Processes tab quick reference

About this topic

This topic provides a reference for the Processes tab in Vertical Pipetting Station Diagnostics.

To run a process in real time, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

Process tab contents

The Processes tab contains the following:

•	Shelves area

•	Miscellaneous area

•	Well Selection area

•	Command Parameters area

•	Aspirate process parameters

•	Dispense process parameters

•	Mix process parameters

•	Wash Tips process

•	Pump Reagent process parameters

Shelves area

 

 

Control or indicator	Description
Shelf list	Specifies the Vertical Pipetting Station shelf to be used for the selected process command.
Graphical display of the shelves	An interactive display that provides the following: • Alternative way to specify the target shelf. • Visual display of the type of shelf and labware configured for each location.
Select labware list	Specifies the labware to be used for the selected process command. To add a labware selection to the list, click Open labware editor, and use the Labware Editor.

Miscellaneous area

 

Control or indicator	Description
Open labware editor	Starts the Labware Editor software.
Open pipette technique editor	Starts the Pipette Technique Editor software.
Open liquid library	Starts the Liquid Library Editor software.

Well Selection area

 

The Well Selection area changes based on the labware selection. For example, if you use a 96-tip head and a 96-well microplate, all the wells are selected (green) by default. If you use a 96-tip head and a 384-well plate, only 1 quadrant of the wells are selected by default.

A quadrant is one-quarter of the wells on a plate. The wells that comprise a quadrant are not contiguous. You can specify one or more of the following quadrants:

•	Quadrant 1 (A1). All the upper left wells from each group of four wells on the plate.

•	Quadrant 2 (A2). All the upper right wells from each group of four wells on the plate.

•	Quadrant 3 (B1). All the lower left wells from each group of four wells on the plate.

•	Quadrant 4 (B2). All the lower right wells from each group of four wells on the plate.

To select a quadrant:

Click a well in that quadrant. All the wells in that quadrant turn green, indicating the selected wells.

Alternatively, right-click the graphic to display the following shortcut menu commands:

•	Select all wells

•	Clear all wells

•	Select all wells in highlighted row

•	Clear all wells in highlighted row

•	Select all wells in highlighted column

•	Clear all wells in highlighted column

Command Parameters area

The Command Parameters area contains the following controls.

 

Parameter	Description
Command to execute	Provides the following list of processes that you can run in real time: • Aspirate process parameters • Dispense process parameters • Mix process parameters • Wash Tips process • Pump Reagent process parameters
Execute command	Runs the selected process. Note: To stop a process immediately before it finishes running, click Stop motors or press the SPACEBAR on your computer. To resume movement of the pipette head, see Jogging the pipette head.
Parameter settings	Allows you to set the values for the parameters associated with the selected command.
Description	Displays a brief description of the currently highlighted parameter.

Aspirate process parameters

To run the Aspirate process, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

The Aspirate command has the following parameters.

 

 

 

 

Parameter	Description
Volume (µL)	The volume of liquid to be drawn into each pipette tip.
Pre-aspirate volume (µL)	The volume of air to be drawn before the pipette tips enter the liquid.
Post-aspirate volume (µL)	The volume of air to be drawn after the liquid is drawn.
Liquid class	The pipetting speed and accuracy. IMPORTANT To ensure consistent pipetting, always select a liquid class for liquid-handling tasks.
Distance from well bottom (0–100 mm)	The distance between the end of the pipette tips and the well bottoms during the Aspirate task. If you specify dynamic tip extension, this is the distance at the end of the Aspirate task. IMPORTANT The labware definition must be accurate and the teachpoint must be precise in order for the system to position the tips at the correct distance from the well bottom.)
Dynamic tip extension (0–20 mm/µL)	The rate at which the pipette head moves during the Aspirate task. The software calculates the distance over which the tips will move without crashing. Use dynamic tip extension to prevent spills as the pipette tips displace the liquid. To move the tips: • At the same rate as the volume change. Calculate dynamic tip extension (DTE) as follows: DTE = (well depth)/(well vol) = 1/A, where A is the cross-sectional area of a well with straight walls • Faster than the volume change. DTE > 1/A • Slower than the volume change. DTE < 1/A The starting and ending positions can be calculated as follows: (Vaspirated * DTE) + Distancewell bottom Note: Instead of a negative aspirated volume, the software automatically moves downward toward the well bottom with each aspirate action.
Pipette technique	The pipette location offset you want to use for the Aspirate task. The list of pipette techniques are defined in the Pipette Technique Editor.
Perform tip touch	The option to touch the pipette tip on one or more sides of the well.
Which sides to use for tip touch	The side or sides of the well to use during tip touch: North, South, East, West, North/South, West/East, West/East/South/North.
Tip touch retract distance (–20 to 50 mm)	The vertical distance for the pipette tips to rise before touching the sides of the wells.
Tip touch horizontal offset (–5 to 5 mm)	The horizontal distance the tips move. The value is based on the well diameter specified by the labware definition. For example, if you set a value of: • 0, the tips move a horizontal distance equal to the well radius • > 0, the tips attempt to move past the well radius, which results in a more forceful tip touch • < 0, the tips move a distance less than the radius of the well, resulting in a lighter tip touch

 

 

Dispense process parameters

To run the Dispense task, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

The Dispense command has the following parameters.

 

 

 

Parameter	Description
Empty tips	The option to empty all liquid from the tips instead of using the dispense volume specification.
Volume (µL)	The volume of liquid to be dispensed from each pipette tip.
Blowout volume (µL)	Specifies the volume of air to dispense after the main volume has been dispensed while the tips are still in the wells. Typically, the blowout volume is the same as the pre-aspirate volume. Note: Blowout only occurs in the last quadrant dispensed for a given Dispense task.
Liquid class	The pipetting speed and accuracy. IMPORTANT To ensure consistent pipetting, always select a liquid class for liquid-handling tasks.
Distance from well bottom (0–100 mm)	The distance between the end of the pipette tips and the well bottoms during the Dispense task. If you specify dynamic tip retraction, this is the starting distance. IMPORTANT The labware definition must be accurate and the teachpoint must be precise in order for the system to position the tips at the correct distance from the well bottom.
Dynamic tip retraction (0–20 mm/µL)	The rate at which to raise the pipette head during the Dispense task. Use dynamic tip retraction to prevent spills as the pipette tips displace the liquid. To move the tips: • At the same rate as the volume change. Calculate dynamic tip retraction (DTR) as follows: DTR = (well depth)/(well vol) = 1/A, where A is the cross-sectional area of a well with straight walls • Faster than the volume change. DTR > 1/A • Slower than the volume change. DTR < 1/A The starting and ending positions can be calculated as follows: (Vdispensed * DTR) + Distancewell bottom
Pipette technique	The pipette location offset you want to use for the Dispense task. The list of pipette techniques are defined in the Pipette Technique Editor.
Perform tip touch	The option to touch the pipette tip on one or more sides of the well.
Which sides to use for tip touch	The side or sides of the well to use during tip touch: North, South, East, West, North/South, West/East, West/East/South/North.
Tip touch retract distance (–20 to 50 mm)	The vertical distance for the pipette tips to rise before touching the sides of the wells.
Tip touch horizontal offset (–5 to 5 mm)	The horizontal distance the tips move. The value is based on the well diameter specified by the labware definition. For example, if you set a value of: • 0, the tips move a horizontal distance equal to the well radius • > 0, the tips attempt to move past the well radius, which results in a more forceful tip touch • < 0, the tips move a distance less than the radius of the well, resulting in a lighter tip touch

 

 

Mix process parameters

To run the Mix process, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

The Mix command contains the following controls.

 

 

 

Parameter	Description
Volume (0–200 µL)	The volume of liquid to be mixed in each well.
Pre-aspirate volume (0–200 µL)	The volume of air to be drawn before the pipette tips enter the liquid.
Blowout volume (0–200 µL)	Specifies the volume of air to dispense after the main volume has been dispensed while the tips are still in the wells. Typically, the blowout volume is the same as the pre-aspirate volume.
Liquid class	The pipetting speed and accuracy. IMPORTANT To ensure consistent pipetting, always select a liquid class for liquid-handling tasks.
Mix cycles ((0–100)	The number of times to repeat the aspirate-and-dispense cycle.
Aspirate distance (0–100 mm)	The distance between the end of the pipette tips and the well botttoms during the aspirate action. IMPORTANT The labware definition must be accurate and the teachpoint must be precise in order for the system to position the tips at the correct distance from the well bottom.
Dispense at different distance	The option to dispense at a pipette tip height that is different than the aspirate distance. Select the check box to enter a value for the dispense distance.
Dispense distance (0–100 mm)	The distance between the end of the pipette tips and the well bottoms during the dispense action.
Dynamic tip extension (0–20 mm/µL)	The rate at which the pipette head moves during the Aspirate task. The software calculates the distance over which the tips will move without crashing. Use dynamic tip extension to prevent spills as the pipette tips displace the liquid. To move the tips: • At the same rate as the volume change. Calculate dynamic tip extension (DTE) as follows: DTE = (well depth)/(well vol) = 1/A, where A is the cross-sectional area of a well with straight walls • Faster than the volume change. DTE > 1/A • Slower than the volume change. DTE < 1/A The starting and ending positions can be calculated as follows: (Vaspirated * DTE) + Distancewell bottom Note: Instead of a negative aspirated volume, the software automatically moves downward toward the well bottom with each aspirate action.
Pipette technique	The pipette location offset you want to use for the Dispense task. The list of pipette techniques are defined in the Pipette Technique Editor.
Perform tip touch	The option to touch the pipette tip on one or more sides of the well.
Which sides to use for tip touch	The side or sides of the well to use during tip touch: North, South, East, West, North/South, West/East, West/East/South/North.
Tip touch retract distance (–20 to 50 mm)	The vertical distance for the pipette tips to rise before touching the sides of the wells.
Tip touch horizontal offset (–5 to 5 mm)	The horizontal distance the tips move. The value is based on the well diameter specified by the labware definition. For example, if you set a value of: • 0, the tips move a horizontal distance equal to the well radius • > 0, the tips attempt to move past the well radius, which results in a more forceful tip touch • < 0, the tips move a distance less than the radius of the well, resulting in a lighter tip touch

 

 

Wash Tips process

To run the Wash Tips process, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

The Wash Tips command has the following parameters.

 

 

 

Parameter	Description
Empty tips	The option to empty the entire contents of the pipette tips, including fluid and air. The Volume parameter is ignored if this option is selected.
Volume (µL)	The volume of liquid to be dispensed from each pipette tip.
Pre-aspirate volume (µL)	The volume of air to be drawn before the pipette tips enter the liquid.
Blowout volume (µL)	Specifies the volume of air to dispense after the main volume has been dispensed. Typically, the blowout volume is the same as the pre-aspirate volume. Note: Blowout only occurs in the last quadrant dispensed for a given dispense action.
Liquid class	The liquid class associated with this liquid. IMPORTANT To ensure consistent pipetting, always select a liquid class for liquid-handling tasks.
Mix cycles	The number of times you want to aspirate and dispense. Each cycle consists of one aspirate action and one dispense action.
Distance from well bottom (mm)	The distance between the end of the pipette tips and the well bottoms during the Wash Tips task. IMPORTANT The labware definition must be accurate and the teachpoint must be precise in order for the system to position the tips at the correct distance from the well bottom.
Dynamic tip extension (mm/(µL)	The rate at which the pipette head moves during the Wash Tips task. The software calculates the distance over which the tips will move without crashing. Use dynamic tip extension to prevent spills as the pipette tips displace the liquid. To move the tips: • At the same rate as the volume change. Calculate dynamic tip extension (DTE) as follows: DTE = (well depth)/(well vol) = 1/A, where A is the cross-sectional area of a well with straight walls • Faster than the volume change. DTE > 1/A • Slower than the volume change. DTE < 1/A The starting and ending positions can be calculated as follows: (Vdispensed * DTE) + Dwell bottom (Vaspirated * DTE) + Dwell bottom
Perform tip touch	The option to touch the pipette tip on one or more sides of the well.
Which side to perform tip touch	The wall or walls for tip touch: North, South, East, West, North/South, West/East, West/East/South/North. If you also select the Dispense to waste during wash option, the tip touch is performed on the northeast side only.
Tip touch retract distance	The vertical distance the pipette tips rise before touching the sides of the wells.
Tip touch horizontal offset	The horizontal distance the tips move. The value is based on the well diameter specified by the labware definition. The value of the parameter determines the direction of movement: • 0. Tips move a horizontal distance equal to the well radius. • Great than 0. Tips attempt to move past the well radius, which results in a more forceful tip touch. • Less than 0. Tips move a distance less than the radius of the well, resulting in a lighter tip touch.
Pump fill speed (%)	The speed, in percent of maximum speed, of liquid flow into the reservoir. For the MicroWash Reservoir, this value should be high enough for the washing liquid to just bubble over the tops of the chimneys.
Pump empty speed (%)	The speed, in percent of maximum speed, of liquid flow out of the the reservoir. For the MicroWash Reservoir, this value should be slightly higher than that of the inflow pump to prevent an overflow.
Dispense to waste during wash	The option to move the tips by a specified offset (defined in the Labware Editor) and dispense used fluid outside of the reservoir chimney. This option applies only to reservoirs that have chimneys.
Dispense to waste at height (mm)	The height at which the dispense action occurs. For example, during the dispense action, the tips move up to clear the chimneys, move the offset distance, and then lower to the distance you specified. If you want the lower the tips by 10 mm, specify –10 mm.

 

 

Pump Reagent process parameters

To run the Pump Reagent process, see Running a process using Diagnostics software.

The Pump Reagent command has the following parameters.

 

 

 

Parameter	Description
Reservoir mode	The action of the task: • Fill • Empty
Pump speed	The speed, in percent of maximum, at which to pump the reagent.
Pump on time	The duration of time, in seconds, to run the pump: If the Use weigh station/shelf option is selected, this value specifies the maximum time (seconds) to run the pump. If the pump runs for the full duration without reaching the weigh station/shelf threshold, an error occurs.
Use weigh station/shelf	The option to use the Weigh Station or Weigh Shelf.
Weigh station/shelf action threshold	The minimum fluid weight, in percent of the full weight that was calibrated on the Weigh Station or Weigh Shelf. For example, you can set the minimum threshold at 45% so that when the fluid reaches 45% of the full weight, fluid starts to pump into the reservoir.
Weigh station stop action threshold	The maximum fluid weight, in percent of the full weight that was calibrated on the Weigh Station or Weigh Shelf. For example, you can set the stop threshold at 60% so that when the fluid reaches 60% of the full weight, fluid starts to drain or pump out of the reservoir.

 

 

Related topics

 

For information about…	See…
Opening Vertical Pipetting Station Diagnostics	Opening Vertical Pipetting Station Diagnostics
Editing the labware classes, liquid library, or pipetting techniques	VWorks Automation Control Setup Guide
Troubleshooting problems	Troubleshooting hardware problems
Reporting a problem	Reporting problems