This moisture analyzer is widely used in food research facilities. Typically, moisture deteriorates foods
and having a better understanding of the moisture content is critical for quality control purposes. Additional applications
would be to determine the amount of moisture in seafood such as scallops, ensuring that customers are
paying for scallops that are not saturated in water. USDC inspectors sometimes inspect scallops
and require you to classify if less than 80% as "dry", 80% to 84% as water was added to scallop product, or
greater than 84% cannot be marketed.
MA35-FDA Moisture Balance has all the features of the Sartorius
MA35 Moisture Balance except the glass window in the hood of the moisture
balance has been replaced with aluminum blanks. Most people purchase the
standard MA35 with the glass window since it allows them to watch the drying process
but glass is not allowed on the production floor of most food plants. This
MA35-FDA version meets the strict guidelines of the FDA and HACCP in the cases
where glass is prohibited.
People call us constantly asking us what is the best moisture balance for their
applications with so many models on the market - "I don't know what
to choose, please HELP". These same people also find most companies
selling moisture balances whether a catalog company, industrial supply firm, or
"supposed online scale company' know nothing about the product.
We really feel this is an injustice since if a company doesn't know what they
are selling then they shouldn't be selling the product to begin with, but this
is something we can't control. Manufacturers all want their product advertised
online and now moisture balances are becoming a commodity sold on price when in
reality they are specialized piece of equipment.
Precision Weighing Balances our only business is balances and we like to promote
and tout the best product. In our opinion, if the product works for your
moisture determination application and is priced right we'll get return business
and customer referrals.
For most applications the Sartorius MA35 moisture balance is the best moisture
analyzer when considering all the factors. The only exception that comes
to mind would be for plastic applications or other substances where the moisture
content is less than 1%. For moisture content less than 1% we would recommend
the Sartorius
MA100C since it offers much greater readability. PET plastic pellet measurement
typically have very low percent moisture less than 0.300% moisture and the MA35
moisture balance can't reliably determine moisture content this low.
Determining moisture in: powders used in some manufacturing process; the food
industry for ingredients like flour, powdered milk, corn meal; ingredients for
ice cream; the wastewater industry for percent solids in primary and secondary
sludge then the MA35 moisture balance is a great choice.
The Sartorius MA35 moisture analyzer was just introduced to the market in 2006
and uses the latest weighing technology - the patented
Double Lever System, or DLS, for short and is a magnetic force restoration
weigh cell. The exclusive weigh sensor is only found in Sartorius balances
and offers superior accuracy and repeatable weighing records with practically
zero hystersis.
Sartorius is a global leader in weighing instrumentation and has been building
balances since 1871. You name the brand whether it is A&D
Weighing, Ohaus, Mettler-Toledo
and the numerous other smaller companies and none compare to the expertise in
building balances over a longer period of time. You may pay a little more
for Sartorius but you are paying for their expertise and a product that works!
The MA35 is Sartorius' replacement to the ever popular MA30. We don't have
the numbers but probably the MA30 is the most commonly used moisture balance in
the world for units sold. Sartorius discontinued the MA30 in 2003 and Sartorius
was hoping customers would purchase the MA45
as the replacement moisture analyzer, but customer feedback changed this marketing
strategy.
The MA45 moisture analyzer uses a ceramic heating element and one could consider
the heating source similar to the sun where it is hottest in the center and cooler
as you move outward from the center. Although the MA45 offered a mode to
simulate the MA30 customers found they had to set the temperature 10 to 20 degrees
higher to get corresponding results the MA30 produced for percent moisture on
their samples.
The difference with the MA30 and the new MA35 is the heating element over all
the other moisture balances on the market today is metal tubular and this provides
more of an oven effect providing intense heat throughout the complete heating
chamber thus allowing better drying to all sides of the sample (top, bottom and
sides). The MA45 with the ceramic basically dries the sample on the top
and more heat is applied to the center than the outer edges.
The ceramic element is still better than the halogen heating element found on
most moisture balances since ceramic offers a more gradual and even ramp up temperature
in the heating chamber. On the other hand halogen offer fast ramp up temperature,
but it is more prone to burning and degrading your sample thus provide inconsistent
and false moisture content results.
Although the metal tubular design isn't the fastest design for drying to run the
percent moisture test since metal tubular takes longer to heat up over ceramic
and halogen we feel it is the best method to determine moisture. Many people
call and ask "how fast can I determine the moisture" when really they
should be asking "how consistent and accurate are the results with this moisture
analyzer over the competitor's moisture analyzer and our answer is always buy
the Sartorius MA35 moisture balance.
Halogen is the cheapest heating element to manufacturer and the halogen bulbs
burn out. On many models you have to send the moisture balance to the manufacturer
for a costly replacement. The ceramic and metal tubular never really burn
out or at least we have never had a customer call saying they needed to replace
the Sartorius MA35 or MA45 heating element. Since halogen cost less these
moisture analyzers are typically less than the Sartorius, but in the long run
for downtime and repair cost to replace the heating element the Sartorius will
cost you less to operate.
Also halogen consistently overshoots the temperature. If you set the temperature
to 110°C the heat on the sample might spike to 120°C or 130°C and
then stabilize back to the actual setting of 110°C. These over shots
and excessive temperature on your sample may result in burning of organics and
incorrect moisture results.
The metal tubular might take 120 seconds to heat to 110°C but it really is
110°C ± 1°C. So sure halogen might go to 110°C in 30
seconds but what good is it if your sample is degraded in the process.
See additional images and more information & available accessories on the
Sartorius
MA35 HERE.
Many people call us looking for the absolute best value Precision Weighing Balances can offer in a moisture balance for simply moisture determination applications like sludge wastewater applications and the answer again and again is the A&D ML-50. When price is the #1 factor and you want a quality moisture determination instrument to 1% moisture content determination then you should review the ML50 moisture balance HERE.
Choice
of temperature settings from 104° F to 320° F.
High-contrast
black on white display for easy viewing in any environment.
Icon-driven
user interface.
Reduction
of seldom-used programming options.
Elimination
of Program selection menu.
Fast and reliable moisture analysis
Dark Metal Weighing Element
Choice of modes for end point determination
Available in glass-free version for food production areas
All information is available at a single glance, Icon-Driven interface reducing risk of operating errors, program selection menu eliminated.
Moisture
Analysis in Minutes Not Hours.
MA35 Moisture Analyzer sets a new benchmark in compact moisture
analysis at a budget price. Designed as an entry level
unit for customers demanding a robust unit at a low price.
Sartorius MA35 moisture balance offers a maximum weighing
capacity of 35g with 1mg or 0.01% resolution. Ideal
for quality control applications, the MA35 moisture analyzer
produces GLP compliant printouts and can easily be connected
to a PC for data collection.
The compact, space saving design is complemented by an easy to read backlit
display and a manual flip up cover which opens wide for easy
access to the chamber. Performance functions and operating
concept are geared toward a daily routine process such as
repetitive QC monitoring of samples, as performed during in-process
control and incoming goods inspection.
Made even more user-friendly by removing seldom used programming
options without compromising flexibility or measurement accuracy.
Sartorius MA35 conforms to FDA requirements when optional
metal panels are in place of glass window panels. If
you're working in the food processing industry the FDA/ HACCP
regulations do not want instrumentation with glass in the
production area for food, since if glass breaks it would create
a hazard and could fall into the food.
Typical applications for this moisture analyzer include regular
random sampling and incoming inspection in the food and beverage,
chemical, pharmaceutical, and building materials industries
as well as in environmental monitoring. You name
it, the MA35 will analyze it - wherever you need to obtain
fast and reliable moisture analysis results.
We always recommend people purchase moisture
pans that are oil free Aluminum and provide even
temperature across the pan. If you ever need
additional weighing
pans we sell them in bulk, 500 pans to a case.
Some people believe that they can reuse the pans but
this is never recommended. Although you might
clean off the pan the stains leave material from your
last test or even moisture when you attempted to clean
the pan. Others believe they can use a piece
of aluminum foil paper but this isn't always smooth
and creates crinkles and thus uneven drying.
Always, always, always use a new moisture pan for
each test.
Glass
fiber pads distribute the heat better, prevents
skinning over (this is when bubbles form).
The fiber pads are binder-free borosilicate glass
fiber and therefore contain no binders (no foreign
materials) or inert.
Slurry samples or when test times are long the sample
skins over, bubbles up or splatters when the moisture
testing is running, we recommend using filter pads
with the moisture pans.
For testing liquids the pads are a must. Place
the moisture pan and pad on the moisture balance,
adjust the setting time to zero so the Sartorius MA35
moisture scale is in auto mode and run the test
with no sample on the pad. Many times the fiber
pads can hold up to 2% moisture and this preps the
pan and fiber pad to be moisture free and only takes
typically 1 minute with the MA35 moisture analyzer.
Now with the dry filter pads if you are working with
a liquidity substance 70% water or more place the
sample with an eye dropper, syringe or pipette is
a spiral pattern and then cover with the filter pad.
For slurries and anything with bumps and chucks like
corn slurry we recommend using two pads making like
a sandwich (bottom pad - test sample - top pad).
Place the pan on the moisture balance and then place
one pad on your table and then using a syringe or
spoon apply the sample to the pad in a spiral pattern
and now cover with a second pad. Slightly squish
the sandwich you just made to break up any chucks
and the filter pads will absorb the moisture.
Now place the two pads with your sample sandwiched
in-between and run your test. You'll find more
consistent and repeatable rest using the two pads.
Sartorius
MA35 moisture analyzer with glass panels shown above and image to the right
shows Sartorius MA35 with metal panels.
Conforms to
FDA requirements with metal panels in place of glass window panels.
Unit with metal panels meets FDA/ HACCP regulations (no glass allowed in
production)
Warning
- Moisture balancesshould not be used on any volatile organic sample with flash points.
Even a MSDS rating of 1. Samples with low flask points like Acetaldehyde
-38°C or MEK -4°C should not be used with the Sartorius MA35 Moisture
Scale and maybe you should look at Karl Fisher as an alternative.
Although you might presently perform analysis with an oven on these samples
the ovens typically have ventilation and a much larger cavity than the
typical moisture balance that operates on the principles of TGA.
In addition, with most moisture balances there is no ventilation so all
the fumes remain inside the hood of the moisture balance. We
strongly recommend you consult with a safety specialist always prior to
using any moisture balances for your safety.
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