Colony Counters | Manual & Automated Colony Counters

Bacterial Colony Counters in Microbiology

Using a colony counter is an integral part of any microbiology lab workflow. It is considered a very tedious, repetitive activity that requires know-how and must be completed by a well-trained lab technician. Manual recording of results requires retyping them into a lab LIM system, which contributes to errors and non-conformity. An automated colony counter, as opposed to a manual colony counter, reduces counting time from minutes to seconds, eliminates recording errors, and standardizes counting across different users.

We assist many microbiology laboratories with this tedious yet essential task, by offering the widest range of automatic colony counter products – from basic manual to semi-automated to a fully automated robotic colony counter. You can learn more about and find additional information about counting manually vs using a colony counter that is automated here.

Introducing the SphereFlash® Automated Colony Counter

The SphereFlash® – automated colony counter grows and adapts with your specific requirements. Our device can be upgraded using different software tiers, based on the level of automation, security and features required within the microbiology lab. With numerous SphereFlash® colony counter units installed in a variety of microbiology laboratories in industries such as Environmental, Food Science, Pharma, Biotech, and Academia, the IUL SphereFlash® automatic colony counter utilizes cutting edge technology lighting conditions and intelligent software which make the day-to-day work extremely user-friendly.

Advantages of Automated Colony Counting Systems

Our automated colony counter systems are upgradable as they grow and adapt to the specifications and needs of your microbiology laboratory. They will allow you to achieve:

Unprecedented uniformity
Accurate repeatable count results within minutes
Printable reports and plate images
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) interface
Advanced user management and audit trail (as they are CFR Part 11 compatible)
Results management and protocol customization.

Choosing Between Manual and Automated Colony Counters

With numerous manual or automatic colony counter units installed in a variety of microbiology and research laboratories within industries such as Environmental, Food, Pharma and Biotech, they have become a standard in bacterial colony counting. While manual units account for the majority of colony counters in use, that is rapidly changing as the accuracy of the automated units (as well as the numerous upgrades over manual counting it offers), is the primary reason to upgrade your colony counting equipment.

Maintenance, Calibration, and Support Services

Our in-house team of specialists and highly trained engineers will take care of servicing, maintaining, and calibrating the equipment for you. Let us know if you need any assistance!

What solution is best for my application?

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Frequently Asked Questions About Manual and Automated Colony Counters

What format does the SphereFlash colony counter use to save the results?

The SphereFlash colony counter software can save data in a Microsoft Excel friendly format – CSV and XML. Each result table is stored separately and can be named and cataloged by the user and get printed or saved in the chosen directory.

What is the smallest colony size the SphereFlash automated colony counter device can detect?

The SphereFlash Automated colony counter high resolution camera (USB 3.0 DIGITAL) can detect colonies as small as 0.07mm.

Can I count spiral plates with the SphereFlash automated colony counter device?

Yes, first the spiral plate program is been chosen from a pre-set table that is already stored on the SphereFlash Automated colony counter (i.e. D49, E50) then Colonies in the outer “rings” of the spiral are counted. If the result is less than the minimum count needed (usually 25), the next “ring” will get counted as well. This process of counting “rings” towards the centre is continued until the minimum count is exceeded. Then the SphereFlash will calculate according to the given dilution factor and the spiral mode, the final result.

Can I customize the result table of the SphereFlash colony counter?

Customization of the result table is available in the SphereFlash Automated colony counter software ; a comment can be entered and displayed with the results, all the different parameters can be displayed and the storing location can be selected.

Can automated SphereFlash equipment count everything on the plate?

The automated colony counter SphereFlash can effectively count anything seen by the naked eye. Colonies that have a non spheric shape, such as fungal colonies may require manual adjustments.

Can the SphereFlash colony counter be connected to the lab LIMS system?

The SphereFlash automated colony counter saves the result file in the folder designated by the administrator. The file (CSV or XML) can be eassily picked by any LIMs system and the results can be incorporated into the apporpiate fields.

Can I use SphereFlash units for zone sizing?

The SphereFlash can work for measuring haloes of antibiotic inhibition zone. This friendly additional piece of software called "Haloes PRO Software" can be purchased with the basic SphereFlash software and hardware version and detect up to 6 zones per plate and calculate its diameters. The user role is to point the position of the Zone number 1 and from there, the SphereFlash will measure and record the diameter of inhibition.

How long does it take to count the number of colonies on a plate with the SphereFlash?

Our automated Sphere Flash colony counter takes approximately 5 seconds to count per plate. This includes opening the plate and moving a plate in and out of the unit

What type of computer do I need to connect to the SphereFlash colony counter and can it be connected to a network? (Can I use my own computer?)

The Sphere Flash software can be installed on most common PC's or laptop with some minimum requirments such as one USB 3.0 port. Using an external pc can able you to connect the system to a network and saving you money by using your own existing computer (if you chose to) that could be updated whenever the need arise or as technology progressed. Having a built-in computer was found to be a very limiting step that we eliminate by keeping the computer purchasing option for the user. We do offer Laptops with the software installed already as an option which will assure you a piece of mind. We do not recomend to use the laptop for multiple application at the same time as their could be conflicts between the software and drivers.

Is the SphereFlash colony counter software CFR 21 Part 11 compliant?

SphereFlash® Colonies Pro Software designed for more demanding users who require increased capabilities such as, setting user's permission levels, LIMs connectivity, working with worksheets, Barcode reading, Reporting, audit trail and CFR21Part 11 compliance.

How do you calibrate or verify the SphereFlash colony counter?

Verification disks with known number of colonies are supplied with the SphereFlash automated colony counter - with a simple and quick calibration protocol that one would follow.

Where can I learn more about the SphereFlash units?

With the patented design of the SphereFlash colony counter, there is no interference from ambient light. The sphere comes down around the sample plate ensuring the best lighting conditions for optimized reading of plates. this mechanism is currently patent pending.

Can I get IQ, OQ and PQ documents and service for the SphereFlash models?

We offer IQ and OQ documentation that can be self performed by the user or upon request, Neutec service engineer can come on-site and perform the IQ/OQ procedure for you. PQ is usually written and performed by the lab personal.

Do you offer a service plan for the SphereFlash colony counter

Neutec Group stands behind all the instrument we offer and suggest a periodic preventative maintanance for each unit based on the usage and the lab requirments. Please consult with our service team who will be happy to offer you the program that fits your lab needs. We also offer service agreements and extended warranties. please inquire.

Do you offer a rental program for the SphereFlash units? How can we view the unit before we make our purchasing decision?

We are happy to offer a remote one on one webinar session to show you the features and benefits of the SphereFlash. Some labs choose to send us their plates and we can image and display the results during the demonstration. Upon request we offer a paid evaluation (usually minimum if two weeks) where we would send the SphereFlash unit and work with the lab (on-site or remotly) to train and assist during setup.