Designs vary; generally, a sample is loaded into a sealed capillary (melting point capillary). It is placed in the machine.
The sample may be heated electrically, either via a heating block, or an oil bath. There usually is a control panel which allows the starting and final temperatures, as well as the temperature gradient (in °C per minute) to be programmed.
Some machines have several channels which permit more than one sample to be tested at a time. The control panel might have buttons which allow the start and end of the melting point range to be recorded.
A Thiele tube may also be used to determine melting and boiling points. It uses a manually-heated recirculating oil bath to heat the sample, which may be more difficult to control.
