FAQ
Does the D2 work with 96 and 384 deep well plates?
Yes. In fact the D2 works with any well count from 1 through to 1536 well plates.
How long it will take to dispense 400uL on a 96 deep well plate?
Approximately 293 seconds, however depending on the well bottom type and dispense pressure this could be reduced.
What is the expected %CV in dispensing 10uL across a 384 well plate using a syringe?
Better than 2%
What sizes of syringe are supported?
Currently 3ml, 5ml, 10ml, 60ml
How do I fit and use a syringe on the D2?
The syringe kit includes an adapter head for the syringe that allows a tube to be fitted which will supply compressed air to the top of the syringe. We recommend that you fit the other end of the air tube into the top of one of your bottle heads, just as if you where running with a bottle based system. This allows the compressed air to remain supplied to the bottle and also uses the bottle as a small reservoir which can help to ensure the air supply to the syringe is stable. The syringe kit is supplied with a small clear plastic luer-lock adapter which converts the syringe outlet ( the luer-lock) into a threaded connection that can be fitted to the D2 valve head. Just screw in the luer-lock to 1/4-28 adapter first and then fit the syringe into the luer-lock.
Does the D2 dispenser support fully automatic gravimetric calibration?
Yes, you can place a balance by the side of the D2 and position the valves so that they will dispense directly into a vessel on the balance. The D2’s software will talk to the balance via serial communications so that it can tare, dispense, read in a fully automated fashion. The process takes roughly 20 minutes per valve and will save you the trouble of moving the fluid vessel between the dispenser and your balance. It can also avoid human error involved in manually reading and typing in the weight values. To keep things simple we support a single balance model which is Mettler Toledo WKC204C 0.1mg weighing module. Speak to your local MT representative and request the following items:
- Weighing Module WKC204C (Manufacturer: Mettler Toledo, Product# 30248307)
- Y-Cable 12p 1.9m, for communications & power (Manufacturer: Mettler Toledo, Product# 30489564)
- Bench Power Supply XP/XS (Manufacturer: Mettler Toledo, Product# 11107909)
- DB9 Male RS232 to USB by DTech (can be found on Amazon)
For the best results ensure that the balance and dispenser are on a stable, level platform and away from air flow, doors or anything to cause fast evaporation.
Can I use a small pump with the D2 if I do not have a lab supply of CDA (compressed dry air)?
Ideally you want a very stable supply of compressed dry oil-free air to use with the D2 dispenser.
If your lab does not have a supply of CDA then you can use a small standalone pump as follows:- KNF LABOPORT N 96 - mini diaphragm pump
The following is the link to the PDF manual for the pump in multiple languages:- KNF pump manual
The pump air outlet is a NPT-1/8 style port so you will need a fitting to convert this outlet to the 6mm tube that the D2 dispenser uses. We suggest using SMC part KQ2H06-U01A which should be available from your local SMC representative.
How do I clean the valves?
The valves can be cleaned as “valves in” or “valves out” meaning that you can clean the valves in situ by changing the fluids in the bottles, or you can remove the valves and clean them in a separate cleaning station. Gyger provides two “valves out” cleaning options, the first option is a small manual single valve cleaning station and the second option is a multi valve, multi fluid, fully automated (walk away) cleaning station. Valves in situ cleaning:- this is the simplest and zero cost option which relies on flushing different cleaning fluids through the valves (without removing them from the D2) as follows:-
- Coulter Clenz ®
- Water
- Ethanol
- Water
- Fresh air (to dry the valve)
In addition, the valves can be removed and sonicated if required. We recommend placing the valves into a small centrifuge tube containing cleaning agent and then putting the tube into the sonication bath.