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Technical Features
The strictly modular approach fits each instrument to your application and your budget. Furthermore, the Nano-Plotter line is amenable to post-sales upgrades.
| * Optional Accessories |
Piezoelectric Pipetting Tips
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The Nano-PlotterTM piezoelectric pipetting tips consist of glass and silicon. They are achieved from microstructured glass/silicon wafers. The tips tie into the instrument’s fluidic system through metal shafts. Each pipet connects to a dedicated syringe that supplies both sample and washing fluids. NP1.2 runs up to eight tips, all N2.x instruments can be equipped with 1...16 tips. |
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Tips for different drop sizes are available:
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Tips for particular applications:
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Wash Station
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Highly effective washing technology prevents cross contamination between pipetting cycles. A thorough rinsing cycle washes the piezoelectric tips inside and outside. For standard DNA solutions (such as oligo samples at 0.1 μg/ml), wash cycles of approximately 5 seconds are sufficient. For proteins and peptides, an additional wash bowl can be incorporated, using a dedicated wash fluid, such as a detergent, acid, or base. |
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Pipette Function Test
The Nano-Plotter utilizes two different and concurrent methods for automatic drop detection and measurement after sample taking.
Optical analysis of the stroboscope image:
- Deflection of the main jet from the vertical
- Droplet size, count and volume
- Deviation of satellite droplets from the main jet
- Drop volume calculation from micro flow measurement during the stroboscope break
The checking function returns a result (good/bad) for each pipette. So if tips fail, the Nano-Plotter can repeat sample aspiration, or continue printing with only the working pipettes and repair the missing spots afterwards.
| The stroboscope monitors the dispense behavior of each tip after sample taking. Usually a proper functioning tip is capable of ejecting thousands of drops during each pipetting cycle. |  |
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| Stroboscope |
Valid droplet image. The jet angle is inside a user defined region, the number of satellite droplets is small enough. |
Invalid droplet image. The flight angle of one satellite droplet differs too much from the angle of the main jet. |
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| Each piezoelectric dispenser connects to a back side reservoir for rinsing and pressure compensation. For each released drop, the correspondent volume must flow towards the nozzle. During the stroboscope test, an optionally available micro flow sensor directly measures the flow. At a given frequency, the software calculates the drop volume. More... |  |
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Removable Slide Tray
| For fast and easy replenishment of targets. A coolable slide tray slows down spot evaporation for higher spot quality. Different layouts (coolable/non-coolable, with/without locator pins, for slides/MTPs, customized) available for both NP 1.2 and NP 2.1. |  |
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Microplate Handler
| The Nano-Plotter (NP2.x only) hooks up to the plate hotel Cytomat 2 C425® (ThermoFisher Scientific). The plate hotel is humidity and temperature conditioned and deliveres up to 42 plates on request, thus enabling unattended runs of a large set of samples. | |
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Chilling and Humidifying
These components are to tune the operational environment of slides and source plates. Evaporational losses can weaken the results of microarray experiments.
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The ultrasonic humidifier blows an aerosol into the dust protection cover of the Nano-Plotter. The sensor controlled add-on unit increases the humidity smoothly up to 80%. The recirculation bath (another add-on unit) connects to the slide deck as well as to the holder of the micro plate. |
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| Humidifier |
Recirculation bath and coolable micro plate holder |
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Optical Target Recognition
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Point-and-click definition of the spot layout in a live video image or automatic target recognition by image processing software (NP 2.1 and 2.1/E only).
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Target Visualization
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The Target Visualization comprises a video camera which monitors the tip orifices. It simplifies manual adjustment and teaching, further allows spot observation (only with watersensitive paper) during an automatic print run. In contrast to the Optical Target Recognition the Target Visualization does not support computerized image analysis. To a certain extent, both camera systems can be used simultaneously. |
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Z-Level-Sensor
| Although piezoelectric dispensing always goes non-contact, a close proximity between slides and dispenser nozzle ensures well aligned spots. A Z-Level-Sensor gives the exact height of each object on the tray and adjusts the nozzles before the spotting run. |
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Displacement Dispensing with Passive Tips
| Additional displacement dispensing (> 1 Microliter) is feasible through the syringe system of the Nano-Plotter. Plastic tips as well as teflon coated steel tips fit to the slots of the pipet holder. |  |
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Dispensing of High Viscous Liquids
| Liquids exceeding the viscosity limit of the piezoelectric micro pipettes don't have to be kept away from the Nano-Plotter. Piezoelectric dosage heads manufactured by Delo fit to the GeSiM instruments. Drops are significantly larger (> 3nL) and sample must be fed from the back (No aspiration from the nozzle.) |  |
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| Nano-Plotter NP2.1 with Delo-Dot Dosage Head |
Technical Features:
- Viscosity: 50...200000 mPas (thixotrope, to be tested)
- Tempering: Up to 60°C (controlled)
- Principle: Piezoelectric valve, seal system made of hard ceramic
- Requirements: Operating pressure (up to 50 bar)
- Reproducibility: +- 2% (with test medium)
Large Volumes from Cartridges (Bulk Dispensing)
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Large volume bulk dispensing (microliter and above) is available with pneumatically actuated cartridges. Pasty and high-viscous substances can be processed with this setup. The basic z-drive of the instrument will be enhanced by a two-point linear rail for individual lowering of each cartridge dispenser. Thus collisions will be avoided when working with 3-dimensional targets, e.g. bio-scaffolds . |
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Low Volumes from Cartridges (Bulk Dispensing)
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Low volume bulk dispensing (from 10 Pikoliter!) from a 3 Milliliter cartridge reservoir is feasible with specially designed piezoelectric dispense heads. The Nano-Plotter accomodates up to four cartridge dispensers at a pitch of 10 mm |
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