Founded in 1985 in Oregon, Optimize Technologies aims to make HPLC easier to use and more efficient. “In 1985, HPLC was an established technique, but the instrumentation and componentry was cumbersome and instrument specific,” said President Douglas Ford. Mr. Ford experienced these issues firsthand as a graduate student involved with synthetic organic chemistry. Working with HPLC and MS, he experienced the inconvenience of having to use wrenches to change fittings and the hassle of analyzing dead volume. In forming the company, he wanted to create products that were compatible with most HPLC systems and to make HPLC quicker and more convenient.

Optimize Technologies manufactures HPLC fittings, guard columns, trap cartridges, check valves, adapters and filters. Products are designed to work with almost any HPLC brand. “Optimize works with most all the HPLC and mass spec instrument companies, as well as large pharma,” said Mr. Ford. “More than half of our business is with domestic and foreign OEMs.” He listed some of the improvements Optimize Technologies has provided as hand-tight changing of components, minimal dead volume for low dispersion and more accurate detection using MS, and systems that work with multiple HPLC brands.

The firm’s most popular products are the Opti-Guard, Opti-Lynx and EXP product lines. Opti-Guard cartridges are installed in front of an analytical column to trap particulates and protect the sample stream from impurities. Opti-Lynx products consist of 6,000 psi hand-tight trap cartridges, trap columns, guard columns and filters for switching components by opening and closing the hardware with a quarter turn, eliminating the need for wrenches. Opti-Lynx technology has been adapted for detecting weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and chemicals. “Opti-Lynx has found many useful applications, from military WMD test instruments on the battlefield to nuclear medicine, where components can be changed simply in a glove box,” said Mr. Ford.

The EXP product line consists of fittings, filters, traps and guard columns for UHPLC. “With many instrument manufacturers looking for fittings and components that could handle the 20,000 psi system pressures, Optimize unveiled the EXP line that offered simple hand-tight change-out of components,” said Mr. Ford. “The EXP Hybrid titanium ferrule became an instant hit as a way to make the UHPLC connections, while being able to break connections and readjust the ferrule for various tubing depths.” The newest EXP fitting, which will be introduced in 2013, is a hybrid fitting system for PEEKsil tubing.

Optimize Technologies has adapted to advances in HPLC by designing products to accommodate higher pressures. “The evolution of LC instrumentation to handle higher pressures with many users being technicians, as opposed to highly trained chemists, has made it important for components to be user friendly and trouble free,” said Mr. Ford. The EXP product line is the company’s only one for UHPLC, but the firm plans to expand its UHPLC offerings. “Optimize Technologies continues to develop solutions for higher pressures with lower dispersion of sample while targeting UHPLC/MS,” he said.