A good measure for cutting materials is finger thickness, not more than that. Anything more than 15 mm thick will dramatically prolong the freezedry cycle, you may do it but expect longer cycle times even up to a few days. Remember cycle time is always defined by the thickest slice! Thinner the slice, shorter the cycle! Always evenly spread across all trays.

Newer mix different products!
Materials may be frozen directly on freeze dryer trays in a conventional or a blast freezer!

If frozen in bulk make sure it does not stick and freeze together, always slice or piece by piece. The product is correctly frozen when all water is crystallised, not only the surface layer.

Non-frozen products will be deformed and dried by evaporation that will cause major product reshaping. Might also be dangerous for the equipment if the product is bubbling. A good rule of thumb is to freeze overnight!

Once the material is frozen, transfer the product from the freezer to the freeze-dryer chamber as fast as possible.

None of the material should get melted! It is of critical importance to start vacuuming in a matter of seconds!

Clean the door
Use warm water and a clean cloth to clean the door surface and seal the surface before every cycle.

Freeze-drying is most effective below 1 millibar pressure that is only one thousand of ambient atmospheric pressure!

To ensure this level of vacuum or pressure an absolutely perfect seal between door and chamber must be ensured.

That is why it is so important that the door and seal are clean.

Even the smallest debris on the seal or door surface can cause a leak magnitude that will disable the freeze-drying process.

Start the unit and condenser cooling. Only when the green light condenser OK is illuminated you may continue with loading.

It is important to start vacuuming in a matter of seconds!

Put the tray with frozen products into freeze-dryer.

Close the door all the way so that the door surface is touching the seal and only then rotate the handle approx. 180° clockwise to tighten.

Start the vacuum pump. After only a few moments check whether the vacuum has grabbed the seal.

Use your smart device and QR code link to access the unit and process data. Monitor the data through the cycle.

Enable heating function once vacuum is reached and signaled with green indicator light.

Always start with low heating; this will maintain shelf temperature at approx 0 °C and add high heating in the last third of the freezedry cycle.

High heating will maintain the shelf temperature at approx 25 °C.

AFTER THE PROCESS IS GETTING INTO FINAL STAGE.

Stop the vacuum pump once the data and product looks firmly dried.

Disable heating function.

Vacuum break by pressing rubber air inlet port, maintain open until chamber door can be opened without any force.

Rotate the handle 180°counterclockwise and open with no force.

Pull the tray with product from the freezedry chamber place freehand on the tray bottom and check the temperature. When the tray surface is evenly warm without cold spots this is a good indication that the cycle is completed.

Should you feel any residual cold or even frost this means there is residual moisture in the product, which also means the product is not dry.

In such event place the tray back in chamber and continue the cycle with vacuuming and heating function ON.

All freeze-dried products have a tendency to attract air humidity. Some do it very quickly some slowly. Therefore, do your best to pack the product in an air-tight and humidity-tight environment.

Large glass jars with air-tight covers are a good choice for this.

Poorly packed products will quickly change the structure and might be completely useless in short periods of time.

Even when taking a few of them out of the jar make sure to close the jar quickly.