Test in Tandem with dual-cell configuration for rapid, automation-ready FTIR oil condition monitoring of in-service lubricants
Why Tandem?
The two cells work together, swapping places across one fixed IR beam.
- One cell is measured while the other is cleaned
- Fixed pathlength, with no alignment needed
- Designed for autosampler integration
- Enable reference oil workflow
Oil analysis is the blood test for machinery. The Tandem cell helps keep that test fast and reliable.
Check the health of in-service lubricants consistently, so you know when oil is still fit for use and when it needs changing.
Spot early signs of wear and contamination in the oil, so maintenance can be planned before a failure happens.
Process high volumes of in-service oil samples with confidence.
The challenge
High sample volumes usually mean adding a second spectrometer.
How Tandem helps
Two cells share one FTIR, moving in tandem so measuring and cleaning happen at the same time.
The challenge
Connecting a flow cell to a spectrometer and autosampler can be challenging.
How Tandem helps
The cell is built for automated workflows. Autosampler integration available upon request.
The challenge
Labs need stable, accurate results that hold up to scrutiny.
How Tandem helps
A fixed pathlength and easy-clean design, made with ASTM methods in mind.
Scroll to step through each routine. The beam stays in one place while the stage slides the cells across it, so one cell can be measured while the other is filled or cleaned.
Cell 1 holds a reference oil for the whole run, while Cell 2 takes each test sample in turn. The reference can be loaded from the autosampler or by hand with a Luer syringe, in which case the autosampler only needs to feed Cell 2.
The reference goes into Cell 1, either from the autosampler or manually with a Luer syringe. The autosampler injects the first test sample into Cell 2.
Cell 1 sits on the beam path, so the IR beam measures the reference.
Both cells shift left together, which leaves Cell 2 centred on the beam path.
The IR beam measures test sample 1 in Cell 2.
Cleaning solvent flushes test sample 1 out to waste, three times. The solvent can enter through the top port or back through the sample inlet, so the sample line is cleaned as well.
The autosampler injects test sample 2 into Cell 2.
Both cells shift right together, so Cell 1 is back on the beam path.
The reference is measured again before the new sample, so each sample has a fresh reference reading to compare against.
Both cells shift left together, which leaves Cell 2 centred on the beam path.
The IR beam measures test sample 2 in Cell 2.
States 5 to 10 repeat for every new sample. If a reference check before each sample is not needed, States 4 to 6 can repeat on their own.
Both cells take test samples. While one cell is measured, the other is cleaned and made ready.
The autosampler injects sample 1 into Cell 1. At the same time, cleaning solvent flushes the previous sample out of Cell 2, entering through the top port or back through the sample inlet.
The IR beam measures sample 1. Cell 2 keeps flushing with cleaning solvent, with three repeats in total.
Both cells shift left together, which leaves Cell 2 centred on the beam path.
The autosampler injects sample 2 into Cell 2. At the same time, cleaning solvent flushes sample 1 out of Cell 1, entering through the top port or back through the sample inlet.
The IR beam measures sample 2. Cell 1 keeps flushing with cleaning solvent, with three repeats in total.
Both cells shift right together, so Cell 1 is centred on the beam path again.
States 1 to 6 repeat until every sample is measured.
We’re launching the Tandem cell soon. Register now to hear about it first, or ask us about integrating it into your system.
It’s a dual-cell IR flow-through transmission accessory. It’s designed for FTIR oil condition monitoring in automated workflows.
The two cells work in tandem. One cell is measured while the other is cleaned and refilled, and then they swap automatically.
No. The Tandem cell is designed to give high-throughput sampling on a single FTIR spectrometer.
It’s designed for integration with FTIR spectrometers and autosamplers. Tell us about your setup and we’ll help you plan the integration.
We’re launching soon in Q4 2026. Register your interest and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s available.
