BioMicroLab VC384

Yes. The SDK package lets you interact directly with your LIMS.

Yes, you can. You can send it to any drive on your PC. For network drives such as Google Drive, you need to make sure they’re accessible through your PC file output folders. These can then be swept by your LIMS system or whatever downstream process you need.

This depends on your liquid type and labware. You can think of it as the particular shape of labware causing differences in resolution. When setting the calibration curve, you should set it to the actual shape of your labware – at the bottom or low end. We’ve recorded 2 to 3 microliter differences in 384 well PCR plates. And that’s our typical resolution at the low end. For 96 PCR plates, you’ll see somewhere around 5 to 7 microliter differences on 96 PCR plates. We keep data on many labware types – let us know if you would like to know more.

This depends on your workflow. If speed is important, you don’t want to rely on capacitance or pressure because your verification will take place at the time of the liquid handling step. Similarly, if you’re using multiple liquid handlers, they would all need to have capacitance or pressure monitoring systems. In contrast, ultrasound or visual verification can take place after the fact and be a cumulative reading or take place after each stage. We have evidence that ultrasound has higher accuracy and consistency, but it can depend on the use case.

All standard tube formats in SBS can be used in the VC384. Configuring your labware in the calibration – the distance between the spaces and the wells – allows you to accommodate many different types of tubes, even if they’re not in a traditional SBS format. If you are interested in a non-SBS format tube, feel free to contact us to see if it is compatible.

You can use machined racks in SBS format for different tube types, such as Sarstedt. But there is a maximum height that needs to be considered. If it’s labware that we’ve tested before, we can let you know. If you’re using labware that’s uncommon, it may just require a specific rack to be machined so it fits.

Yes. You can check larger plate formats such as 48 and 24 as well as larger tube formats. As long as you can get them to fit the SBS format and they’re under the maximum height, the VC384 is able to read it.

You calibrate the volume check by putting a known volume into your wells in advance. The VC384 then sends an ultrasonic signal to bounce off the meniscus and take the measurement. For example, at 40 millimeters of distance measured, the VC384 knows that it’s at 50 microliters of volume – depending on the labware you’re using.

Calibration files only need to be created once for each labware and liquid type that you’re using. The exception is after factory maintenance, when you will need to rerun your calibrations – but it should just be once per liquid and labware type.

We recommend annual maintenance of the system – just preventive maintenance services. That’s the only time when you would need to recalibrate the system.

From the volumes in the output file, you can see an error if it deviates from the expected volume. You can then check where that fits in a single liquid handling step, perhaps before mixes are involved or multiple other liquid handling steps. You could plug the data into your LIMS or a work list to correct that volume using the expected dispense volume from your original liquid handler and the given volume from the volume check readout. If you’re using multiple liquid handling steps, it can be difficult to tell which step was at fault unless you’re using dyes to identify. But there are ways to correct volume errors in a given workflow context

The VC384 requires a flat meniscus. If the meniscus is at a slant, the soundwave will bounce off and give an incorrect echo reading because it will measure a larger distance and give a lower volume reading.

The ideal is a perpendicular 90-degree. There can be a small amount of variance, which is why we recommend you spin down plates to keep the meniscus flat before using the volume check system.

Currently, we haven’t tested frozen specimens, but we’re planning to do so soon.