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1.2 ÄKTA pure overview
Introduction
ÄKTA pure is intended for purification of bio-molecules, in particular proteins, for research purposes
by trained laboratory staff members in research laboratories.
This section gives an overview of the ÄKTA pure instrument and the UNICORN software. For detailed
information about UNICORN, see the UNICORN manuals listed in UNICORN user documentation, on
page 13. For detailed information about the instrument, see Chapter 2 The ÄKTA pure instrument, on
page 14.
Main features
The main features of ÄKTA pure are listed below.
• ÄKTA pure is a flexible system that allows the user to configure both hardware and software to
meet many purification needs.
• The instrument can be easily extended with additional valves, detectors and fraction collectors.
• There are a large number of different hardware modules to choose from. The user can adjust, for
example, the number of columns, inlets, outlets and detectors and choose between different ways
to apply and collect samples.
• Purification and maintenance methods are easily created using predefined methods and method
phases. A method phase refers to a specific step/part in the method, such as column wash or elution.
Method phases are described in Phase Properties and are displayed graphically in a method outline.
This makes methods and phases easy to understand and edit.
• ÄKTA pure is controlled by the UNICORN software: a complete package for control, supervision and
evaluation of chromatography instruments and purification runs.
• UNICORN has different software licence options, such as Design of Experiments (DoE) and Column
logbook, to further add user support.
UNICORN modules overview
UNICORN consists of four modules: Administration, Method Editor, System Control and Evaluation.
The main functions of each module are described in the following table.
Main functions Module
Perform user and system setup, system log and database adminis-
tration. Administration
10 ÄKTA pure User Manual 29119969 AB
1 Introduction
1.2 ÄKTA pure overview