Major Components of the System
1-8 DSX™ System Service Manual
1.4.5 Wash Module
The well contents of a microplate are washed in the Wash Module (Figure 1-8). The wash
module is designed to wash all 8 wells in one column of an 8 x 12 microplate simultaneously.
The washing protocol can be defined to wash partially filled plates containing complete
columns.
Different user-defined wash protocols can be contained on the system. In addition, the system
can be configured with different plate types so that the wash head positions for each plate type
can be specified. The system can accommodate flat-bottom, C-bottom, U-bottom and V-
bottom types of microplates.
1.4.5.1. Wash Head
The Wash Head contains two sets of wash pins that are fixed to the wash head. The shorter
pins (the dispense pins) dispense fluid and the longer pins (the aspirate pins) aspirate fluid.
The aspirate pins and the dispense pins are closely spaced so that fluid can be aspirated
from and dispensed into wells at the same time. During operation, the wash head assembly
is lowered to insert the wash pins into the wells or raised to remove the wash pins from the
wells. Lowering the wash head assembly allows the well contents to be aspirated or a
bottom wash to be performed. Raising the wash head assembly allows the wash head to be
moved so another column can be washed or so the wells can be filled.
Wash Dispense/Aspirate
Head Pins
Plate
Drawer
Figure 1-8 Wash Module
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