IR SPHINX ATR

  • Overview
  • Software
  • Technical Details
  • Application
  • Download

IR Sphinx ATR Product Family

IR Sphinx ATR product range uses the concept of Attenuated Total Reflection to record an infrared spectrum of a sample. The products are available in the wavelength range from 2.5–5.0 µm or of 5.5–11.0 µm. The spectral resolution varies between 18cm-1 and 36cm-1. All spectrometers include our proprietary software SphinxSuite which runs on all commonly used operating systems. The products are battery operated without having any moving parts and are designed to be truly portable. The IR Sphinx ATR spectrometer are available in three different configurations namely IR Sphinx Lab, IR Sphinx Industrial or IR Sphinx Portable.

All configurations can also be adapted for the following applications:

Continuous monitoring:

  • The ATR interface is modified with a special flow through cell to enable continuous monitoring

Constant pressure:

  • The ATR spectrometer are modified with a dedicated sample clamping mechanism that ensures that the pressure with which the sample is pressed onto the ATR crystal remains constant

SphinxSuite Software

 

The IR SphinxSuite software package is compatible with MS Windows PCs and tablets (XP / Win7 /Win8 / Win10). The software is intuitively structured, consisting of modular building blocks that allow each individual user to quickly configure and customize the software’s GUI for different applications and different skill levels of the user.

The user can currently choose from the following software modules:

Basis Software Version

  • Enables the most basic control of the spectrometer
  • Capturing and saving spectra in csv or TDMS file format
  • Exporting of saved spectra
  • Allows the user to add-on additional software modules 

Automation - Creating automated measurement sequences

  • Enables the user to define automated test / measurement routines in applications where continuous monitoring is desired 
  • Provides the option to add and control additional peripheral control hardware to the spectrometer (optional hardware interfaces available)
  • External trigger can be used to start / stop measurements 
  • Autostart function: Starts a specific measurement sequence as soon as the spectrometer starts up (with AutoReconnect over Ethernet)

Chemometrics - Create custom chemometric models

  • Data pre-processing of spectra (smoothing, derivatives, absorption, etc.)
  • Create and optimize classification models (ANN) based on your data
  • Classification and visualization of measured spectra, including calculation of the classification accuracy (offline)
  • Create and optimize quantification models (PLS) based on your data
  • Quantification and visualization of measured spectra including calculating the quantificationaccuracy (offline)
  • Creating Similarity Index models (SIX) based on your data
  • Quantification and visualization of measured spectra including calculation of Similarity Index (offline)
  • Configure and create measurement reports in PDF format (offline)

Predictive - Interpretation chemometric models

  • Analysis of samples measured online based on pre-established chemometric models (ANN, SIX, PLS)
  • Extracting the relevant parameters from the data and displaying the parameters in a simple format
  • Automatic report generation (pdf reportupon completion of the analysis of a given data set
  • “Express mode” provides a simple GUI for untrained users 
  • Automatic creation of a database for trend analytics of periodically sampled measurement points

Stand Alone - Module 

  • Configuration of the spectrometer to be used without a PC
  • Allows the user to define the number of average per measurement and the time delay betweenindividual measurements

Optiontional - Modulation frequency module

 

All software modules are continuously maintained and new functionality is added to improve the user experience. The latest release of the IR SphinxSuite software package is made available as an update to existing customers.

Technical Specifications

  

Numerous Applications

Spectrolytic’s sensor platform analyses samples based on their mid-infrared (2–12 µm) absorption properties. We are working closely with our customers and the list of applications is expanding and the links on the page are continuously updated with new and exciting applications.

Oil Condition Monitoring

Lubrication is used everywhere in the modern world to reduce friction between moving parts. Frictions in many cases is undesired as it simply creates heat and reduces efficiency. One of the major lubricants used in today’s world is oil which come in different formats such as mineral oils, vegetable oils or synthetic oils.

The key focus of oil condition monitoring is on heavy/expensive equipment where the cost of failure can be significant, either due to replacement cost of an engine or due to loss of earnings in the period of downtime.

Lubricants for such demanding applications are optimised to take into account the specific working condition of the machinery such as operating temperature, load and speed. The understanding of the condition and the performance of the lubricant in a machine is therefore of vital importance to reduce unscheduled down-time and to improve efficiencies.

Key application areas where our equipment is used to monitor the condition of the oil are listed below and please follow the link (oil condition monitoring) to learn more about the topic and to find detailed application notes for specific applications.

Oil Condition Monitoring

  • Engine oils
  • Gearbox oils
  • Hydraulic oils
  • Grease

Fuel analysis

Time is money and fuel is the stuff that helps us moving from A to B as fast as possible. People as well as organisation rely on fuel as a power source that is used to operate heavy machinery or to ferry people around in planes, ships or cars. Any downtime due to contaminated fuels can be very costly.

Environmental aspects are also becoming increasingly important as governments are tightening the emission regulations of any engine driven vehicle related to CO2, NOx etc. It is therefore important that the correct fuels are used and that reliable controls along the fuel supply chain are in place.

Our portable fuel analyser enables our customers to carry detailed scientific analysis in the field anywhere and at any time. The results are available within minutes and provide clear indication about the quality of fuel.

The key focal areas of fuel analysis are listed below and please follow the link (Fuel analysis) to learn more about the topic and to find detailed application notes for specific issues.

Fuel analysis

  • Biofuels
  • Oil & Fuel mixtures
  • Fuel contamination

Agricultural Applications

Precision farming is a management strategy which identifies, analyses and manages within field variability for increased profit and reduced environmental impact. Preparing the soil by adding manure and using sophisticated spraying tools for fertilisation are all part of improving the efficiency of farming. All produce, fertilisers and chemicals are organic by nature and therefore our portable mid-infrared spectrometers are very powerful tools for the farmer to get relevant information in real time.

Our technology also provides valuable information along the supply chain of the relevant products to ensure that the final product arrives at the customer at the same quality as it left the fields / processing plants.

Together with our customers we are actively working in the applications listed below but we are always looking out for new applications. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

Agricultural Application

  • Manure analysis

Food Quality

Consumers are becoming more demanding and knowledgeable and it is therefore important to ensure excellent quality control along the supply chain. Detailed analytical checks of the foods during the different stages are often difficult as no relevant test equipment is available or laboratories are either too far away or the turn-around time for samples is too long.

With our products we are providing a cost effective solution to the food industry to carry out relevant analytical tests on foods in real time and at any place. Our products provide a lab in a box without the need for any additional chemicals or consumable.

We are working together with our customers on the applications listed below and please follow the link (Food Quality) to learn more about the topics and to find detailed application notes for selected specific applications.

Please do get in touch if you want to discuss your specific needs and we will strive to find an efficient solution together with you.

Food Quality

  • Milk analysis
  • Olive oils
  • Wine analysis
  • Herbs/Spices

Healthcare

We are currently working together with a number of hospitals and health trusts around the world to investigate the suitability of our products for medical applications. The analysis of body tissue and/or body fluids via mid-infrared spectroscopy is fast, cost effective and can contribute significantly to a quick diagnosis at the point of care or in a clinical environment.

Healthcare

  • COPD
  • Cancer