The class of pharmaceutical lab instruments includes a wide range of devices. These include testing equipment, measuring instruments, sensors, mixers, sterilizers, etc.
Because of this variety, setting up a new lab can sometimes become a confusing task.
But don’t worry, I’ve got you.
Here is a list of 27 pharmaceutical instruments you should know:
1. Dissolution Test Apparatus
A dissolution test apparatus checks how well pharmaceutical products dissolve.
It determines the rate at which the active ingredient of a final product is released.
Basically, this device helps you maintain product quality and consistency in solid oral dosage forms.
Dissolution tester
2. Disintegration Tester
This tester measures how easily pellet drugs dissolve in a solution.
It is an excellent tool for analyzing powder preparations’ disintegration in vitro for quality control purposes.
Disintegration testers are pretty similar to dissolution testers but differ slightly in their application.
Disintegration tester
3. Tablet Friability Tester
The friability tester is a multi-purpose device for drug testing.
You use it to measure tablet hardness, friability, abrasion, dissolution, and disintegration rates.
Tablets friability tester
4. Check Weigher
Check weighers for pharmaceuticals are high-precision inline weighing instruments.
They are convenient for ensuring that the mass of end products meets quality control requirements.
Check Weigher
5. Thickness Tester
A thickness tester is a must-have pharmaceutical laboratory instrument. It is essential when you need to measure the thickness of tablets and capsules.
Thickness tester
6. Bloom Viscosity Tester
A bloom viscosity tester calculates viscosity and time. It uses a precise capillary photoelectric transducer.
It is essential in pharmaceutical testing because its results are highly reliable.
Bloom viscosity tester
7. Gelatin Strength System
In a laboratory, a gelatin strength system measures the gel strength of gelatin under specific conditions.
You need this equipment to make quality gelatin capsules.
Gelatin strength system
8. Laboratory Homogenizer
Homogenizers are machines that apply pressure on a substance through very fine openings.
These machines are indispensable in both research and industrial laboratories. Their purpose is to mix, blend, emulsify, disrupt, disperse or stir substances.
Laboratory homogenizer
9. Lab Mixers
In a pharmaceutical lab, mixers are indispensable for mixing, homogenizing, emulsifying, dissolving, and breaking up samples.
Depending on your needs and budget, you can buy one of two lab mixers: a dual-shaft mixer or a double planetary mixer.
Or you can have both!
A dual-shaft mixer comes with three-wing anchors.
These anchors help generate flow and remove batches of mixed materials from the mixer’s wall.
A double-planetary mixer, on the other hand, features finger-shaped blades. These convey the material into an orbiting dispenser at very high speeds.
Lab mixer
10. Tablet Four-Usage Tester
For controlling the quality of solid dosage forms, tablet four-use testers are essential laboratory equipment.
With this device, you can test four different properties: tablet dissolution, disintegration, friability, and hardness.
Tablet four usage tester
11. Fluorimeter
A fluorimeter measures fluorescence parameters in the visible spectrum. In particular, it examines how products’ emission spectrum is distributed by intensity and wavelength.
You will need this device to determine the molecular content in culture media.
Fluorimeter
12. Flame Photometer
With a flame photometer, you can easily determine the concentration of sodium and potassium in reagents. This device is especially useful when working with reagents such as sodium chloride (NaCl) and Ringer’s solution
It is also possible to measure metal ions with a flame photometer under certain conditions.
What a deal! Two for one, right?
Flame Photometer
13. Penetrometer
A couple of penetrometers in your lab are essential.
They help determine the density of pharmaceutical products such as petrolatum, creams, and ointments.
Penetrometer
14. Moisture Tester
In addition to penetrometers, moisture testers are also important.
You can use them to measure the moisture content of a wide range of materials.
Moisture testers, note, are vital for monitoring the quality of raw materials, tablets, capsules, and other finished products.
Moisture tester
15. Fluid Tensiometer
On your list of must-have pharmaceutical testing instruments, you should also have a fluid tensiometer.
This device measures the surface tension of a liquid and/or the interfacial tension between two liquids.
Remember that solids and liquids interact in a variety of processes.
So with a tensiometer, you can effectively determine how certain solids behave when they come into contact with liquids.
This meter is also useful in applications where solids and liquids must adhere.
Fluid tensiometer
16. Spectrometer
You should also invest in high-quality spectrometers.
These are analytical devices for testing samples
They test the material by passing light through the sample and measuring the intensity of the wavelengths
Different samples change light in very different ways
With spectrometry, you can gain more information about the test material by observing the change in light behavior as it passes through the sample.
Spectrometer
17. Refractometer
Refractometers are also an integral part of pharmaceutical laboratories
These meters are designed to measure the refractive index of a solution, gas, or solid
They play an important role in testing the sugar and salt content in various pharmaceutical solutions.
Refractometers
18. Melting Point Apparatus
Melting point apparatuses are basic instruments for pharmaceutical analysis.
They provide an accurate and precise method for determining the melting point of solid crystalline materials
In research, development, and quality control, the devices help identify solid crystalline materials and verify their purity.
Melting point apparatus
19. Lab Furnaces
Lab furnaces are an absolute must when setting up a pharmaceutical lab.
You’ll need them to melt and heat various pharmaceutical samples and materials.
However, keep in mind that pharmaceutical laboratory experiments are very sensitive.
So make sure the furnace you buy is suitable for pharmaceutical lab applications.
Look for furnaces that are easier to clean and sterilize. This will help prevent contamination.
Also, furnaces with advanced technology and more thorough insulation are ideal for labs. They tend to be more effective and user-friendly.
Lab furnace
20. Laboratory Filters
Filters used in laboratories do what their name implies: remove fine particles from samples. They primarily analyze the physical and performance properties of particulate samples.
Typically, laboratory filters consist of filter media and a holder.
They’re also divided into two types: Membrane filters and centrifugal filters.
Membrane filters are common in extensive laboratory experiments. Their purpose is to separate or filter suspended solids from gases and liquids.
Smaller laboratories use centrifugal filters to separate proteins or nucleic acids.
Lab filter
21. Thermal Cycler
If your lab deals with molecular biology, a thermal cycler, also known as a PCR machine or DNA amplifier, is essential
This machine provides a thermally controlled environment for processing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) samples.
Thermal cycler
22. Laboratory Incubator
In addition to a PCR machine, incubators are necessary if you work with cell and tissue cultures.
The main function of these devices is to develop microorganisms.
Typical lab incubators have transparent chambers with built-in temperature, ventilation, and humidity controls.
To develop pharmaceuticals, you will need these incubators to grow and manipulate microorganisms.
Laboratory incubator
23. Autoclave
Sterilization is critical in a nay pharmaceutical laboratory.
It helps to kill bacteria and ensure that pharmaceuticals are safe to use.
Autoclaves are generally designed to sterilize items with steam at a temperature of at least 121 degrees Celsius and high pressure.
The heat and pressure effectively kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
Lab autoclave
24. Centrifuge
Centrifuges play an important role in the separation of pharmaceutical liquids and particles.
These devices use centrifugal force, which generates hundreds to thousands of times the force of gravity
They’re powerful enough to separate dense solids from one or more liquids. They can also separate liquids.
Lab centrifuge
25. Karl Fischer Titration System
I bet you’ve heard of the Karl Fischer titration system.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t know it.
A Karl Fischer titration system is pretty much the heart of any automated moisture analysis system.
This pharmaceutical testing equipment effectively determines the amount of water in pharmaceutical substances.
You’ll need it if you do a lot of chemical analysis.
Karl Fischer titration system
Conclusion
This concludes our list of pharmaceutical instruments
There are, of course, other instruments that aren’t on this list but are just as important for any laboratory.
So if you want a complete list or want to know how best to equip your lab with the essentials, please get in touch with us.
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