Make or buy your spectrometer

Selecting a spectrometer for an analytical instrument requires a strategic sourcing decision, balancing standard versus customized solutions and in‑house versus outsourced design and manufacturing. This white paper compares common approaches and explains why partnering with a supplier that combines deep OEM design expertise with proven manufacturing capabilities often delivers the strongest results.

Why the Make-or-Buy decision matters for OEM spectrometers

The analytical instrumentation market is broad and diverse, serving industries from pharmaceuticals and life sciences to food safety and materials analysis. Instruments rely on specialized submodules such as spectrometers, which perform essential measurement functions. Unlike consumer electronics, they are produced in relatively small volumes, often between 100 and 1,000 units each year, and must meet strict standards for precision, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

Design lifecycles usually span 10 to 15 years, with developers reluctant to introduce new hardware because of the cost and effort required for regulatory approvals and validation as well as limited resources and competing priorities. Once integrated into workflows, instruments are expected to remain stable, discouraging frequent hardware updates that could disrupt compliance or data continuity. Physical designs often remain unchanged for decades, while improvements are delivered mainly through software updates.

Spectrometers are among the most demanding submodules, requiring expertise in optical-, mechanical-, and electronic engineering. Optical design optimizes components such as gratings and mirrors, mechanical design ensures alignment and stability, and electronics manage detector integration and signal processing.
These challenges drive strategic decisions about whether to design and manufacture components internally or source them externally. The spectrometer, because of its complexity and impact on overall performance, often becomes central to this debate.

This white paper frames the discussion around three questions:

  • Should we use an off the shelf spectrometer or develop a custom solution?

If custom:

  • Should the design be completed internally or outsourced?
  • Should manufacturing be handled inside the company or contracted out?

Rather than prescribing a single approach, we offer guiding principles to help developers make context specific decisions when integrating spectrometer submodules into advanced analytical instruments.

Download the full white paper:

  • Compare the advantages and limitations of off-the-shelf and customized spectrometers

  • Evaluate different approaches to spectrometer design and determine which best fits your organization’s needs

  • Understand the key considerations when choosing a manufacturing strategy for long-term product succes

Get the white paper here:

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Inside spectroscopy instruments

Diagram of an analytical instrument with light source, sample, spectrometer, and control and data analysis

To set the stage, it is important to first understand how instruments for spectral analysis are typically structured. These systems are composed of several high-level modules, each playing a distinct role in the measurement process.

  • Light Source: The light source provides controlled illumination of the sample. Depending on the application, this may be a broadband lamp, LED, or laser. Light sources used in spectroscopy are typically specialized, off-the-shelf components designed for scientific use and are available from dedicated suppliers.

  • Sample Interface: The sample interface comprises holders or containers engineered to ensure consistent sample positioning, distance, and handling, ensuring repeatable measurements. Sample manipulation is highly dependent on the specific application and often relies on expertise developed by the instrument manufacturer.

  • Spectrometer module: The spectrometer captures light after it has interacted with a sample and records its intensity as a function of wavelength, producing a spectrum.

  • Control and data processing: The raw spectrum is rarely of direct use to the end users, who typically require simplified, actionable information – such as pass or fail decisions, concentration levels, or material identification. Data processing transforms the raw spectral data into user-friendly outputs tailored to the specific application. This processing often depends on specialized algorithms and domain expertise developed by the instrument manufacturer.

Overall, instrument manufacturers must master sample handling and data processing, while the light source and spectrometer can be acquired from external suppliers.

Off-the-Shelf or customized spectrometer?

Once the spectrometer requirements have been defined, the first decision is whether an off-the-shelf spectrometer can meet the application’s needs. While standard products may offer a shorter path to market, they are not always optimized for OEM integration, long-term consistency, or cost-performance balance. Customized spectrometers can be tailored to the right balance between the specific requirements and cost of the instrument.

Who should design the spectrometer?

Designing a spectrometer requires expertise across optics, mechanics, electronics, and software. Manufacturers must therefore decide whether development should be carried out internally, outsourced to an engineering partner, or entrusted to a specialized spectrometer supplier. The best approach depends on factors such as the strategic importance of the spectrometer, access to relevant expertise, development risk, and long-term product support requirements.

Who should manufacture the spectrometer?

Spectrometer manufacturing involves precision assembly, optical alignment, and stringent quality control. Companies may choose to manufacture spectrometers in-house, outsource production to a contract manufacturer, or partner with a dedicated spectrometer supplier. Each approach offers different trade-offs in terms of investment, scalability, quality assurance, and operational complexity. The right choice will depend on existing capabilities, production volumes, and long-term business objectives.