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Abstract: Open-source Multiwavelength Analytical Ultracentrifugation (MWL-AUC) detection
systems have been evolving for over a decade. Continual advances emerging out of several research
groups have brought the instrumentation technology to increasingly higher levels of performance.
The capabilities of MWL-AUC have been documented in many publications, demonstrating the
applicability of broad spectrum absorbance acquisitions in analytical ultracentrifugation to a wide
array of scientific fields. Despite numerous examples of the usefulness and unique advantages of
MWL-AUC, the adoption of the technology by more research groups has been slow. The complexity
of the hardware, integration within an ultracentrifuge platform and lack of practical construction and
operational information is the likely source of reluctance. Here, we clearly describe the challenges
facing a researcher considering adopting MWL-AUC technology in their own laboratories, and
provide the information necessary to implement and operate a MWL-AUC system. The discussion
includes details of detector assembly, optical alignment, and acquisition parameter settings necessary
to achieve high quality experimental results.