Protedyne Announces Enhancements to the BioCube System
Protedyne Corporation, a leading lab automation provider, today announced new components for the BioCube System, the company’s sophisticated liquid, sample, and data handling automation platform.
Windsor, CT (PRWEB) January 28, 2005 -- Protedyne Corporation, a leading lab
automation provider, today announced new components for the BioCube System, the
company’s sophisticated liquid, sample, and data handling automation platform.
Newly available features of the BioCube System are:
Vision Positioning
System:
Protedyne's Vision Positioning System (VPS) employs advanced machine
vision technology to perform ultra-precise positioning by calibrating disposable
tips on the pipettor to the actual plate well centers. The VPS uses two cameras,
one to map positions of the tips on the pipettor and another to map plate
positioning. The robot arm is then adjusted in X, Y, and theta (rotation) to
position the tips precisely in the center of the wells. This makes pipetting
operations to 1536-well plates much more reliable while minimizing occurrences
of tip misses and plate lifting. The VPS also serves as a real-time quality
control system, analyzing tip insertion and flagging any tips that are out of
center position.
Scheduling Software:
Protedyne's "LILY-Schedule"
scheduling software employs a unique steady state optimization algorithm that
produces a production schedule regardless of the number of plates that will be
used for each run. This enables the user to choose schedules optimized for
either overall throughput or fastest turnaround time. LILY-Schedule schedules
interleaved batches of the same protocol as well as concurrent execution of
multiple protocols. It also coordinates the activities of multiple BioCube
System modules.
Plate Sealer:
The newly redesigned plate sealer
automatically adjusts for different height plates - anything from 384 PCR or low
profile sample plates up to deep well blocks. The plate sealer can be configured
with either a single or dual shuttle. The single shuttle returns the plate to
the same location within the BioCube System enclosure, while the dual shuttle
allows pass-through sealing before the plate is stored directly in the High
Capacity Stacking System.
Centrifuge:
The design of Protedyne's new
high performance, two-position centrifuge was inspired by the demand for a more
powerful, yet compact, unit that could easily be integrated with robotic
systems. This centrifuge is capable of over 6000 rpm (6000g RCF), enough force
to accommodate everything from quick “spin downs” to column extractions. Its
absolute-encoded servo-motor delivers precise, reliable control of acceleration,
velocity and positioning, as well as the ability to ramp up to full speed and
ramp down to a full stop in just a few seconds.
Plate Loader:
The
introduction of Protedyne's new Plate Loader option has expanded the BioCube
System’s capacity as well as the possibilities for 3rd party integration. With
its fast SCARA-style robot arm and SmartTool™ gripper, the Plate Loader option
allows multiple 3rd party instruments (between 3 and 8, depending on the
instruments) to be added to the BioCube System.
Tip Box and Microplate
Stacking System:
Protedyne has updated its Single Cassette Stacking System
(SCSS) and High Capacity Stacking System (HCSS.) Both stackers can now feed tip
boxes or plates interchangeably. The SCSS can hold tip boxes (up to sixteen
96-channel or twenty-five 384-channel) and up to sixty standard plates or ninety
384-well PCR plates. The HCSS is available in 6- or 16-cassette models, which
allows for walk-away capacities of up to 256 tip boxes (96-channel), 400 tip
boxes (384-channel), 960 standard plates, or 1440 PCR plates.
About
Protedyne:
Protedyne’s unique approach combines scientific and automation
expertise with industrial-quality automation and sophisticated data management.
The foundation of the company is the BioCube System platform, which brings
advanced industrial-automation capabilities into the life science laboratory in
a fast, flexible, and reliable package. The company can also provide contract
laboratory research services utilizing the BioCube System. Protedyne is
headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, USA. For more information call +1 (860)
683-1860 or visit Protedyne on the web at http://www.protedyne.com.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb202660.htm