Halogen Moisture Analyser
Quality Control in the Production of high- quality plastic parts
Moisture analyzer is a precision instrument used to measure the moisture content in a sample operating on the principle of either loss on drying (LOD) or moisture analysis by halogen heating. The instrument plays a pivotal role in ensuring product quality, optimising processes, and meeting regulatory requirements across diverse industries. Their ability to accurately measure moisture content makes them indispensable tools in laboratories, production facilities, and quality control departments.
MA 160 Moisture Analyzer
MA160- Fast and accurate analysis on the widest variety of product samples.
The MA 160 is the perfect choice if you have various samples no matter if you are in the laboratory or in production. It determines the moisture content of liquids, pastes and solids conveniently, reliably and in minimum time.
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High-speed measurements
Both the high-performance AURI heating unit and the sample chamber’s geometry ensure rapid heating and fast uniform drying of your sample with up to 30% quicker analysis time.
Fast & precise development of methods
The MA160‘s Method Development Assistant function solves the time-consuming problem of having to determine and evaluate the right parameters
Display of the measurement status
The light indicates the current status of measurement in progress: “running | START,“ “analysis completed | STOP,“ “analyzer OFF” or “error.“
Effortless cleaning
The BetterClean design lets you easily and thoroughly clean the instrument parts. Additionally, the heating unit and the sample chamber plate is removable for cleaning in a laboratory washer
User-friendly operation
The MA160‘s intuitive user interface, including a touch screen and easy-to-understand menu prompts for guidance, enable you to easily operate the analyzer – without having to study the manual first.
High memory capacity
MA160 features a high memory capacity, letting you store up to 100 different methods and efficiently manage them in a library
Reliable performance testing
A ReproEasy Pad in combination with the built-in performance test lets you check the functionality of the entire MA160 moisture analyzer within just 5 minutes. This test guarantees reliable results, saving you from going to the trouble of performing extensive temperature adjustments.
MA 100H - Moisture Analyzer
MA100 Infrared Moisture Analyzer is designed to deliver precise moisture measurement, integrating the accuracy of an analytical balance with user-friendly application software in one unit. Its halogen heater ensures efficient, consistent, and rapid drying of samples, making it an optimal choice for both routine and specialised analysis.
Samples with low moisture content (< 1%) and/or other special requirements in different industries like pharma, food and beverages, paper and textile industry, plastic processing and others.
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Features
- Time-saving and convenient alternative to a drying oven
- Ideally suited for ambitious measuring tasks in the fields of quality control or research
- Comprehensive range of options for flexible adaptation to various drying tasks
- Utmost safety due to self-calibrating system and full GMP suitability
- Ideally suited for samples with high moisture content due to quick control behaviour
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| Specifications | MA100H | MA160 |
|---|---|---|
| Max. Weighing Capacity | 100 G | 200 G |
| Repeatability, Typical | Starting at approx. 1 G: ±0.1% Starting at approx. 5 G: ±0.02% | For approx. >1 G: ±0.2% For approx. >5 G: ±0.05% |
| Readability | 1 Mg, 0.01% | 0.1 Mg, 0.001% | 1 Mg, 0.01% |
| Typical Sample Quantity | 5–15 G | 5–15 G |
| Reading Display | % Moisture Content (optionally with conversion factor) | % Dry Weight | RATIO Value | Mg Weight Loss | G Residue | G/Kg Residue | G/L Residue | Moisture Content in %M and G | Dry Weight in %S and G | ATRO (Ratio) in %M/S |
| Temperature Range & Settings | 30°C–180°C; stand-by selectable 30–100°C in increments of 1° | 40°C–200°C in increments of 1°C; standby selectable 50°C–120°C |
| Sample Heating | Infrared heating using a halogen round heater | Infrared radiation by an AURI heating unit, 600 W |
| Heating Programs | Standard, Quick, Gentle and Phase Drying | Standard Drying, Gentle Drying, MA 35 Mode |
| Shutoff Criteria | Optional: Fully Automatic | SPRM Mode | Semi-Automatic (1–50 Mg/5–300 Sec.) | Semi-Automatic (0.1–5.0%/5–300 Sec.) | Timer Setting (3+0.1–999 Min.) | Timer + Fully/Semi-Automatic | Manual | Choice of Modes: Fully Automatic | Semiautomatic Mg (1–50 Mg | 5–300 Sec.) | Semiautomatic % (0.1%–5.0% | 5–300 Sec.) | Timer Settings (02:00–99.59 Min.) | Manual |
| Access to Sample Chamber | Motorized Cover | Removable Hood with Wide Opening Angle; SoftClose Mechanism |
| Measuring Program | 30 Programs saved in non-volatile memory (freely selectable parameters) | — |
| Data Storage | Result statistics for the last 9999 measurements/program | Results are saved for the last 999 measurements |
| Measuring Program | 30 Programs saved in non-volatile memory (freely selectable parameters) | 30 Programs saved in non-volatile memory (freely selectable parameters) |
| Operator Guidance Features | Menu-driven, alphanumeric dialogue text (5 languages selectable) | Intuitive user interface including touch screen & easy-to-understand menu prompts; Bar graph for weighing in sample; Target attainment function; Display of curves |
| Parameter | Data Entry | Optimized text entry via softkeys | Numeric entry via keypad | Optional data entry via barcode scanner | Mini USB Port | Automatic detection of Sartorius printers YDP30 & YDP40 | Direct data transfer to Microsoft® Office without additional software | Programmable data output interval SBI data transfer protocol |
| Report Printout | Printout using optional internal printer YDP01MA | Configurable GLP-Report for measuring results | Calibration | Adjustment (5 languages selectable) | Printout using optional internal printer YDP30; alternatively YDP20-OCE with adapter (YCC03-D09) | GLP-compliant, inalterable standard or user-configurable printout | Paper-saving mode for short record |
FAQ's
❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Halogen Moisture Analyser (MA 160 & MA 100H)
What is a Halogen Moisture Analyser and what principle does it use?
A Halogen Moisture Analyser is a precision thermogravimetric instrument that determines moisture content using the Loss on Drying (LOD) principle — standardised under ASTM E1868 (Loss-on-Drying by Thermogravimetry) and ISO 15512 (Plastics — Determination of Water Content). A weighed sample is heated by a halogen lamp, moisture evaporates, and the integrated balance automatically calculates the moisture percentage in real time — delivering accurate results in 3–10 minutes without a separate oven, desiccator, or manual calculation.
What is the difference between the Sartorius MA 160 and MA 100 Moisture Analyser?
The MA 160 is built for speed and versatility — analysing liquids, pastes, and solids up to 30% faster using the AURI heating unit, ideal for high-throughput packaging production and QC labs. The MA 100 is built for the highest possible measuring accuracy, combining analytical balance precision with halogen heating — suited for QC, R&D, and demanding applications per ASTM E1868 and ISO 15512 where moisture content falls below 1% and measurement uncertainty directly impacts batch release decisions.
What ASTM and ISO standards apply to Halogen Moisture Analysers in packaging?
Verified, packaging-relevant standards include:
- ASTM E1868 — Loss-on-Drying by Thermogravimetry
- ASTM D6980 — Moisture in Plastics by Loss-in-Weight
- ISO 15512 — Plastics: Determination of Water Content
- ISO 638 — Paper and Board: Determination of Moisture Content
- ISO 287 — Paper and Board: Moisture Content by Oven-Drying Method
- USP <731> — Loss on Drying (pharmaceutical packaging standard)
- ICH Q1A(R2) — Stability Testing for Pharmaceutical Packaging Products
- ISO 17025 — General Requirements for Testing Laboratory Competence
Is the Sartorius MA 160 suitable for pharmaceutical packaging and GMP applications?
Yes. The MA 160 is optionally configurable for GMP compliance and supports regulated pharmaceutical packaging testing per USP <731> (Loss on Drying) and ICH Q1A(R2) stability guidelines. It features multi-level password-protected user management, automatic data storage with power-failure memory, USB data export, calibration records, and an optional micro-printer — providing a complete audit-ready documentation trail for regulated packaging manufacturing environments.
What is the Method Development Assistant on the MA 160 and how does it help?
The Method Development Assistant is a built-in guided software function that determines and validates the optimal drying temperature and duration for any new packaging material sample — without manual trial-and-error. Once validated, methods are stored in the instrument’s 100-method library for instant recall. This ensures every test follows a pre-validated protocol aligned with ASTM E1868 and ISO 15512 method requirements — reducing setup time and eliminating operator error across diverse packaging materials.
What heating options does the Sartorius MA 100 offer and when should each be used?
The MA 100 is available in two configurations — the MA 100H with a standard halogen lamp for fast, direct heating across general packaging moisture testing, and the MA 100Q with a CQR (Coiled Quartz Radiator) heater for high-temperature drying requirements. The CQR option is recommended for packaging materials requiring elevated drying temperatures beyond standard halogen capability — such as technical polymers and specialised laminates tested per ASTM D6980 or ISO 15512.
What is the BetterClean design on the MA 160 and why is it important?
The BetterClean design makes both the heating unit and sample chamber plate of the MA 160 fully removable and washable in a standard laboratory washer. This eliminates cross-contamination between different packaging material samples — critical in food, pharmaceutical, and chemical packaging environments where hygiene compliance is mandatory and result traceability per GMP and ISO 17025 laboratory competence requirements must be maintained at all times.
How does a Halogen Moisture Analyser compare to a conventional drying oven for packaging testing?
A conventional drying oven method per ISO 287 (paper and board) takes 2–4 hours per sample and requires a separate analytical balance, desiccator, manual weighing, and calculation. A Halogen Moisture Analyser per ASTM E1868 completes the same test in 3–10 minutes in a single integrated instrument — with automatic real-time moisture calculation, live drying curve display, stored validated methods, and traceable data output. For packaging production environments running multiple samples per shift, the halogen analyser eliminates the oven method bottleneck entirely.
Which packaging materials and industries use Halogen Moisture Analysers?
Halogen Moisture Analysers are used across:
- Flexible packaging films and laminates — moisture content per ASTM E1868 and ISO 15512
- Plastic resins and granules — pre-processing moisture per ASTM D6980 and ISO 15512
- Pharmaceutical packaging materials — raw material LOD per USP <731> and ICH Q1A(R2)
- Paper and corrugated board packaging — moisture per ISO 638 and ISO 287
- Food packaging materials — moisture in packaging films and substrates
- Technical nonwovens and barrier films — moisture regain determination per ISO 15512
How can I buy or get a demo of the Sartorius MA 160 or MA 100 in India?
Flexitest is the authorised Sartorius moisture analyser supplier across India with branches in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. They offer free installation, operator training, AMC support, live online troubleshooting, end-to-end logistics, and customised solutions for your specific packaging testing requirements and applicable standards. Contact sales@flexitest.in or call +91 93263 25135 / 022-4970 6073 for an instant quote, product brochure, or live demonstration.
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