The stator and outer cylinder are both made from the same synthetic quartz as standard SANS sample cuvettes but this, and the method of assembly, limits the apparatus to an operational temperature range of 10 - 50 °C. The apparatus is fitted with a two-part lid to prevent sample spillage and to reduce evaporative losses. The total sample path length is 1 mm and the volume of sample required is approximately 8 ml. In some instances this can be reduced to 4 ml.
Rotational speeds range from >1 to 3000 rpm, approximately corresponding to shear rates from >5 to 15000 s-1. A very limited degree of oscillatory shear is also possible.
