Hamilton Automated Liquid Handling Guide
Everything You Need to Know about Liquid Handling Robots and Liquid Handling Components
This series of webpages (our Liquid Handling Guide) introduces the concept of liquid handling and explains the fundamentals of how to perform liquid handling on an automated liquid handler. It is great for both new learners, who need to understand liquid handling basics, as well as experienced liquid handlers, who can benefit from best practices and troubleshooting tips from our team of automated liquid handling experts.
Jump to Sections of the Liquid Handling Guide by Using The Links Below
What is liquid handling and how is it used?
Manual Pipetting vs. Semi-Automated vs. Automated Pipetting
Liquid Properties for Pipetting
5 Steps for Setting Up Automated Liquid Handling
Best Practices for Common Liquid Handling Activities
Measure Liquid Transfers
Simplify Instrument Service with Automatic XYZ Calibration
Tips to Accurately Pipette Volatile Liquids
The Importance of Z-axis Control for Accurate Pipetting
Using Pressure Data to Address Challenges of Automated Pipetting
10 Important Considerations for Accurate Automated Pipetting
Download this information and much more with the Liquid Handling Reference Guide.
A 36-page PDF about everything you need to know about Liquid Handling.
What is liquid handling and how is it used?
Liquid handling is the act of transferring liquid from one location to another in a laboratory, usually for testing purposes. Simple though it seems, liquid handling is important to laboratories around the world. Most testing involves checking countless, tiny samples of liquid for certain attributes. Samples can be smaller than 1 microliter (μL) and still help the lab detect chemicals, screen for diseases, and multiply DNA for further testing.
Manual Pipetting vs. Semi-Automated vs. Automated Pipetting
Both hand pipetting and automation can be used effectively in a lab that is managing liquid samples. The method to choose depends on the application. Click the link below to learn the key factors to help you decide which method is best for your application.
Liquid Properties for Pipetting
Liquids tested in labs are as varied as the industries they appear in—everything from sticky honey to a fast-flowing petroleum. Depending on what the lab needs to test, these varied liquid types can be transferred by either hand pipettors or Hamilton automated liquid handlers.
All liquid properties are affected to some degree by environmental conditions such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, etc. Click to read more about these conditions along with their influences.
5 Steps for Setting Up Automated Liquid Handling
The same general process applies when developing liquid handling methods across all labs, industries, and applications. Even though the details change, the liquids fundamentally need to be defined and optimized for use on the automated liquid handler.
Step 1: Understand the Properties of the Liquid
Step 2: Select a Predefined Liquid Class
Step 3: Run a Test and Visually Inspect Pipetting
Step 4: Optimize Parameters Until Pipetting Appears Acceptable
Step 5: Verify Volume and Adjust Correction Curve Accordingly
Measure Liquid Transfers
Once the liquid handling is complete, it’s valuable to be able to double check the automated liquid handler and make sure that the liquid was transferred at the correct volume. Liquids can be measured through a wide range of tests, from simple visual checks to more complex measurements that involve dyes or special scales. Explore some of the more complex methods by clicking the cards below.
Examples of Complex Measurements in Liquid Handling
Photometric Measurement
Fluorometric Measurement
Gravimetric Measurement
Combined Photometric and Gravimetric Measurement
Download this information and much more with the Liquid Handling Reference Guide.
A 36-page PDF about everything you need to know about Liquid Handling.
Simplify Instrument Service with Automatic XYZ Calibration
Accurate movements in the Z axis (vertical movement) are critical when dispensing from a set height or when using liquid-level detection to predict the volume in a well. By incorporating Hamilton's ZEUS Pipetting Channels with integrated Z-axis with closed loop-control and 0.1 mm resolution, you can automate the XYZ calibration of your automated liquid handler.
Tips to Accurately Pipette Volatile Liquids
When pipetting volatile liquids like isopropanol, acetone, ethanol, and chloroform, it is common to experience dripping of liquid from the pipette tip. When a vacuum is applied to volatile liquids they vaporize which increases the pressure in the pipette tip. The increased pressure pushes fluid out of the tip. Learn common techniques for avoiding drips and improving pipetting results.
The Importance of Z-axis Control for Accurate Pipetting
Common pipetting tasks like basic aspiration require multiple calculations to coordinate the pipette drive, Z-axis movement, capacitance, and pressure signals. Hamilton ZEUS pipetting channels bring all this functionality into an integrated aspirate command and maximizes an instrument’s walk-away time by predicting possible pipetting error states and providing meaningful error codes and recovery procedures.
Using Pressure Data to Address Challenges of Automated Pipetting
When manual pipetting, a lab technician can see whether or not a pipetting action was successful. But with automated pipetting, there is no user to visually see when the tip is not in the solution, the tip is clogged, or air has been aspirated. That’s why next-generation automated liquid handling instruments use integrated pressure sensors inside pipetting channels to allow the instrument to “see” when pipetting actions are successful or not.