Adding Commands to the Task List

Below are the tasks you’ll frequently perform during experiment setup.

 

Prerequisites


Adding the HV or LV Pick Tip Command

  1. Drag and drop the HV Tip Caddy or LV Tip Caddy from the Plate Type Library into the HV tip caddy station or LV tip caddy station.

  2. Set up the tips:
    1. Right-click on the HV tip caddy station or LV tip caddy station.

    2. Select Configure HV Tip Caddy or Configure LV Tip Caddy.

    3. Select the appropriate column numbers on the tip caddy setup dialog box.

HV Tip Caddy Setup Dialog Box

LV Tip Caddy Setup Dialog Box

Important: The selected columns are indicated with a blue color. The column numbers on the Tip Caddy Setup dialog box represent the actual column number of the tip caddy.

  1. Click OK.

  2. Double-click the HV tips or LV tips to add the Pick Tip command to the Task List.

    Note: If you run out of tips, you can quickly reload the tip caddy by selecting New Tip Caddy from the right-click menu.


Adding the Wash Tip Command

Important: Only the LV tips are washable and must be washed at least once before use.

  1. Double-click the Wash Station to add a wash tip command to the task list.

  2. Double-click the Wash Tip command on the Task List and type a new value into the corresponding field, or click the up or down arrows to increase or decrease the wash time.

Task Details Dialog Box


Creating an Aspirate Task

  1. Drag the appropriate plate for your experiment from the Plate Type Library to the desired microplate station.

  2. Double-click the microplate to bring up the Aspirate/Dispense details window.

  3. From the SELECT TARGET field, select the desired aspirate location. Your selection will be highlighted in yellow.

Select the Aspirate Target

  1. Select Aspirate next to Action.

  2. To select multiple columns, click the first desired column, then hold the Shift key and click the last desired column.

    Note: To select multiple columns, you need to have already added a repeat command to the task list and add this command between the Repeat and End Repeat commands.

  1. Select a liquid class from the Liquid Class list. You can apply the liquid class to individual well columns if the Repeat command on the Task List is selected.

  2. Enter the volume to be dispensed in the Volume box.

  3. Click Add to add the command to the task list, or select Add More to add additional commands for the same microplate..


Creating a Dispense Task

  1. Next to Action, select Dispense.

    Setting the Lipidic Cubic Phase Dispense Volume

    Setting the Low Volume (LV) Tips Dispense Volume

    Setting the High Volume (HV) Tips Volume

  1. Optional: If you are performing an LCP experiment, you must select the LCP head from the SELECT HEAD field first before configuring the dispense details.

    Note: The NT8 can dispense different volumes to different columns on a plate with any of the heads. To do so, you need to create a second dispense task with the second desired volume. For example, you can dispense 50 nL of monoolein to columns 1-6, and 80 nL to columns 7-12.

  1. Select the columns that you want to dispense to. In the example above we have selected the first well columns, 1-12.

  2. Optional: Click on the long arrow below the dispense radio button to reverse the dispense direction. This step is required for hanging drop experiments.

    Note: The drop image will vary depending on the microplate type in use.

  1. Select the desired target drop located in the lower-left of the dialog by clicking on any of the circles. The top circle represents drop 1 and the bottom circle represents drop 2. The selected drop is highlighted in yellow.

  1. Select a liquid class from the Liquid Class list. You can apply the liquid class to individual well columns if the Repeat command on the Task List is selected.

  1. Set the volume field with the total actual drop volume of solution.

    You now have two options: Click Add to confirm and exit the Task Details dialog box, or select Add More if you want to add more Dispense commands and set up additional dispense volumes.

    Note: An asterisk indicates the liquid class that was selected when you created the Aspirate command.


Adding the LV or HV Dispose Tip Command

To add the LV Dispose Tip command, take the following steps:

 

To add the HV Dispose Tip command, take the following steps:

  1. Make sure that the HV Pick Tip command appears in the Tasks Lists panel.

  2. Double-click the HV Tip Caddy Station to add the Dispose Tip command to the Task List.

 

Related Topics

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