Precisa EM 120-HR Moisture Analyzer – Swiss-Made High-Precision Moisture Analysis with 0.1 mg Readability and Heating up to 230 °C

Advanced Thermogravimetric Moisture Determination for Research Laboratories and Industrial Quality Control

The Precisa EM 120-HR moisture analyzer, part of the Swiss-manufactured Series 365, represents a sophisticated solution for professional thermogravimetric moisture determination.

Combining high-resolution weighing technology, advanced drying method management and comprehensive measurement documentation, the EM 120-HR is designed for laboratories and industrial environments where precise mass measurement and controlled analytical procedures are essential.

With a maximum weighing capacity of 124 g, selectable readability of 0.1 mg or 1 mg and drying temperatures up to 230 °C, this professional moisture analyzer provides the flexibility required for a wide variety of materials and analytical applications.

Particularly noteworthy are its automatic internal Self Calibration System (SCS), memory for up to 100 drying methods, graphical monitoring of the drying process and availability with three alternative heating technologies.

Depending on the selected configuration, the EM 120-HR can be equipped with halogen, infrared or dark radiator heating.

These characteristics make the Precisa EM 120-HR more than a conventional moisture balance. It is a versatile analytical instrument for laboratories seeking reliable measurement procedures, flexible method development and professional data management.

Key Features of the Precisa EM 120-HR

• Swiss Made precision weighing technology

• Maximum weighing capacity of 124 g

• Selectable weighing readability of 0.1 mg or 1 mg

• Moisture display resolution of 0.001% or 0.01%

• Drying temperature range from 30 °C to 230 °C

• Temperature adjustment in 1 °C increments

• Choice of halogen, infrared or dark radiator heating

• Automatic internal Self Calibration System (SCS)

• Storage for up to 100 drying methods

• Graphical display with customizable presentation

• Real-time visualization of drying progress

• Adjustable switch-off criteria

• Standard, Boost and Gentle heating modes

• Numerical and statistical evaluation functions

• USB and RS-232 interfaces as standard

• Optional communication modules

• Functions supporting GLP/GMP-oriented documentation

• Compact design for professional laboratory workplaces

Precisa EM 120-HR – Technical Specifications

The availability of individual heating technologies and communication modules depends on the selected instrument configuration.

Swiss Precision Engineering by Precisa Gravimetrics

Swiss-Made Weighing Technology for Demanding Applications

Precisa Gravimetrics is a Swiss manufacturer specializing in professional weighing and gravimetric measurement instruments.

Its portfolio includes laboratory balances, moisture analyzers and analytical weighing systems for scientific and industrial applications.

The EM 120-HR combines three important performance characteristics.

Precision: High-resolution measurement of sample mass throughout the drying process.

Flexibility: Extensive configuration options for different materials and analytical methods.

Process control: Graphical monitoring, stored drying methods and documented measurement results.

Together, these characteristics make the EM 120-HR particularly attractive for laboratories that need to perform numerous different moisture determination procedures using a single instrument.

0.1 mg Readability – High-Resolution Moisture Determination

Detecting Small Changes in Sample Mass

The Precisa EM 120-HR offers a maximum weighing capacity of 124 g.

Its weighing readability can be switched between two levels:

• 0.0001 g – equivalent to 0.1 mg

• 0.001 g – equivalent to 1 mg

The corresponding moisture display resolutions are 0.001% and 0.01%.

This allows the instrument to be configured for high-resolution measurements as well as less demanding routine applications.

High weighing resolution is particularly valuable when a sample exhibits relatively small mass changes during drying.

Potential applications include suitable plastics, chemical raw materials and technical materials.

However, readability describes the smallest displayed mass increment and should not be confused with the overall accuracy of moisture determination.

Measurement quality also depends on sample preparation, sample quantity, drying parameters, environmental conditions and method repeatability.

Automatic Internal Self Calibration System (SCS)

Integrated Adjustment for Professional Laboratory Environments

A major distinguishing feature of the Precisa EM 120-HR is its integrated Self Calibration System (SCS).

This system enables automatic internal adjustment of the weighing unit.

It supports consistent weighing performance and reduces the need for certain manual adjustment procedures.

Automatic internal adjustment is particularly useful for:

• Quality control laboratories

• Research institutions

• Industrial production laboratories

• Workplaces performing frequent measurements

• Facilities with documented analytical procedures

It is important to distinguish between internal adjustment and traceable calibration.

SCS supports the adjustment of the weighing system but does not replace external calibration where required.

Heating temperature verification is also a separate procedure.

Three Alternative Heating Technologies

Halogen, Infrared or Dark Radiator Heating

One of the most distinctive characteristics of the Precisa EM 120-HR is the availability of different heating technologies.

Depending on the selected configuration, the instrument can be supplied with halogen, infrared or dark radiator heating.

These heating systems differ in their heat transfer characteristics and may offer advantages for different materials and analytical methods.

Halogen Heating – Rapid and Controlled Temperature Development

Halogen heating provides rapid temperature development and controlled energy delivery.

It is suitable for many routine thermogravimetric applications.

Typical applications include:

• Food analysis

• Chemical raw materials

• Powders and granules

• Industrial quality assurance

• Research and development

Infrared Heating – An Alternative Radiant Heat Source

Infrared heating transfers energy to the sample through thermal radiation.

The actual heating behavior depends partly on the optical properties and composition of the material.

For certain samples, this heating technology may provide advantages.

Dark Radiator Heating – An Alternative Thermal Radiation System

Dark radiator heating provides another method of transferring heat to the sample.

It may be particularly interesting for suitable materials and specialized drying procedures.

The most appropriate heating technology depends on sample properties and analytical requirements.

Important: Halogen, infrared and dark radiator heating are alternative instrument configurations, not three heating systems installed simultaneously.

Drying Temperatures up to 230 °C

Extended Flexibility for Demanding Materials

The Precisa EM 120-HR provides a drying temperature range from 30 °C to 230 °C.

Temperature settings can be adjusted in increments of 1 °C.

This allows drying conditions to be adapted to different materials and analytical procedures.

Potential applications include:

• Technical plastics

• Chemical powders

• Mineral raw materials

• Building materials

• Food ingredients

• Pharmaceutical raw materials

• Industrial intermediate products

The maximum temperature of 230 °C extends the range of potential applications.

However, not every sample should be analyzed at this temperature.

Excessive heating can cause oxidation, thermal decomposition or other changes that influence the measured mass loss.

Three Heating Modes for Different Drying Requirements

Standard Heating

Standard heating is suitable for many applications using a defined drying temperature.

It provides a practical basis for repeatable routine measurements.

Boost Heating

The Boost function enables an accelerated initial heating phase.

For suitable heat-resistant materials, this may help reduce overall analysis time.

Gentle Heating

Gentle heating is particularly interesting for materials sensitive to rapid temperature increases.

It provides a more controlled heating progression.

The heating mode should always be selected according to the thermal characteristics of the sample.

Memory for up to 100 Drying Methods

Efficient Management of Repeated Analytical Procedures

The Precisa EM 120-HR provides extensive method storage for up to 100 drying methods.

This function is particularly valuable for laboratories analyzing numerous different materials.

Appropriate settings can be stored and recalled for repeated testing.

This helps standardize analytical procedures and reduce unnecessary parameter entry.

Potential applications include:

• Different raw material categories

• Product and batch testing

• Quality assurance

• Analytical method development

• Research projects

• Repeated production measurements

The method memory supports consistent workflows and helps operators apply established testing procedures.

Graphical Display with Real-Time Drying Visualization

Monitor the Entire Drying Process

The Precisa EM 120-HR features a graphical display capable of presenting different measurement information.

This includes:

• Selected method parameters

• Current measurement values

• Analytical results

• Graphical progression of moisture or mass changes

The display can be customized to suit individual requirements.

Real-time monitoring is particularly useful during method development.

It allows operators to observe changes in sample mass and compare different drying procedures.

This additional process information can help identify suitable temperature settings and drying conditions.

Adjustable Switch-Off Criteria

Controlled Termination of Moisture Measurements

A clearly defined measurement endpoint is an important part of repeatable moisture determination.

The Precisa EM 120-HR offers adjustable switch-off criteria.

These allow the termination of a measurement to be adapted to the requirements of the sample and analytical method.

Important considerations include:

• When does the sample approach a stable final mass?

• What remaining mass change is acceptable?

• Is a maximum drying time required?

• Does the analytical procedure specify a fixed drying period?

An appropriate switch-off criterion supports consistent results across repeated measurements.

Numerical and Statistical Evaluation

Additional Tools for Reviewing Measurement Series

The Precisa EM 120-HR includes numerical and statistical evaluation functions.

These can be particularly useful for repeated testing and comparative analysis.

Potential applications include:

• Comparison of different material batches

• Repeatability investigations

• Evaluation of measurement series

• Method optimization

• Quality control documentation

The usefulness of statistical evaluation depends on the number and quality of measurements and the suitability of the analytical method.

USB and RS-232 Interfaces as Standard

Professional Measurement Data Transfer

The Precisa EM 120-HR is equipped with USB and RS-232 interfaces as standard.

These allow measurement data to be transmitted to compatible external devices.

Potential applications include:

• Electronic documentation

• Measurement reports

• Data archiving

• Quality control records

• Compatible printer connections

• Integration into laboratory workflows

Compatibility with particular software packages or laboratory information management systems should be verified before implementation.

Expandable Communication Options

Ethernet, WLAN, Bluetooth and USB Host

In addition to the standard interfaces, Precisa offers optional communication modules.

Depending on the configuration, these may include:

• USB host

• Ethernet/LAN

• WLAN

• Bluetooth

• Additional interface modules

This enables the communication setup to be adapted to the laboratory's existing IT infrastructure.

Such options may be particularly useful for laboratories with centralized data management.

Optional modules are not necessarily included in the standard instrument package.

GLP/GMP-Oriented Documentation

Supporting Controlled Laboratory Workflows

The Precisa EM 120-HR includes functions that support documentation in GLP/GMP-oriented laboratory environments.

These include suitable reporting and evaluation capabilities.

Such functions can contribute to the traceability of analytical measurements.

However, compliance with regulatory requirements depends on the complete laboratory process.

An instrument offering GLP/GMP-related functions is not automatically a fully validated or compliant analytical system.

IQ, OQ and PQ – Supporting Instrument Qualification

For Quality-Focused Laboratory Environments

Precisa offers support relating to instrument qualification.

The commonly recognized qualification stages include:

IQ – Installation Qualification

Documentation that the instrument has been installed correctly.

OQ – Operational Qualification

Verification that the instrument operates as intended under defined conditions.

PQ – Performance Qualification

Confirmation that the instrument performs adequately under actual working conditions.

These procedures are particularly important in regulated laboratory environments.

Thermogravimetric Moisture Determination

Measuring Mass Loss During Heating

The Precisa EM 120-HR uses the thermogravimetric measurement principle.

First, the initial mass of a representative sample is determined.

The sample is then heated under defined conditions.

During drying, water and other volatile components may evaporate.

The integrated weighing system records the resulting decrease in mass.

Moisture content expressed relative to the initial mass is commonly calculated as:

Moisture (%) = [(Initial Mass − Final Mass) / Initial Mass] × 100

Example:

Initial mass: 10.000 g

Final mass: 8.500 g

Measured loss on drying: 15%

Remaining dry matter: 85%

Distinguishing Loss on Drying from Water Content

Thermogravimetric moisture analysis measures the total mass loss under the selected conditions.

This may include water as well as solvents or other volatile substances.

Where water-specific determination is required, Karl Fischer titration or another selective analytical method may be more appropriate.

Precisa EM 120-HR for Plastic Pellets and Polymer Processing

High-Resolution Residual Moisture Analysis

In plastics manufacturing, residual moisture can significantly influence the processing characteristics of certain polymers.

Hygroscopic plastics often require controlled drying before specific manufacturing operations.

The Precisa EM 120-HR is particularly interesting for testing suitable plastic materials because of its high weighing resolution and flexible heating technology.

Potential applications include:

• Plastic pellet inspection

• Raw material batch comparison

• Evaluation of drying processes

• Incoming goods inspection

• Analytical method development

• Industrial quality assurance

For very low water contents, the suitability of thermogravimetric determination must be evaluated carefully.

Precisa EM 120-HR in the Food Industry

Moisture and Dry Matter Determination

Moisture content influences numerous product characteristics in the food industry.

These include consistency, processing behavior, storage stability and product quality.

The Precisa EM 120-HR can be used with suitable food samples such as:

• Flour

• Cereals

• Coffee

• Tea

• Spices

• Milk powder

• Dried food ingredients

• Animal feed

The extensive method memory is particularly useful when different product categories are tested regularly.

Chemical and Pharmaceutical Applications

Controlled Loss-on-Drying Determination

In chemical and pharmaceutical laboratories, loss-on-drying testing is used to investigate suitable raw materials and intermediate products.

The EM 120-HR provides:

• High-resolution weighing technology

• Alternative heating configurations

• Stored analytical methods

• Adjustable switch-off criteria

• Graphical process monitoring

• Documentation functions

For regulated applications, the relevant analytical procedures must be qualified or validated as required.

Building Materials, Minerals and Ceramics

Analysis at Temperatures up to 230 °C

The extended temperature range of the Precisa EM 120-HR provides additional possibilities for examining suitable technical materials.

Potential applications include:

• Mineral raw materials

• Building material samples

• Ceramic powders

• Technical fillers

• Industrial granules

The required drying temperature depends on the material and the applicable analytical procedure.

Environmental Analysis and Wastewater Treatment

Dry Matter Determination of Suitable Samples

Thermogravimetric moisture and dry matter determination can also play an important role in environmental laboratories and wastewater treatment facilities.

Potential samples include:

• Wastewater sludge

• Dewatered sludge

• Filter cakes

• Sediments

• Soil samples

• Organic residues

Selecting appropriate sample quantities and drying conditions is essential for repeatable results.

Precisa EM 120-HR vs. KERN DIS – Which High-End Moisture Analyzer Is Right for You?

Both instrument concepts are intended for demanding laboratory and industrial applications.

However, they emphasize different capabilities.

When Is the Precisa EM 120-HR Particularly Attractive?

When the following requirements are important:

• High-resolution moisture analysis with 124 g capacity

• Automatic internal adjustment

• Extensive drying method management

• Choice of heating technologies

• Expandable communication capabilities

• Advanced laboratory integration

When Might KERN DIS Be the Better Choice?

When the main priorities include:

• High-temperature drying up to 250 °C

• Selection between four model configurations

• Extensive result and sample identification storage

• Graphical monitoring of drying progress

The choice should always be based on actual analytical requirements rather than maximum temperature or readability alone.

Accessories and Temperature Calibration

Optimizing and Verifying Analytical Procedures

Precisa offers various accessories for its moisture analyzers.

These include:

• Aluminium sample pans

• Reusable stainless steel sample pans

• Glass fibre filters

• Temperature calibration accessories

• Suitable calibration weights

• Communication modules

Two-point temperature calibration is also supported for the EM 120-HR.

Heating temperature verification must be distinguished from calibration or adjustment of the weighing system.

Recommendations for Repeatable Moisture Analysis

Use Representative Samples

The sample should reflect the properties of the material being tested.

Select an Appropriate Sample Quantity

Sample quantity influences drying time and measurement repeatability.

Distribute Samples Evenly

A uniform sample layer supports consistent heating.

Choose the Appropriate Heating Technology

Halogen, infrared and dark radiator heating may produce different drying behavior for different materials.

Adjust Temperature and Heating Mode

The selected settings must be compatible with the sample's thermal stability.

Define the Measurement Endpoint

A suitable switch-off criterion is essential for comparable results.

Document Analytical Methods

Stored methods and traceable measurement reports support consistent quality assurance procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Precisa EM 120-HR

What is the Precisa EM 120-HR?

The EM 120-HR is a professional high-end thermogravimetric moisture analyzer from Precisa Series 365.

Where is the Precisa EM 120-HR manufactured?

Precisa is a Swiss manufacturer, and the EM 120-HR is marketed as a Swiss-Made instrument.

What is the maximum weighing capacity?

The maximum weighing capacity is 124 g.

What readability does the instrument offer?

Readability can be switched between 0.1 mg and 1 mg.

What is the moisture display resolution?

The display resolution is 0.001% or 0.01%, depending on the selected weighing mode.

What is the maximum drying temperature?

The maximum drying temperature is 230 °C.

Which heating technologies are available?

Depending on configuration, halogen, infrared or dark radiator heating is available.

Are all three heating systems installed simultaneously?

No. They are alternative heating configurations.

What does SCS mean?

SCS stands for Self Calibration System and refers to automatic internal adjustment of the weighing unit.

How many drying methods can be stored?

Up to 100 methods.

Which heating modes are available?

Standard, Boost and Gentle heating.

Can drying progress be displayed graphically?

Yes. The graphical display supports real-time monitoring.

Which interfaces are included as standard?

USB and RS-232.

Are WLAN and Ethernet connections available?

Yes. Precisa offers optional communication modules.

Is the instrument suitable for GLP/GMP-oriented laboratory procedures?

It includes supporting documentation functions. Regulatory suitability of the complete analytical procedure must be evaluated separately.

Can the EM 120-HR analyze plastic pellets?

Yes, provided the material and analytical method are suitable for thermogravimetric moisture determination.

Is temperature calibration possible?

Yes. Precisa provides corresponding accessories and two-point temperature calibration capability.

Which sample pans are used?

Sample pans with a diameter of 100 mm are specified for the series.

Is the EM 120-HR suitable for industrial quality control?

Yes. Its combination of method storage, high-resolution weighing and documentation functions makes it particularly attractive for professional quality assurance applications.

Buy the Precisa EM 120-HR Moisture Analyzer at SMI

At SMI, laboratories, research institutions and industrial quality assurance departments can discover the Precisa EM 120-HR, a premium Swiss moisture analyzer for demanding thermogravimetric applications.

The instrument combines a 124 g weighing capacity with selectable readability down to 0.1 mg, drying temperatures up to 230 °C and extensive method management.

Its automatic internal Self Calibration System, graphical real-time monitoring and choice of heating technologies are particularly noteworthy.

Standard USB and RS-232 interfaces, together with optional communication modules, allow the EM 120-HR to be adapted to different laboratory environments.

Discover Swiss precision weighing technology for professional moisture determination, research and industrial quality control.

Precisa EM 120-HR – Advanced Moisture Analysis with Swiss-Made Precision.