Overview
Aber Instruments supplies advanced capacitance-based biomass measurement systems for biotech, brewing, and biorenewables industries. Their technology enables real-time, online monitoring of viable cell concentration and growth profiles in bioreactors and fermentation processes. The company's FUTURA range serves as the benchmark for live cell concentration measurement in biotech applications, while their Perfect Pitch system supports yeast management in brewing operations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Aber's core measurement technology?
- Aber uses dielectric capacitance measurement to monitor viable biomass in real-time. Cells with intact plasma membranes act as capacitors under an alternating electric field, allowing the sensor to measure capacitance in picofarads per centimeter (pF/cm) and convert this into live biomass readings (cells/ml or g/l). The technology also performs continuous conductivity measurements to indicate ion production or utilization during fermentation.
- Which industries does Aber serve?
- Aber serves three primary markets: biotech (bioreactor monitoring), brewing (yeast fermentation and pitching), and biorenewables. Their solutions are used globally across thousands of advanced systems for cell culture monitoring, process optimization, and quality control applications.
- What are the key benefits of Aber's biomass monitoring systems?
- Aber's systems provide automated, real-time, accurate cell concentration and growth profiles, enabling better process planning and scheduling. For breweries, their Perfect Pitch technology allows consistent yeast pitching, reduced fermentation variability, and the ability to track individual yeast lines and compute growth rates. The online, in-line measurement capability supports manufacturing-ready solutions that balance productivity, quality, and cost at scale.