Amersham Biosciences Fraction Collector AKTA Frac950

The Amersham Biosciences (now Cytiva/GE Healthcare) Frac-950 is an automated fraction collector designed for use with advanced liquid chromatography systems, specifically the ÄKTA purification platforms. Although "Amersham" reflects its legacy branding, this unit remains a workhorse in many protein purification laboratories due to its flexibility and integration with UNICORN control software. The device is engineered to collect fractions based on fixed time intervals, specific volumes, or peak detection (using the UV signal from the chromatography system), ensuring that target proteins are isolated efficiently while minimizing the volume of background buffer collected.

A standout feature of the Frac-950 is its advanced drop synchronization and accumulator technology. In standard fraction collectors, liquid can spill or drip between tubes during the changeover, leading to sample loss or cross-contamination. The Frac-950 eliminates this risk by monitoring the drop formation and coordinating the tube change to occur strictly between drops. For higher flow rates where drops form too quickly, the unit engages a momentary accumulator functionality to hold the liquid stream briefly while the dispensing arm moves to the next vessel, ensuring zero spillage and high recovery of valuable samples.

The system relies on a modular Rack recognition system that allows it to accommodate a wide variety of vessel formats, from standard 1.5 mL microtubes and 15/50 mL conical tubes to 96-well deep-well plates. The instrument automatically identifies the type of rack inserted (e.g., Rack A, Rack B) via magnetic sensors, preventing user errors where the dispensing arm might miss the tubes. This versatility makes it suitable for everything from initial capture steps involving large volumes to final polishing steps requiring high-resolution fractionation into microplates.

Used. Beautiful machine. Tested and working as seen in the photos. Includes 60 day warranty. See video here!