Technical Note

Velocity11 Bravo

™

Liquid Handling Platform: 96 Channel 10 L Tip Accuracy and Precision

Introduction

Automated liquid handling devices are used in many processes performed in laboratories to-day. Liquid handling automation increases sam-ple processing and throughput
(1) and improves accuracy (desired dispensed volume is equal to the actual dispensed volume) and precision (a narrow distribution of dispensed volume) when compared to a person operating a handheld liquid pipettor. Automated liquid handling de-vices can also significantly reduce the occur-rence of errors in a process
(2) . To further the effort to automate routine laboratory processes, Velocity11
® has developed the Bravo liquid han-dling platform. The Bravo has nine deck positions which accom-modate any 96-, 384-, or 1536-well SBS standard microplates. Deck positions can be configured with heating, cooling, and shaking stations, as well as maintaining open locations for tip boxes, sample microplates and reservoirs. The Bravo can be used with 8-, 16-, 96-, or 384-channel fixed tip or disposable tip heads. Heads can be interchanged in a matter of seconds. The Bravo is designed to be used either standalone or as part of a robotic laboratory automation system. It is also designed to fit inside some models of laminar flow cabinets and retain laminar flow, thereby opening up cell-based plating and cellular assays to an automated liquid handling platform. Bravo Features
The Bravo has nine deck positions and can be configured with interchangeable 8-, 16-, 96-, or 384- fixed and disposable tip heads. The Bravo has nine deck positions and can be configured with interchangeable 8-, 16-, 96-, or 384- fixed and disposable tip heads. This technical note describes a method to meas-ure the accuracy and precision of the Bravo in Accuracy and Precision Testing conjunction with a 96 Channel ST Disposable Tip Head. The 10 L disposable tips were tested at the lower end of the practical volume range (0.3-2 L). Performance at volumes >2 L meets or exceeds the 2 L performance. Measurements are determined by dispensing a tartrazine/DMSO solution into dry microplates, filling the plates with water, and measuring tartrazine absorbance. The product’s performance meets or exceeds CVs of 5% and accuracy of ±10% of the desired volume across the practical volume range.

Summary Bravo, 96ST head, 10 L tips 0.3 L: 3.1% CV ±1.5% accuracy 0.5 L: 2.3% CV ±0.8% accuracy

Materials

Velocity11 Bravo with a 96 Channel ST Disposable Tip Head

2.0 L: 1.1% CV ±0.8% accuracy

Velocity11 384ST 10 L tips (product no. 10734.102) Velocity11 96-well manual fill reservoir (product no. 08105.001) 384-well polystyrene, flat bottom plates (Greiner 781101 )

>2 L: equal or better than 2

Tartrazine solution, 0.25% (w/v) dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO]

L CV and ac-curacy

UV/Vis Spectrophotometer with a 405 nm filter (Thermo
® Multiskan Ascent )