Pipette Tip Transfer v1.1

The Pipette Tip Transfer utility moves 1–12 columns of Agilent 250-µL pipette tips from a source tip box at AssayMAP Bravo deck location 6 into an empty 96AM Cartridge & Tip Seating Station at deck location 2. This utility is designed to transfer contiguous, full columns of tips, where each column has eight pipette tips.

Before you start

On the AssayMAP Bravo deck, make sure:

•	The empty 96AM Cartridge & Tip Seating Station is at deck location 2.

•	An Agilent 250-µL tip box is properly positioned at deck location 6. The tip box may be full or partially filled with pipette tips.

For partially filled tip boxes, ensure that the tips are arranged in contiguous, full columns of eight pipette tips each.

Make sure that the tip box lid has been removed.

•	The 96AM Wash Station or the later model 96 Channel Wash Station is at deck location 1.

•	All other deck locations are empty.

Accessing the Pipette Tip Transfer utility

To access the Pipette Tip Transfer utility:

In the Utility Library, locate the Pipette Tip Transfer utility, and then click Utility.

 

The following figure shows the interface for the Pipette Tip Transfer utility.

 

 

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Running the Pipette Tip Transfer utility

To run the utility:

1	In the Application Settings area of the Pipette Tip Transfer utility, specify values for the following settings:

 

Setting	Description
Columns of pipette tips in the Source Tip Box	Specifies the range of pipette tips initially present in the Pipette Tip Box before the run starts. • In the left box, specify the column number of the first column of pipette tips present in the tip box. • In the right box, specify the column number of the last column of pipette tips present in the tip box. IMPORTANT The Pipette Tip Box must contain contiguous columns of 8 pipette tips each, within the range of columns specified. CAUTION A collision can occur if any pipette tips are present in the columns outside the specified range.
Columns to be filled in the Seating Station	Specifies the range of wells to be filled with tips in the Seating Station at deck location 2. • In the left box, specify the column number of the first column in the Tip Seating Station that will contain tips after completing the transfer. • In the right box, specify the column number of the last column in the Tip Seating Station that will contain tips after completing the transfer.

2	Confirm that the physical layout on the AssayMAP Bravo deck matches the Deck Layout and Labware Table sections of the interface.

 

Incorrect labware selections can cause a hardware collision, resulting in equipment damage. Ensure that the selections in the Labware Table exactly match the physical labware present on the Bravo deck.

 

3	Ensure that the labware are properly seated in the platepads.

 

Improperly seated labware can cause a hardware collision, resulting in equipment damage. Ensure that all labware are properly seated within the alignment features of their respective platepads.

 

4	Click Run Protocol to start the protocol run.

To monitor the progress of the run, check the Status box in the upper right corner of the form.

When the run is finished, remove the labware from the deck.

 

To stop a run in an emergency, use the emergency stop pendant.

 

To pause the run, click Pause. The task currently in progress finishes before the protocol pauses. The Scheduler Paused dialog box opens. For details, see Emergency stops and pauses.

To troubleshoot errors, see the Error Recovery Guide and the Bravo Platform User Guide in the Literature Library page of the Protein Sample Prep Workbench.

 

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Automation movements during the protocol

The following table describes the basic movements of the AssayMAP Bravo Platform when you run the Pipette Tip Transfer utility. Different Application Settings will alter the movements.

 

Step	Action	Notes
1	The Bravo 96AM Head moves above the wash station at deck location 1, and purges the syringe contents to waste.	–
2	The Bravo 96AM Head picks up the pipette tips from the Pipette Tip Box at deck location 6.	The Bravo 96AM Head is centered over the tip box to press on tips even if the tip box is only partially full. A collision will result if the Bravo 96AM Head is offset from the tip box location when pressing on tips.
3	The pipette tips are ejected into the 96AM Cartridge & Tip Seating Station at deck location 2.	The Bravo 96AM Head is centered over the Tip Seating Station when ejecting the tips.
4	If applicable, the Bravo 96AM Head picks up any columns of excess tips from the 96AM Cartridge & Tip Seating Station at deck location 2.	The Bravo 96AM Head is offset to the right of the Seating Station, instead of centered above the station, when picking up excess columns of pipette tips. The number of excess tips is calculated from the Application Settings. If the number of columns of tips in the Pipette Tip Box matches the number of columns of tips to be transfered into the Seating Station, this step will be skipped.
5	If applicable, the excess tips are ejected back into the Pipette Tip Box at deck location 6.	Excess tips are always returned to the left side of the Pipette Tip Box, starting at column 1.
6	If applicable, the Bravo 96AM Head picks up tips from the 96AM Cartridge & Tip Seating Station at deck location 2, and moves them to the columns specified in the form.	If the tips are already in the correct location after the initial transfer, this step will be skipped.
7	The Bravo 96AM Head moves above the wash station at deck location 1.	–

 

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