Staff Report
Cerulean, market-leading supplier of quality assurance equipment for the tobacco industry, has announced a new addition to its Quantum family of test stations for cigarettes and filter rods. Quantum Solo uses the company’s recognized and accepted Quantum ‘smart shelf’ technology to provide a robust and highly reliable, stand-alone, single measurement test station, enabling customers to quickly measure either weight, circumference, length, hardness, pressure drop and ventilation, or moisture and density profiles depending on which version is selected.
Conforming to ISO2971:1998 and ISO6565:2002, the new Quantum Solo was developed in response to customer feedback that there is a requirement to be able to quickly test a single attribute of a cigarette or filter rod. As a result, six versions of Quantum Solo are available depending on which element requires testing. For moisture and density profile measuring, Quantum Solo K, measures the average moisture content, mean density, tobacco weight, dense end offset and density profile of finished cigarettes and filters. Using a low powered microwave measurement technology, a series of measurements of the moisture and density of the tobacco column is delivered within seconds. The low power and gentle handling ensures that the samples do not dry out and no sample preparation is required. Another version available is Quantum Solo H which measures the individual hardness and resilience of cigarettes or filters and can be supplied with two interchangeable heads so that it can measure in the same manner as other established methods.
For measuring the size of cigarettes or filter rods, the Quantum Solo G and Quantum Solo C are available. Both instruments use a non-contact laser method with the Quantum Solo G able to measure the length of cigarettes or filters rods, whilst the Quantum Solo C can measure the diameter and circumference. Quantum Solo G ensures that a representative measurement is made by rotating the sample whilst taking multiple measurements, a method that is fully compatible with the Chinese standard GB/T 22838.2-2009. 
Two versions are available to accommodate different diameters. In addition to measurements of circumference and diameter the Quantum Solo C can also report ovality and deviation in shape measurements when needed.
Also available is the Quantum Solo V/A which measures the full range of pressure drop (RTD– resistance to draw) and ventilation measurements on individual cigarettes under vacuum conditions. With the Quantum Solo V/A it is possible to measure tip or total ventilation, as well as pressure drop with the ventilation holes either closed or open. A measurement head is also incorporated that can be fitted with a range of optional bobbins and sleeves to match the circumference and type of rod to be measured.
Finally, for measuring the weight of cigarettes or filters rods using the industry standard Mettler weight cell, the Quantum Solo X is available. Quantum Solo X measures the individual weight of a cigarette or filter rod with the additional features of auto-tare and auto-calibration. The Quantum Solo X is able to achieve reproducibility of +/- 1mg.
For all versions of Quantum Solo, samples are introduced through a 50 rod hopper and data is processed and stored in a local ODBC compliant database or alternatively can be exported to external LIMS or ERP systems via the Ethernet or RS232 ports provided. All Quantum Solos also feature an integrated touch screen user interface which shows measurement statistics, operational modes, operator prompts and calibration information in tables, statistics or graphs.
