x USB A-B cable (for digital data transfer)
• 1 x power cable for small appliances
• 1 x User manual

Individual requirements & accessories

The included starter set of 10 disposable tubes provides you with everything you need for your initial experiments. For continuous routine operation in your agricultural laboratory, we recommend keeping a sufficient stock of sterile or non-sterile MT 40 disposable grinding jars. For extremely fibrous or extremely tough material, tubes with special titanium beaters (MTT 40 series) are also available. Our procurement service, which specialises in process engineering, will be happy to ensure a continuous and cost-effective supply of single-use consumables precisely tailored to your application.