Colony counter
Helps the analyst count colonies on agar plates and membranes accurately, either by a lit magnifier with a counting pen (manual) or by a camera and image analysis software (automated).
- Pharmaceutical
- Biotech
- Food & beverage
- Water testing
- Cosmetics
- Research laboratories
Colony counter calibration procedures
Colony counter has no instrument calibration of its own in most labs. Its performance is controlled through qualification (below) and the system suitability or acceptance checks of each test that uses it.
Instrument qualification (DQ · IQ · OQ · PQ)
- 01
DQ — Design qualification
Defines manual or automated type, plate sizes, lighting, image storage and data integrity needs.
- 02
IQ — Installation qualification
Confirms the unit, software version, computer and network connections and user accounts are installed as specified.
- 03
OQ — Operational qualification
Checks lighting, magnification, counter function and, for automated systems, counting accuracy with reference plates or images, audit trail and security.
- 04
PQ — Performance qualification
Compares automated counts with manual counts by trained analysts on real plates across the countable range, showing agreement within the criterion set in the protocol.
Keep every Colony counter in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.