Components

AIR FILTER

We all try to avoid contamination in our labs, within our experiments and processes. M2-Automation brings a solution — Clean Air Filtration System. With its presence we canbe sure, that particle contamination will be a thing of the past. Clean air and optimal testing and production conditions will prevail! The HEPA flow-through air filtration system eliminates particles in air, e.g. dust. These unwelcome particles in the air, within a closed testing environment, can be a critical contamination source in liquid handling process, e.g. during the production of biochips. A large HEPA filter is used as the last filter element, and the HEPA is usually combined with an enclosed M2 automation instrument.

CLIMATE CONTROL

If you need a tight control loop between the temperature, humidity, cooling and dew point of system components, this first-class climate control software module from M2-Automation is the best option. It is designed to help you to control the variables by taking care of set points on your behalf. Additionally, it saves time stamped climate data in an Excel-readable format, making results easy to access, without the need for any additional special software. It enables the control, improves your process by allowing you to bypass potential problematic environmental reactions that could affect your data results. The unique humidity overshot control guarantees a very constant level of humidity, which combats the formation of relatively large microdroplets that are usually generated by nebulizer operating systems. The ultra-small proprietary M2 humidity and temperature sensor reads the current conditions and is source for a perfect control.

COUPLER

An electronic interface that detects electrical either TTL or short cut input signals (which signal is set by a jumper) send from an instrument or device. Detection of the corresponding input signal generates a 24 V output signal that can be used to trigger action of a second or more instruments or devices. LCC02 is an electrical low level communication interface supported by many laboratory instruments (e.g., HPLC systems), which can be used wherever it is required to trigger an action by a simple shortcut or TTL signal sent by an external.

CRYOSTAT

M2-Automation’s Cryostat is designed for cooling source vials, MTPs and target substrates such as chips, slides or sample supports. The temperature is adjustable, with possibility to be regulated, supply pump is integrated. There is possibility to choose a cooling version or cooling and heating version, cooling liquid is provided as a part of the package.

The cooled liquid is pumped through cooling units that are mounted on the work platform of the instrument. A popular accessory combination for the cryostat includes M2-Automation CCSM (Climate Control Software Module), a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. This trio of components enables the Cryostat to control the dew point for source cavities.

CUSTOM TRAY SYSTEM (MAGNETIC)

The Custom Tray System is a quickly interchangeable tray system with magnetic locking, plus sensor system for perfect positioning of the tray. The Tray system is customized to customers targets for a favourite alignment of those targets within the M2-Automation Technology.

DISPENSE CONTROLLER

The Micro Dispense Controller (MDC) is suitable for use with all micro-dispensers offered by M2-Automation, all necessary electronic and pneumatic components are incuded. The MDC controls the liquid handling solutions across all of M2 product lines. It provides accurate regulation and adjustment of pressure supply, precise generation and amplification of signals, and it includes electrical input and output ports for the use of external hardware.

DISTANCE SENSOR

High precision distance measurement on all types of surfaces. The confocal chromatic measuring principle enables high precision displacement and distance measurements even on diffuse and reflecting surfaces. Very small objects can be detected due to the small measurement spot size. The axial beam path avoids shadowing effects, enabling measurements even in sleeves and recesses. The sensor generates the smallest of light spots 

HEATER

M2-Automation offers a number of heating devices to service the needs of the customers and in order to enhance their value and accuracy, the heater i804 Temperature Controller was designed. It is an electronic controller for heating devices, which contains one or more temperature sensors and one or more heating elements. The i804 Temperature Controller heats up the target substrate holders such as slides, TXRF sample discs and microdispensers. It reads the current temperature and turns the heating element on or off accordingly, allowing the set target temperature to be reached and maintained, with a maximum deviation of less than 0.5°C. The employed regulation algorithm has been optimized for this task and can be calibrated for each heatable device. The optional temperature control significantly improves the dispense volume accuracy.

HOUSING

The safe environmental enclosure accommodates X,Y,Z-stage system, and is able to house all the additional available components, as well as a microdispenser controller. The enclosure provides the safe environment needed to achieve uncontaminated and reliable results. The housing serves as a dust and light protection, making possible to safely operate kinematic components without fear of environmental factors affecting the outcome of your tests and experiments. It's design reflects many years of experience and understanding of necessary environmental conditions for accurate testing, which M2-Automation has perfected over the last 15 years of its automation solution development history. 

HUMIDITY

When automated active regulation of the relative humidity in a small room or cabinet is essential, M2-Automation’s humidifiers with superior proprietary humidity sensors will provide exactly what you need. The latest humidifiers can guarantee 99,9% germ-free environment and together with a temerature control and DEW point regulated humidity control there is enabled cv of <= 1% variation.The active regulation of relative humidity can be imperative during an experiment or process, for example the handling of cell cultures and suspensions, generation of microarrays or the minimization of water evaporation during long spotting experiments.

IMAGING SYSTEM 2D

The IMBA (Imaging Basic) from M2-Automation is a 2D imaging hardware tool for non-contact liquid handling within the picolitre (pL) and nanolitre (nL) volume ranges. The 2D Droplet Detection software module is designed to monitor and analyse droplet formation before and after spotting. This is an invaluable function for  establishing optimal dispensing parameters for each sample on a fully automated run. The imaging software provides automatic quality control of the droplet ejection process during a spotting run. This process is typically performed after each sample aspiration step. Specific actions can be triggered if there is a failure of function, e.g. when no droplet is detected, when there is a deviation in the determined droplet volume, flight velocity in the X direction, or the flight path falls outside acceptance limits specified by the user.

IMAGING SYSTEM 3D

The 3D Droplet Detection soft module from M2 is the advanced version of the 2D Imaging System, the system is equipped with an additional droplet camera that enables 3D data gathering. 3D improves real time droplet flight path detection due to forecasting where the droplet hits the point coordinates. This forecast can be applied for an XY coordinate correction of the target substrate and, therefore, results in accurate sample deposition and perfect feature alignment. With this software module, bad feature alignment and crooked microarrays will become a thing of the past. The software inables automatic 3D optical detection of droplet ejection, analysis of droplet volume, velocity and flight path in X and Y direction during spotting run.

INLINE DEGASSER

Small air bubbles generated by spontaneous degassing of dissolved gases in liquids can cause negative effects in non-contact liquid handling, e.g. distortions of the liquid flight path, random volume errors or complete loss of the function. This issue can be solved by inline degassing. Aside from being totally effective in degassing, it’s also easy to use and built to last. Inline degassers are used for inline removal of dissolved gases from liquids, the degasser includes two degassing chambers connected to a 3-way selection valve. This allows the use and automatic selection of two system liquids (e.g. water and isopropanol) to be degassed in parallel, which makes it possible to automate regular service and maintenance tasks such as cleaning and chemical sterilization. If an air bubble were to migrate into the dispense chamber of a piezo-driven microdispenser, it could cause complete loss of function. This can be avoided with the M2-Automation Inline Degasser, if the system liquid is degassed inline right after it has left the storage bottle or vial.

IONIZER

M2’s Ionizer is a device for the removal of electrostatic charges. Such charges can generate strong local electrical fields while residing on non-conductive surfaces such as MTPs, plastic slides and lab-on-a-chip devices. With plastic substrates and MTPs in particular, this interference can completely ruin dispensing and spotting results. The ejected droplets can become electrostatically charged and if they are very small the local charges can significantly change the flight path of the droplets and they wouldn't be able to reach their target position.

* The ions produced are harmless for humans. Healthy air contains many ionized air molecules.

The device is mounted above the work platform of the instrument. When switched on, it ionizes air molecules entering it (O2 and N2) with a typical alternating polarity of 50 Hz. As a result, a stream of positively and negatively charged ions reaches the work platform and neutralizes the charges. To increase that stream, and thereby the effect, air can be actively pumped through the device. For this purpose, a small adjustable membrane pump is available upon request. A power supply and connection cable for the ionizer are included in the package.

LIQUID PATH

Is air bubble formation causing problems in your dispensing process? The Liquid Path Air-free is the solutionfor an effective means of avoiding problems caused by spontaneous degassing of dissolved air. Liquid Path Air-free includes all tubing, ferrules and special fittings for connecting the installed microdispenser directly to the supply bottle. It can first be connected to a liquid degassing unit and/or syringe pump, should that be necessary, and connection tubing for a self-regulating negative pressure supply unit is included. The Liquid Path Air-free tubing is guided through a second pneumatic tubing that includes a T-connector, which is connected to a self-regulating negative pressure supply unit. This tubing-within-tubing connection works as an impenetrable barrier. It embeds the liquid supply tubing in a negative pressure environment (vacuum), and stops the air from the room diffusing into the liquid through the wall of the tubing.

OPTICAL DENSITY SYSTEM

The Optical Density chamber designed for on-the-fly measurements of OD during filling of vials with emulsions of beads and for QC purposes is logging the achieved measurements. 

PIERCER

Sealing the wells of an MTP is an efficient means to prevent solvent loss by evaporation or sublimation during storage, but when a well needs to be opened efficiently and safely, without other wells being affected, a piercer is needed. The Piercer from M2-Automation is designed for that purpose. It can automatically pierce the sealing foil of an individual well, allowing access to its content while all unpierced wells remain sealed.

* This package includes a head-mounted piercing tool and a motor driven axis that moves it up and down via motor controller.

The piercing of the MTPs is performed by a conically shaped stainless steel tip positioned above the well, and then moved downward until it has penetrated the sealing foil, just before sample uptake.

PNEUMATIC UNIT

This adjustable and regulated positive pressure supply unit can provide a positive pressure of up to 1000 mbar, which can be regulated down to +/- 1 mbar (adjustable hysteresis). The pressure is adjustable from 10-1000 mbar. The pressure level is displayed on the front side of the device, while the pneumatic and electronic connections are located on the rear side. All units include a membrane pump, a pressure pilot valve, a pressure sensor and electronic components for precise pressure regulation. The units manage generation and precise regulation of a positive pressure difference in a chamber, bottle or vial. A typical application of this device would be the provision of a constant driving force for liquid transportation in non-contact liquid handling.

POWER SOCKET

Experiments can be tricky, and often require quite a bit of equipment, which is why M2-Automation designed the POW01 to streamline your power supply set-up and to save on space. It has one switchable 24 V DC input and four switchable 24 V DC output ports, which are all located at the rear side. The status of each port (on or off) is indicated by a blue LED on the front side. POW01 is most useful when between two and four additional devices require 24 V DC power supply. Therefore, instead of supplying each device with a separate power supply, the power of one 24 V DC supply can be distributed between four devices.

PUMP UNIT

A dual channel pump unit, which includes two membrane pumps, a smaller and a larger one. The flow rate of both pumps is adjustable by internal potentiometers. The liquid and electronic connection ports are located on the rear side. The activity of the pump is indicated by a blue status LED on the front side.

SOFTWARE

The operational InDot software is the core, user friendly software for all M2-Automation instruments. It is a result of more than 15 years experience in microdispensing and arraying software development. In order to meet specific and individual needs for creation of customized procedures and personalized array layouts, InDot is both comprehensive in functions and simple to use. The software guides the user easily through all features such as target layout, array formatting, QC at the final dispensing result and all necessary liquid handling. The substrate, source, wash and run-designer assist with designing an automated run intuitive. The main window reflects the system status and run configuration.

SOURCE

A holder with flow through cooling option for small vials, tubes and 8-well strips that fits into the source vial positions of instrumentONE and TWO. The holder must be connected with a cryostat for cooling. Support and cooling of small vials, tubes and 8-well strips as source and/or reagent vials during dispensing runs with an M2-Automation liquid handling solution.

SYRINGE PUMP

The Syringe Pump from M2-Automation is a multifunctional tool which guarantees the accurate and thorough performance. The syringe is linear, motor driven and chemically inert device, with a 3-channel ceramic valve and an integrated bypass function. The inlet and outlet ports are directly connected and the default syringe volume is 100 µL, with a resolution of 0.1 µL. The main functions of the M2 Syringe Pump are: the aspiration and dispensing of sample liquids or cleaning and coating reagents; washing of the dispenser tip and resuspension of sample sediments, living cells and other particles. The valve position of the syringe pump can be used to block the flow path to the system liquid bottle, e.g. when no microdispenser is installed due to exchange or maintenance, or when a PDMD is treated with coating solution and no liquid is flowing into the dispenser. To utilise this feature, the syringe has to be connected to the outlet port of the valve.

TARGET

The Target holders with all M2-Automation instruments are versatile for any applicable target - glass-slides, MTPs, cover-slides, CMOS, sensors, wavers, microfluidics, customized targets, etc. under cooled- or heated conditions.

WASH STATION

The WASH is built for the external washing of an installed microdispenser tip during an automated liquid handling programme (wash programme), the wash station provides the perfect environment for manual or automated inspection and tuning of the droplet generation (ejection) process. Wash procedures are a standard part of every experiment and are implemented between the dispensing of every sample. Throughout such a procedure, flexibility is the key. One example of this flexibility is the user-defined procedures that allow you to create sample-specific wash procedures to ensure that cross-contamination is never a problem. Another example is the multiple options for wash solutions that allow to tailor the wash to specific project needs. The WASH comprises all hardware components necessary for the implementation and operation of a wash station. A pump unit is tailored chosen acording the specific needs. The station itself is mounted on the base plate of the instrument and includes a supply line for the washing liquid, a wasteline, all necessary tubing, containers and connectors. There is available Chemical Compatibility Manual, to help in choosing the safest and most effective wash solution.