50 | Chapter 3: Operation
Define the Plate Type and Plate Map (or Partial Plate)
Washing and dispensing to a part of the plate is limited by the foot print of the
hardware. When washing 384-well plates, you can choose the sectors to be
processed or skipped. This requires defining a “plate map.” By default, the whole
plate is processed.
Quick Wash
l When defining a quick routine, select Plate with the Soft-key to set the plate
type, and to define the plate map.
Protocols: Wash and Dispense
l When creating or editing a protocol (Define mode), set the Plate Type after
naming the protocol. Use the Next or Previous button to scroll through the
options.
l To define the plate map:
o
Wash step: select OPTS > FORM. First choose the processing mode Sector or
Plate (described below). Then, proceed to the plate map screen.
To change the plate type:
l DEFINE mode: When defining a protocol, press Next or Previous to specify the plate
type.
g g g g
—
Sector: 01 . . 04 386
l
The two-line display changes to show a representation of the current plate type’s
sectors in the top line, with each sector as a filled or empty square; empty
sectors will not be washed. Press the Options button to toggle the sector to filled
or empty.
Press the Clear button once to empty all the columns. Press it again to fill all the columns.
This is useful when you want to dispense to only a couple columns.
To change the plate map (selected columns):
1. When defining a protocol, press Enter until the plate map screen is shown.
2. 34 Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the column/sector you want to
change. The cursor underlines the currently selected column and its number is
shown in the display. (In the top example, column 2 is currently selected.)
405™ Microplate Washer LS