Shimadzu Programming Weaknesses
....if you want intuitive instruments, stay away from Shimadzu!
The following message was posted in the St. Louis Chromatography Discussion
Group at http://www.stlcdg.org on October 22,
2000:
"I have not used Shimadzu GC or GC-MS, but I have used Shimadzu HPLC, integrators, autosamplers and spectrophotometers. In my experience, Shimadzu instruments are well-built mechanically [really???] and fairly easy to maintain [really???]. Their weakness is in their programming. The onboard programming of individual instruments is non-intuitive and somewhat hard to learn unless you are used to it, especially for chromatographs [HPLC]. Their system controller programs which can be run through computers or through a separate module, are easier to use (although not as easy as Perkin-Elmer) but are prone to crashes [really now!!!]. The Shimadzu autosamplers are the only instruments of theirs that I have found easy to use [unless you like plugging problems]. I do not have any experience using a split interface with either manufacturer."
"Personally, for chromatography, I prefer Perkin-Elmer. They are easy to use, reliable and moderately priced. Their main weakness is that, at least for LC systems, they are harder to maintain (ie. seal changes)."
"One additional observation: Perkin-Elmer systems can usually be installed by the user, whereas Shimadzu systems almost always have to be installed by a service rep."
Alice Willliams
n.b. Shimadzu HPLC components that suffer from programming weakness, are not intuitive, hard to learn and prone to crashes. What else do you need to hear before running for the exit doors? Do you really want this unreliable and defective junk in YOUR lab? DO YOU REALLY? Well, you've been warned.... proceed at your own risk!
n.b. Shimadzu HPLC pump seals do NOT hold up when running buffers with high salt concentrations.... and Shimadzu seal changes are no pleasure ride either!
n.b. You can bet that the new
Shimadzu LC 2010 is not everything that Shimadzu is proclaiming. Remember, they LIE, DENY
and CONCEAL!
They call it SHIT-madzu.... and it belongs in the nearest landfill!
This page was last 
03/03/01