Tip handling
Picking up and dropping tips with a liquid handler.
In this guide a tip carrier with a filled tip rack is created. Tips are picked up and put back or discarded into the trash.
Prerequisites
- A switched on Microlab STAR device
- A tip carrier, standard tip rack, and standard tips
- A running Microlab STAR connector
- Basic understanding of how labware is used (See Importing standard labware)
Power On the System
Ensure that the Microlab STAR is powered on and ready for operation. Verify that the connector is running and connected to the UniteLabs platform.
from unitelabs.sdk import Client
from unitelabs.liquid_handling.hamilton import MicrolabSTAR
from unitelabs.inout import create_remote_connection
client = Client()
# Initialize the Hamilton Microlab STAR
hamilton = MicrolabSTAR(
transport_factory=create_remote_connection,
client=client,
name="Microlab STAR",
)
await hamilton.initialize()
Arrange the Deck
Arrange the deck layout using the components from the labware library. This guide uses a tip carrier with one tip rack filled with standard tips (300 μL) that we pick up and put back down with the channels.
from unitelabs.labware import Vector
from unitelabs.labware.hamilton import TIP_CAR_480_A00, StandardTip, StandardTipRack
tip_carrier = TIP_CAR_480_A00()
tip_rack = StandardTipRack(filled_with=StandardTip)
tip_carrier[0] = tip_rack
hamilton.deck.add(tip_carrier, track=7)
Pick Up Tips
Pick-up the tips from specific spots of a tip rack:
spots = tip_rack["A1":"E1"]
await hamilton.pipettes.pick_up_tips(channels=[0, 1, 2, 3], spots=spots)
The tip spot can also be accessed by index, so the first tip spot (tip_rack["A1"]) is equivalent to
tip_rack[0].
tip_rack[<position>].get()
will return either the tip or None.Put Down Tips
Put the tips back into the spots of the tip rack:
spots = tip_rack["A1":"E1"]
await hamilton.pipettes.put_down_tips(channels=[0, 1, 2, 3], spots=spots)
Discard Tips
To throw the tips away into the tip waste the trash location must first be identified. This location is stored in the configuration of the device and can vary between models.
await hamilton.pipettes.discard_tips(channels=[0, 1, 2, 3])