Moving labware between storage devices

About this topic

This topic provides an example to illustrate how you can move a group of labware from one storage device to another storage device. The general procedure could also be used to move a group of labware within a single storage device.

Who should read this

Read this topic if your lab automation system has incubators and random-access storage devices such as the Labware MiniHub.

Before you start

Make sure that both labware storage devices are properly configured in the device manager.

Moving a labware

In this example procedure, a group of four microplates is moved from one storage device (Labware MiniHub1) to another (Labware MiniHub2).

To move a labware:

1	Create a process that has a Load and an Unload task, as shown in the following example.

 

2	Select either the Load or Unload task, and in the Task Parameters area, click Edit location groups.

The Inventory Editor opens.

3	Click the Inventory Management tab and note the device, cassette, and slot locations of the microplates that you want to move.

In this example, the microplates will be moved from MiniHub1, cassette 1, slots 1 to 4.

4	Click the Location Groups tab and create a location group for these microplates.

 

5	In the Inventory Management tab, note the device, cassette, and slot numbers for the destination slots.

In this example, the microplates will be moved to MiniHub2, cassette 2, slots 1 to 4.

6	Click the Location Groups tab and create a location group for these slots.

 

7	Click Save changes and close the Inventory Editor.

8	Select the Unload task, and in the Task Parameters area, drag the location group in the first device to the Assigned locations area.

 

9	Select the Load task, and in the Protocol Task Parameters area drag the location group in the second device to the Assigned locations area.

 

10	Compile the protocol and check for errors.

 

11	Click Start to start the run.

12	In the Number of Cycles dialog box, type the number of microplates that you are moving and click OK.

13	Open the Inventory Editor, and click the Inventory Management tab to make sure that the microplates moved as expected.

Related information

 

For information about...	See...
Creating a location group	Creating and managing location groups
Creating a plate group	Creating and managing plate groups
Opening the Inventory Editor	Opening the Inventory Editor
Moving labware in and out of a storage device	• Adding labware information in the inventory database • Removing labware information from the inventory database
Incubating labware	Using a plate group to process labware
Using barcode input files	• Creating a plate group with a barcode input file • VWorks Automation Control User Guide
Load and Unload tasks	VWorks Automation Control User Guide