Eliminates the need for serial dilutions

 Requires minimal set up time

 Reduces cost per test

 Standardises counting methods.

Spiral platers are used extensively in the food industry to test for safe levels of bacteria - non-food applications include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, water and mouth and skin bacteria. The benefits of spiral plating compared to conventional methods include minimal set up time, the elimination of serial dilutions, up to 69% labour saving, a reduction in consumable costs and laboratory waste with up to a two thirds reduction in incubator space requirements.

With the user very much in mind, careful attention has been paid to all aspects of the design to ensure the product is easy to use. Developed in response to the changing needs of our customers, the WASP represents a radical new approach to plater design, introducing automation, repeatability and flexibility into spiral plating.

At the heart of the WASP is a microprocessor controlling all aspects of the deposition of liquid sample onto the surface of a rotating agar plate. Differences in agar height are accommodated by the unique stylus geometry. The stylus arm dispenses liquid samples in an Archimedes spiral, either uniformly across the plate, or as a continuous decreasing volume (equivalent to a thousand-fold dilution). 
 

Pre-programmed options allow liquid sample to be dispensed in a variety of ways, utilising up to 200ml of sample. One impressive feature of the WASP system is the ability to load sample, inoculate a plate and then clean the stylus with a single keystroke. WASP has an automatic cleaning cycle. This uses sanitising solution from an integral reservoir and sterile water contained in autoclavable vessels. Automation of the cleaning cycle gives the operator time to remove the inoculated plate and prepare for the next sample, thus streamlining the process. User-selectable parameters can be chosen and locked, ensuring that the correct settings are always used. All controls are accessed via a full colour, purpose-designed membrane keypad.

To use the WASP successfully, a Whitley Vacuum Source is essential for drawing up the sample from source into the spiral plater.

 WASP is a registered trademark of Don Whitley Scientific Limited