Problem: By design, peristaltic pumps use rollers fixed to a rotor to compress liquid-filled flexible tubing at regular intervals, forcing full volumes of fluid (based on the tubing diameter and distance between rollers) to be dispensed. At larger volumes, a high degree of precision and accuracy can be achieved, but at micro-volumes, cohesive forces in the liquid require most peristaltic pumps to dispense in fractions rather than full volumes, resulting in poor precision accuracy. Additionally, users are often limited by volume range, labware choice, or the need for frequent cumbersome calibrations.
Solution: The proprietary design of multiple cassettes provides full and reproducible volumes of liquid in a familiar peristaltic pump format. Complete dispensing flexibility, a high degree of precision and accuracy, and simple calibrations save time and reduce hassles.
The MicroFlo™ Select Dispenser was created by BioTek Instruments to provide a high degree of dispensing flexibility and accuracy in a compact unit. Liquid may be dispensed into microplates from 6- to 1536-well formats with a variety of plate heights, as well as microtubes and other tubes up to four inches tall. Three selectable cassette sizes (1 μL, 5 μL, 10 μL) dispense liquid in a wide volume range from 1 μL to 10 mL. The proprietary cassettes incorporate the appropriate tubing, tip properties, and accurate dispensing technology to deliver full and reproducible incremental volumes of liquid within its specified volume range, even after numerous autoclave cycles.
The cassettes can be autoclaved without time consuming and difficult calibrations and both the cassettes and tubing can be quickly and easily replaced as needed. Suitable for high throughput applications, the MicroFlo Select’s dispense height is automatically adjusted and up to eight reagents can be dispensed at one time with a low dead volume and without need for preconditioning.
A full range of flexibility is now united with accuracy and precision when bulk dispensing microvolumes with a peristaltic pump for optimal assay integrity. The MicroFlo Select Dispenser is both precise throughout a range of volumes and easy to operate with simple, low maintenance needs.
