Modernize your Sorvall. Don’t replace it.
Extend the service life of your Sorvall RC-3C, RC-3C Plus and RC-3B centrifuges with SmartControl™ — BMCA’s engineered control-electronics modernization platform. New drive, new display, new controls, installed in one to three days with a one-year warranty.
Request a free assessmentEvery engineer learns from a master.
Ours was John of Centronics — the master of the kit, a pioneer in this field, and a mentor to BMCA’s founders.
SmartControl™ carries his standard forward. Every conversion that leaves our bench is measured against the way he taught us to build one — engineered to last, documented to prove it, and finished as if he were going to inspect it himself.
Built for the Sorvall RC-3 family.
If your centrifuge is an RC-3C, an RC-3C Plus or an RC-3B, SmartControl™ was engineered for it. Same bowl, same rotors, same footprint — new electronics, new drive, new life.
The platform SmartControl™ was built on. Obsolete factory boards removed, engineered control system installed and calibrated.
Same drive and control architecture as the Plus — the identical modernization applies, including RPM, temperature and timer control.
The earlier generation of the same workhorse. Where factory parts no longer exist at all, SmartControl™ is often the only path back to service.
The RC-3C, RC-3C Plus and RC-3B: proven workhorses, held back by obsolete electronics
The Sorvall RC-3C Plus is one of the most dependable large-capacity centrifuges ever built — its motor, chamber, and drive run for decades. What fails isn’t the machine. It’s the control electronics: discontinued boards, unobtainable displays, and drive controllers the manufacturer no longer supports.
Modernize, don’t replace
SmartControl™ replaces the control system — not the centrifuge. We re-engineer and upgrade the electronics around the mechanics you already trust, so a discontinued board no longer means a discontinued instrument.
SmartControl™ display · calibrated by BMCA · Sorvall RC-3C Plus
From obsolete tangle to engineered clean
Real modernization work — Sorvall RC-3 family from our shop — the discontinued control electronics we design out, and the modernized, calibrated instrument we hand back.
Engineered to keep your fleet running
Eliminate obsolete parts
Discontinued boards and displays are designed out and replaced with supportable components.
Increase reliability
Modern control electronics and clean wiring cut nuisance faults and unplanned downtime.
Lower ownership costs
A fraction of the cost of new capital equipment, with predictable, supportable service.
1–3 day installation
Most conversions are completed on-site in one to three days, minimizing lab disruption.
Keep existing rotor & buckets
Your validated rotor, buckets, and adapters carry straight over. No re-tooling.
One-year warranty
Every SmartControl™ conversion is backed by a full one-year parts-and-labor warranty.
Engineered by BMCA
Designed, built, and validated in-house — not a salvaged parts swap.
Long-term support
A committed supply of components and service for the life of the platform.
What every conversion includes
Digital control interface
Modern HMI with clear readouts for speed, time, and temperature.
Main electronics
Purpose-built control board replacing the discontinued original.
Motor control
Precise drive regulation for stable, repeatable RPM.
Wiring harness
Clean, labeled, service-friendly harness engineered to fit.
Safety interlocks
Lid-lock and imbalance protection integrated and verified.
Power distribution
Reworked power stage for safe, reliable operation.
Engineering solutions for legacy laboratory equipment
Manufacturers discontinue support. We engineer what comes next.
When an OEM sunsets a platform, thousands of mechanically sound instruments are stranded by a handful of unavailable parts. BMCA Engineering exists to close that gap — designing, building, and installing the electronics that give proven equipment a second service life.
Engineering · in-house
- Control electronics & embedded firmware
- Design → build → validate, under one roof
- Engineered for safety, reliability, serviceability
- Discontinued instruments, returned to service
How we engineer a modernization
Engineering & analysis
We reverse-engineer the original control architecture and define what the modern replacement must do.
Circuit board development
Custom control boards are designed to interface cleanly with the instrument’s existing mechanics.
Testing & validation
Every board and firmware build is bench-tested against speed, safety, and thermal requirements.
CAD & prototypes
Enclosures, harnesses, and mounts are modeled and prototyped for a precise, repeatable fit.
Manufacturing
Validated designs move into controlled production so every unit ships to the same standard.
Field installation
Our technicians install and commission on-site — then verify performance before we leave.
Every engineer learns from a master. Ours was John of Centronics — the master of the kit, a pioneer in this field, and a mentor to BMCA’s founders. SmartControl™ carries his standard forward.
SmartControl™ Modernization System — RC-3C · RC-3C Plus · RC-3B
A complete, engineered control platform for the Sorvall RC-3C Plus — delivered and supported as a product, not a one-off repair.
Features
- Digital HMI with speed, time, and temperature control
- Purpose-built control board and motor regulation
- Integrated lid-lock and imbalance safety interlocks
- Clean, labeled, service-friendly wiring harness
Compatibility
- Sorvall RC-3C Plus low-speed centrifuge
- Retains existing validated rotor, buckets & adapters
- No footprint change — installs within the original chassis
Benefits
- Removes dependence on discontinued OEM parts
- Far lower cost than replacing the instrument
- Improved reliability and reduced downtime
Installation & warranty
- On-site, typically one to three days (logistics-dependent)
- Commissioned and performance-verified before we leave
- One-year parts-and-labor warranty
Maintenance & compliance plans
- Preventive-maintenance schedules built around usage volume — heavier-use labs serviced more often
- Plans aligned to the standards your lab follows — CLIA, CAP, AHCA, Joint Commission
- Service & calibration records kept inspection-ready, backed by BMCA’s compliance expertise
Real modernization work
Legacy equipment modernization — common questions
Does SmartControl™ work on the RC-3C and RC-3B, or only the RC-3C Plus?
My Sorvall RC-3B is decades old. Is it worth modernizing?
Do I keep my existing rotors and buckets?
Is SmartControl™ a repair or a product?
Do I have to replace my rotor or buckets?
How long does installation take?
What does the warranty cover?
Are maintenance plans included?
Will other centrifuge models be supported?
The first product in a growing portfolio
SmartControl™ · RC-3C Plus
NOW Full control-electronics modernization for the Sorvall RC-3C Plus. 1–3 day install, one-year warranty.
Additional legacy centrifuges
NEXT Expanded Sorvall coverage, plus Beckman and Heraeus legacy platforms in development.
Beyond centrifuges
SOON Thermo legacy centrifuges and other lab-equipment modernization — a full BMCA Engineering product line.
See where your lab stands — free.
Request a no-obligation Compliance & Equipment Readiness Assessment. We'll spot-check your equipment and documentation and leave you a short readiness report.