Physical Description
The spectrophotometer consists of four sections; a screen, a touchpad, a glass sample bay, a light bay, and a power control section. The spectrophotometer is similarly built to an early computer with the processing system as a base with a screen and touchpad on the top of the base. The processing system’s base is black metal before transitioning to a cream-colored metal. The power control section is the lowest control on the machine, near the base on the left side. There is an on/off switch in yellow, a fuse dial that is SA(100~117V) to 3A(220~240V), an AC power plug, and a small black dial. On the top of the base, to the left of the keypad, is a light bay. The light bay has a glass covering. Within the light bay, there is a light source, a focusing element, a sample bay, a second focusing element, a light dispersing element, and a CCD array. This is all visual while peering into the compartment. Over the light bay, in the top left corner, is a small printer that uses a receipt-like paper. In the middle of the base top is the keypad. Dividing the keypad into three sections, left, middle, and right, there are about 11 individual pads, not including the number pad. On the left starting at the top left the column is File, Mode, Auto Zero, Return, Yes and No, in the order read like a book. In the middle, there is the typical number pad found on the calculator and then enter pad. On the right going in the same order as the left, there is the Copy, Chart Feed, arrow to the left (-), arrow to the right, and the START/STOP pad. Above the keypads is a monitor screen. On the front right side of the processing unit, there is the manufacturing permanent label. a silver manufacturing plate in Japanese and English on the side to the right. At the back right corner of the processing unit is a large air vent.
Functional Description
The Shimadzu UV160U Spectrophotometer works by placing a sample into the testing bay before turning it on. Once the sample is placed, the machine may be turned on to run the sample. The light bulb will shine a light that will be directed through two monochromators, these are film that focuses the light into a single wavelength. The double-focused ray of light is redirected in two directions towards the sample cell side and the reference cell side. The beams of light are both directed to the detector, which is processed by the computer. The computer will then will display the model that is preset using the keypad below the screen. Once results are reviewed they can be printed onto the slip above the sample bay for filing.
A more thorough explanation is available in the C101-E142 UV Talk Letter Vol. 16 [see PDF with images]