If you use LabSpec 6 on a daily basis, you know that particle analysis can quickly become repetitive, time-consuming, and critical to your results.
With the new LabSpec 6.8.2 version, we wanted to do more than just an update: we have redesigned part of the workflow around ParticleFinder, now in version 4.0.
The goal is to help you analyze faster, better, and with more automation, without sacrificing scientific rigor. ParticleFinder v4.0: from manual analysis to automated routine
This new version of LabSpec 6 brings a major change: you can switch from “manual operation” mode to a virtually fully automated process for:
• Particle detection,
• Chemical identification,
• Advanced statistical analysis,
• Report generation.
In practice, this means fewer clicks, fewer repetitive steps, and more time available for scientific interpretation and decision-making.
Batch analysis: think “sample series” rather than “measurement by measurement”
With ParticleFinder v4.0, you gain a true high-throughput mode:
• Batch processing optimized for your sample series,
• New intelligent subsampling modes,
• Dynamic mosaic subsets to efficiently cover your surfaces.
The result: your routine analyses are transformed into a smooth workflow, aligned with the needs of high-throughput laboratories.
See beyond numbers: particle volume and mass
Don't just focus on “how many,” but understand “how many and what.” The new version introduces particle volume and mass distribution, allowing you to:
• Calculate volume accurately,
• Estimate particle mass,
• Get a more complete picture of your populations (not just a size histogram).
Ideal for studies where the real impact of particles is not limited to their number.
Success/failure criteria: integrate quality control into your routine
ParticleFinder becomes a true integrated quality control tool:
• Creation of customized tests according to your specifications,
• Definition of success/failure criteria,
• Rapid evaluation of the compliance of your samples.
This is a key asset for industrial laboratories, regulated environments, or any application where the “compliant/non-compliant” decision must be objective and documented.
Sort by color: when optics become a criterion for analysis
With color classification, you can now:
• Sort and filter particles by optical color,
• Isolate specific particle families,
• Better link optical appearance and chemical nature.
Gain clarity when visual appearance is relevant to your applications (microplastics, contamination, fibers, etc.).
Advanced morphology, ISO 9276-6 compliant
The extended morphological characterization of ParticleFinder v4.0 gives you access to new parameters, including:
• Feret diameter.
• Convexity.
• Elongation.
All in compliance with ISO 9276-6.
This provides you with quantified and defensible morphology, ready for use in reports, audits, or publications.
Create your own morphological classes
Once the particles have been characterized, it's time for classification:
• Easy creation of custom classes (fibers, beads, fragments, etc.).
• Organization of populations into relevant groups.
• Better overall readability of your results.
This allows you to adapt the tool to your use case, rather than the other way around.
Scatter plots: visualize key correlations
New scatter plot graphs allow you to:
• Highlight correlations between variables (size vs. shape, color vs. chemistry, etc.).
• Identify trends, clusters, or atypical behaviors,
• Enrich your studies with a visual dimension that is very useful for communication and analysis.
Advanced chemical identification with IDFinder
Finally, update 6.8.2 enhances the chemical dimension with IDFinder:
• Chemical identification particle by particle.
• Fast and accurate procedure.
• Direct integration into your ParticleFinder workflow.
You no longer just look at “objects”: you know what they are made of, and in what proportions.
In short: more powerful, more flexible, more intuitive.
This new version of LabSpec 6 was designed with one simple idea in mind:
to make it easier for you to turn your data into decisions.
• More power (advanced analysis, standards, statistics, chemical ID),
• More flexibility (custom classes, QA criteria, filtering),
• More intuitiveness (automated workflows, batch analysis, visualization).
How to update to LabSpec 6.8.2?
To benefit from all these new features, there are a few important points to note:
• The update to LabSpec 6.8.2 is mandatory to access ParticleFinder v4.0.
• It must be performed by HORIBA technical support.
We recommend that you schedule your update with your HORIBA contact so that you can quickly take advantage of these features in your work environment.
Want to speed up and secure your particle analyses?
Contact your HORIBA representative to arrange the update to LabSpec 6.8.2 + ParticleFinder v4.0 and upgrade your laboratory to a truly high-throughput, automated, and decision-oriented mode.
