Setting Xact Microarrayer for Microplate Printing.

 

In order to set the microarrayer for microplate printing it is necessary to replace the Slide Holder with the Microplate Holder (LabNEXT p/n 110) and change the software settings that describe geometry of the printing substrates. Lab Next plate holder for Xact microarrayer accommodates two microtiter plates so the number of substrates must be set to 2 substrates instead of 14 for slide printing. The size of substrates must be also altered to the size of the microtiter plates.

After setting parameters of the substrates it is necessary to specify the new <Slide Nest Origin> and the spacing between the plates <slideNextStepX>. Other reference points on the microarrayer work board (Plate Nest Origin, Dryer Origin, Washer Origin ) remain the same.

After performing the actions described above it will be possible to specify print jobs using the Job Wizard program.

 

Register a new configuration of the microarrayer.

 

-          Run ConfigureSystem program.

 

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- Click [Edit] button next to the <spotter> title in the “LabNext Equipment Configurator” dialog.

- In the opened “LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” dialog click on the [Save As] button.

 

 

- In the opened dialog “Choose an object (type Spotter)” type in the <Name chosen> field type: plate_spotter and press [Choose] button in the right side of the dialog window.

 

-Close the “LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” dialog window

- Get back to already opened “LabNext Equipment Configurator” dialog and click on the button next to the <spotter> string. In the opened drop-down list select <plate_spotter> entry.

- Press [Save] button in the low left corner of the “LabNext Equipment Configurator” dialog window.

 

 

 

- Click [Edit] button next to the <spotter> title in the “LabNext Equipment Configurator” dialog. This will open ‘LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” dialog. Please check if the the opened dialog refered to the plate_spotter. (<Spotter Name> string in the right panel should indicate plate_spotter).

 

 

-          Insert a pin into the far-left hole of the print head.

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- Install Microplates in the plate holders.

- Press [H] button in the center of the “Robot Controls” panel. Wait till robot performs homing operation.

- Using arrow buttons at the “Robot Controls” panel move the tip of the pin 1-2mm over the highest object on the work board and click on the [Register] button next to the <safeHight> string at the “Spotter parameters” panel.

- Press [Save] button in the bottom of the “LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” window.

- Press [Edit] button next to <workBoard> string in the right panel “Spotter parameters”. This will open the “WorkBoard Editor” window.

 

- In the “Work Board editor” window press [Save As] button.

- In the opened “Chose an Object (type WorkBoard)” dialog type plate_board in the <Name Chosen> field.

- Click on the [Choose] button in the left part of the dialog window.

 

 

- Return to the opened “LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” window.

- Click on the button next to the <workBoard> string. From the drop-down list select the plate_board entry.

- Click on the [Save] button at the bottom part of the “LabNext Personal Microarrayer Calibrator” window.

 

- Press [Edit] button next to <workBoard> string in the right panel “Spotter parameters”. This will open the “WorkBoard Editor” window.

- Please ensure that plate_board is indicated on the button next to <WorkBoard name> string at the very top of the “Work Board editor” window.

- Set <slideNestsX> = 2

- Set <slideNestsY> = 1

- Set <slideNestStepX> = 92.35

- Set <slideNestStepY> = 0

 

NOTE: slideNestStepX = 92.35 mm for plate holders manufactured by LabNEXT. In case of using self made holders please take a measurement in millimeters of the distance between the left edges of the microplates and use this measurement as a value for <slideNestStep> variable.

 

- Using manual controls move the pin to the upper-left corner of the upper-left well of the left microplate

- Press [Register] next to <slideNestOriginX> string

- Press [Register] next to <slideNestOriginY> string

- Remove the microplate from the holder and using the manual controls touch with the tip of the pin surface of the plate holder.

- Press [Register] next to <slideNestHeight> string

- Scroll to the bottom part of the “WorkBoard editor” window.

 

 

- Using robot manual controls move the pin tip 1-2 mm over the delivery plates.

- Press [Register] next to <overSlideNestHeight> string

- Click on the [Save] button at the bottom of the “WorkBoard editor” dialog.

- Close the “WorkBoard editor” dialog window.

 

 

 

- Please ensure that plate_spotter is indicated under the current configuration at the “LabNext Equipment Configurator”

- Close “LabNext Equipment Configurator” dialog window.

 

This ends the setting of the system configuration for microplate printing. After that configurations can be toggled between plate and slide printing just by changing the <spotter> parameter.

 

 

 

Setting Substrate Parameters and Creating a Print Job for Printing in a 96-well Microplate.

 

- Start JobWizard.

- At the Step 4 “Configure Pins in the Printing Head” please ensure that configuration used for printing with one pin.

 

- At the Step 5 “Choose the print pattern” click on the button next to <Substrate> string.

- In the opened dialog “Substrate Name” click at the [New] button and register a new substrate with the “96 well plate” name.

- Enter parameters of the plate as shown at the screenshot below.

 

 

-          Parameters entered above correspond to the standard 96-well microplates. In case of using non standard plates take the measurements as shown on the drawing below and use them for the settings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setting Sample Print Pattern

 

The sample print pattern specifies printing one spot in each well of the 96-well plate.  CLUSTER in the sample pattern contains only one spot <spotsInClusterX> = 1 and <spotsInClusterY> =1. More complex patterns can be derived from the sample pattern by changing parameters in the CLUSTER the same way it is done for printing microarrays on glass substrates.

- At the Step 5 “Choose the print pattern” click on the [Advanced] button.

 

 

- Set <arraysOnChipX> = 8 <arraysOnChipY> = 12. This corresponds to 96 wells. In each well the spotter will form identical array.

- Set <arrayStepX> = 9 and <arrayStepY> = 9. Those settings correspond to the spacing between wells of 96-well plates.

- Set <arrayOriginX>=0 and <arrayOriginY>=0. The spot with these settings will be printed in the corner of a quad inserted in the round well as show at the picture below.

 

Making values of the <arrayOriginX> and <arrayOriginY> positive will move the point towards center of the well to the left and higher correspondingly.

- FOOTPRINT and QUAD parameters are irrelevant since the printing is done with one pin.

- Save the sample pattern under the name of 1 spot in each well

- At the Step 6 “Define prespotting parameters” choose the same pattern as for printing 1 spot in each well and the same substrate 96 well plate

 

 

- At the Step 7 “Define the position of the slides” two substartes must be displayed on the print board. Choose one for prespotting and one for printing. Typically LabNEXT pins don’t require more than 1-2 prespotting hits. The “prespotting” plate therefore can be used for real printing.