PiDiOne - FAQ



Instrument Features Applications Software Options Specifications Flyer FAQ Contact	Frequently Asked Questions Answers to potential questions from customers have been categorized into major groups, then further classified as detailed below: Purchase Cost How much does the instrument cost? What does this cost include? What is not included in this cost? Delivery Is delivery included in the cost, or is this extra? How much extra? What is the delivery time? Installation Will a technician perform installation of the instrument? Warranty Is there a warranty? How long is it for? What does it cover? Options Is it possible to keep my samples cool throughout the experiment? What about heating? What options are available? Training and Support Training Are any training courses available? Support What support is available if I have trouble using the instrument? Can I get help online? Is the manual available online? Applications and Software Applications What sort of applications are typically suited to PiDiOne™? Software Is the software easy to use? How flexible is the software? Can I design my own micro-array patterns? If we were to purchase an instrument, there would be multiple users. Is there an easy way to keep the work of all users separate? Accuracy and Reproducibility Positioning accuracy How can I ensure my arrays are correctly positioned on the substrate? How dense am I able to print my arrays? How precise is PiDiOne™’s positioning system? What does scalable accuracy mean? Spot recovery Can missed spots be recovered? Can missed spots be automatically detected? Reproducibility How reproducible is the size and shape of the sample spots? Liquid Handling Dispensing What is the advantage of a non-contact system? How do I know that the droplet is correctly aligned? Does the instrument come supplied with dispensing devices? How many? Where do I purchase extra dispensing devices form? Are the dispensing devices easy to replace? Can a customer replace the device or is a technician required? System liquid What solution should be used for system liquid? How do I know when I need to replace the system liquid? Wash stations Can I decide what solutions I want in both of the wash stations? Contamination How does PiDiOne™ minimalize the possibility of cross-contamination between samples? How is cross-contamination between micro-dispensing devices minimalized during washing procedures? Specifications Capacity What is the source plate capacity? What is the substrate capacity? Can PiDiOne™ be used for high throughput operations? What are the minimum and maximum volumes that can be aspirated or dispensed? Dimensions What are the instrument dimensions? How much space will the instrument occupy in the laboratory? Environmental requirements Is it necessary to have a clean room environment? Is controlled temperature required ? Is controlled humidity required? Compatible solutions What sample solutions are compatible for use with PiDiOne™? What concentration of protein samples can I dispense using PiDiOne™? Substrates What types of substrates can I use with PiDiOne™? I am using non-standard sized substrates, does you instrument support these? How are the substrates held in place on the platform? Can I dispense to different substrate types from one source plate? Purchase Cost How much does the instrument cost? 120 000€ What does this cost include? Working platform, control module, PC, monitor, high precision robotic movement system, liquid handling system, print-head (supplied with 4 micro-dispensing devices), overhead camera system, 12 x substrate holders (type specified by the customer), delivery costs and installation (within Germany), a user manual, ongoing technical support and a 24 month warranty. What is not included in this cost? Additional dispensing device/s, delivery costs and installation (outside of Germany), personalized training courses, any optional extras selected by the customer. Delivery Is delivery included in the cost, or is this extra? How much extra? Delivery costs are included in the instrument price for sales within Germany. However, outside Germany delivery cost is dependant on location, and has not been factored into the price, thus is an additional cost. The exact price will be negotiated on purchase. What is the delivery time? Delivery time is dependant on location, normally taking place within 3 months of the sale. We will endeavor to have the instrument delivered to you and ready to use in the shortest possible time. Installation Will a technician perform installation of the instrument? Yes. Installation will be performed by an experienced technician on delivery. Installation costs are included in the cost of the instrument for sales within Germany, however an additional cost will applied for sales outside Germany. Warranty Is there a warranty? How long is it for? What does it cover? Yes, PiDiOne™ includes a 24 month (2 year) warranty, covering all mechanical and electrical components (consumables not included). This warranty can be extended for an additional cost. Options Is it possible to keep my samples cool throughout the experiment? What about heating? Yes. Platform temperature control (cooling and/or heating modules for source plate and/or substrate trays) are available as an option. What options are available? Platform temperature control (cooling and/or heating modules are available for source plate and/or substrate trays System liquid control module (monitors system liquid consumption and alerts user when attention is required) SMS notification (to inform user of experiment run status) Remote video monitoring (a surveillance system allowing visualization of the instrument from a remote location) Air humidifier (for assistance in the creation of an optimal operation environment Vertical laminar flow enclosure (for reducing contamination possibilities) Training and Support Training Are any training courses available? Personalized training is available at an additional cost to the customer. Training is available at any time (not only upon initial purchase); and can be tailored to suit customer needs. Please contact us for more information. Support What support is available if I have trouble using the instrument? There are a number of options available to all PiDiOne™ customers. Every instrument sold comes with a comprehensive user manual, which should answer the majority of your questions. Technical support is also available via email (support@pidione.com), or additionally you can contact us any time and speak to technical support personally (see the contact details in the back of your user manual). Can I get help online? Yes, technical support is available via email – simply send your query to support@pidione.com. Is the manual available online? Currently the user manual is not available online, however if there is sufficient customer demand this may be implemented in the future. Applications and Software Applications What sort of applications are typically suited to PiDiOne™? To cater for the ever-developing nature of the biotechnology industry, PiDiOne™ has been designed to be highly flexible and thus suitable for a broad range of applications including (but not limited to): - Generating microarrays of a diverse range of biological samples (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, cell-based solutions, buffers, etc…) - MALDI-MS applications (sample preparation, conditioning, etc…) - Low volume applications for rare or precious samples (enzyme addition, sample labeling, reagent mixing, etc…) - Screening assays or other micro-array based analyses - Accurate dilution series, etc… Software Is the software easy to use? Yes. PiDiOne™ is controlled by comprehensive yet simple, easy-to-use software, making experiment set-up effortless. The software is largely image-based, reflecting the instrument layout and providing a self-explanatory, systematic work-flow to create an experiment. How flexible is the software? PiDiOne™ is driven by specially designed software, flexible enough to cater for a broad range of applications, yet able to meet individual specific needs, whether it be creating customized wash procedures or personalized array layouts. Can I design my own micro-array patterns? Yes. The software is very flexible – you can design not only the size and shape of the array, but where it is positioned on the target. The mapping of the samples (distribution of samples from the source plate to the substrate) is assigned by the user during experiment set-up. If we were to purchase an instrument, there would be multiple users. Is there an easy way to keep the work of all users separate? Yes. Password protected user profiles can be created, separating the work of multiple users and providing clear, uncomplicated structure for each user. Accuracy and Reproducibility Positioning accuracy How can I ensure my arrays are correctly positioned on the substrate? This is all automated – PiDiOne™ features automated substrate recognition and alignment, for the accurate placement of samples without the need for user input. How dense am I able to print my arrays? This is strongly dependant on the properties of your sample solution and also the type of substrate. It is not limited by the software, which will allow as small as 1µm between features. How precise is PiDiOne™’s positioning system? The motion system has scalable accuracy: - XY motion to < 5 µm - Z motion to < 10 µm What does scalable accuracy mean? Scalable accuracy means that the positioning resolution of the instrument will vary according to the speed of the movement system. For maximum positioning resolution the movement system is reduced to a percentage of maximum speed (user controlled). If the user increases speed (for example to perform a high throughput operation), the positioning resolution will be compromised in proportion with the increase in speed. Spot recovery Can missed spots be recovered? Missed spots can be recovered by creating a corrective experiment including only the missing spot/s. This is easy to do using the ‘duplicate’ feature in the PiDiOne™ software and removing information relating to the correctly dispensed samples. Can missed spots be automatically detected? As a result of variable substrate surfaces, automated detection of missed spots is difficult. Currently this feature is not available, however could be investigated further with sufficient customer interest and suitable substrate surfaces coupled with visible sample spots (spots showing good contrast and detectable using the overhead camera). Reproducibility How reproducible is the size and shape of the sample spots? Reproducibility of spot size and spot shape is strongly dependant on the properties of the sample solution and also the type of substrate. Liquid Handling Dispensing What is the advantage of a non-contact system? In a non-contact system the dispensing device never touches the substrate, significantly reducing the possibility of contamination and also resulting in less ‘wear and tear’, prolonging the life-span of the dispensing device. When going from one substrate to the next, a non-contact system requires no washing, greatly improving the speed of the instrument. In addition to this, the risk of disrupting the substrate surface is eliminated, opening the door for the use of a wide range of delicate and custom designed substrates. How do I know that the droplet is correctly aligned? An automated droplet analysis and correction system (3DDD™ ( 3 Dimensional Droplet Detection)) allows for the precision control of all dispensing operations. The system utilizes two perpendicularly aligned cameras, enabling true 3-dimensional analysis of droplet trajectory. Hence droplet alignment can be adjusted to ensure a precise, accurate array. Does the instrument come supplied with dispensing devices? How many? Yes, the instrument comes supplied with four dispensing devices. More devices can be supplied at an additional cost. Where do I purchase extra dispensing devices form? Extra dispensing devices can be purchased through Luigs & Neumann. Please refer to the contact details listed in the back of your user manual or go to: www.pidione.com Are the dispensing devices easy to replace? Can a customer replace the device or is a technician required? Yes, device replacement is a simple procedure which can be easily performed by the customer. Simply follow the instructions provided in the user manual. System liquid What solution should be used for system liquid? System liquid is HPLC grade water (or equivalent), and should be filtered to 0.2 µm. It is important that the system liquid contains no air bubbles and hence should be degassed regularly to ensure reliable dispenser operation. How do I know when I need to replace the system liquid? A system liquid control module is available as an option which monitors system liquid consumption and alerts the user when attention is required. Wash stations Can I decide what solutions I want in both of the wash stations? Yes. Generally one wash station will use de-ionized water (free of particulates); the other station can be supplied with a solution appropriate to the sample type. Contamination How does PiDiOne™ minimalize the possibility of cross-contamination between samples? Wash procedures are a standard part of every experiment and are implemented between the dispensing of every sample. Wash procedures are user-defined, thus providing the customer with the flexibility to create sample-specific wash procedures, ensuring cross-contamination is not a problem. Three basic components work together to ensure the cleanliness of the micro-dispensing device. These are: - Flushing the inside of the capillary with a strong flow - A separate flow (from below) is used to wash outer surfaces - Ultrasonication (high frequency vibrations assist in the wash process) How is cross-contamination between micro-dispensing devices minimalized during washing procedures? Each wash station consists of two compartments – the front compartment is for the dispensing of waste whilst the rear compartment is separated into eight individual sections (one for each dispensing device), eliminating the possibility of cross-contamination during rinsing of the outer surface of the device. Specifications Capacity What is the source plate capacity? PiDiOne™ features two source plate trays, both accepting an MTP-sized substrate (96 or 384-well microtitre plate). However, note that the number of source plates that can be used in an experiment is not limited by physical capacity. The software accepts more than two source plates, the user is prompted to change plates as required during the experiment run. What is the substrate capacity? The PiDiOne™ platform features twelve MTP-sized substrate trays (or equivalently 48 slides), offering a capacity well-suited to high throughput operations. Can PiDiOne™ be used for high throughput operations? Yes. PiDiOne™ is capable of handling a large number of samples quickly and efficiently. Up to 8 micro-dispensing devices can be mounted in the print-head. The stage has capacity for two source plate trays and 12 MTP-sized substrates (or equivalently 48 slides). A reagent/buffer station, droplet detection station and two wash stations are also available. What are the minimum and maximum volumes that can be aspirated or dispensed? The minimum volume for aspiration is 1µL. However note that for some solutions (for example, those with high salt content) dilution via osmosis is likely to occur at the system liquid/sample interface. Thus when aspirating very small sample volumes (such as 1µL), it is recommended to first aspirate a volume of buffer to ‘protect’ the sample from being diluted. The minimum volume that can be dispensed is a single droplet, approximately equivalent to 100pL. There is no limit to the maximum volume that can be aspirated or dispensed, however it is recommended that no more than 50µL is aspirated at any one time, as any volume greater than this will contact the fittings and tubing leading back to the liquid handling system, risking cross-contamination. Dimensions What are the instrument dimensions? The instrument itself (working platform): - Height = 35 cm - Width = 100 cm - Depth = 65 cm How much space will the instrument occupy in the laboratory? The total working area (including PC, monitor, liquid handling system and working platform): - Height = 80 cm - Width = 150 cm - Depth = 65 cm Environmental requirements Is it necessary to have a clean room environment? No, a clean room environment is not necessary, however a vertical laminar flow enclosure is recommended and is available as an optional extra. Is controlled temperature required ? Controlled temperature is not necessary, but recommended for best results. Platform temperature control (heating and/or cooling modules for source plate and/or substrate trays) is available as an optional extra to assist in maintaining sample integrity. Is controlled humidity required? A controlled relative humidity of 30% – 40% is recommended for best results. An air humidifier is available as an optional extra. Compatible solutions What sample solutions are compatible for use with PiDiOne™? PiDiOne™ is suitable for use with a wide variety of solutions, including many proteins, nucleic acids, buffers and other solutions. Solutions containing particulates are not suitable (unless these can be filtered prior to introduction to the system). What concentration of protein samples can I dispense using PiDiOne™? This is very solution specific - the upper concentration limit for the dispensing of protein solutions will vary, dependant on both protein type and the buffer solution it is suspended in. Substrates What types of substrates can I use with PiDiOne™? Multiple substrate formats are supported including MTP-sized substrates (such as 384 or 96 well microtitre plates and MALDI-MS target plates) which can be fitted directly to the substrate trays on the platform. Non-MTP sized targets such as slides (various formats), porous or non-porous substrates and custom designed substrates (for example, membrane-coated or gel-based substrates, etc…) utilize substrate holders to correctly position the substrates. I am using non-standard sized substrates, does you instrument support these? Yes, customers are able to purchase a variety of substrate holders to suit their needs. If you have an unusual sized substrate we would be pleased to design a customized substrate tray for you. How are the substrates held in place on the platform? The PiDiOne™ platform design utilizes a unique positioning system, holding the substrates perfectly in place, allowing for easy insertion and removal, without unnecessary force. Can I dispense to different substrate types from one source plate? Within one experiment, all substrates must be of the same type. However, it is fast and easy to create multiple experiments from the one source plate and run these experiments consecutively.