Software Manual Freedom EVOware Standard 2.3 Freedom ...

D - Glossary
Glossary of Terms and Instrument Options
Clot detection
Two different technologies are available for the Freedom EVO pipetting
instrument series to detect clots which have been aspirated by the pipetting
tips: capacitive and pressure-based. The capacitive method is always
available and the pressure-based method is optional.
With capacitive clot detection, a message is output if the difference between
the liquid levels measured before and after sample aspiration does not
correspond to the calculated level difference, indicating that clots are attached
to the tip. Capacitive clot detection is only available if capacitive liquid level
detection has been activated in the liquid class.
Capacitive liquid level detection (cLLD) works in both directions, i.e. when the
tip is moved into a liquid and when it is retracted again. This allows detection
of aspirated clots, e.g. blood clots. The software stores the height at which the
tip enters the liquid. The volume aspirated and the container or tube diameter
are known. The software can then calculate the height at which the tip should
leave the liquid again when it is retracted. If the exit height is too high, it can
be assumed that a clot is hanging from the tip. See also 10.2.1 “LiHa Aspirate
Parameters (Fixed Tips and DiTis)”, 10-7, Use exit signal detection.
With pressure-based clot detection, a message is output if abnormal
presssure values are detected in the pipetting tip when aspirating, indicating
the presence of a clot or tip blockage. Pressure-based clot detection requires
the → Pressure Monitored Pipetting (PMP) hardware option. PMP is only
available for LiHa DITI tips.
Compartment (of well)
Some special labware types (e.g. for protein crystallography) have wells with
several compartments (cavities). Freedom EVOware can pipette a different
liquid into each of the compartments. Each well typically has one main
compartment and one or more satellite compartments which are directly
adjacent and are often smaller in size.
Columbus washer
The Columbus Washer is used for stripwise washing of 96-well microplates
(optional: 384-well microplates). It can be equipped with either a 8, 12 or 16
way manifold or a 384 way manifold, each of which are provided with one
aspirating and one dispensing needle per well. It can store up to 9 userdefined
labware types that define the dispensing and aspirating positions for
round or flat bottomed plates. The dispensing and aspirating speeds can be
selected from 5 pre-defined speed settings. For dispensing, an additional drip
mode setting is available which allows a wash liquid to be added drop by drop.
In the soaking phase, you can also activate a microplate shaking mechanism.
These features allow the device to be used for all ELISA microplate washing
applications including cell washing.
Command
In Freedom EVOware, script commands are used to specify pipetting
operations. A collection of script commands is called a pipetting script. Device
commands are used to implement device-specific functions such as washing
a microplate in a plate washer. Each device has its own set of commands.
Conditioning volume
Volume of excess liquid that is aspirated together with the liquid to be
distributed and immediately discarded (usually in the source container) before
the dispense process starts. It serves to create a controlled state of the
system. The use of a conditioning volume will help to dispense the first portion
of a multi-pipetting distribution under conditions most similar to those of the
subsequent portions. This is because the mechanical backlash of the dilutor
drive is eliminated after dispensing the conditioning volume.
D - 4 Freedom EVOware Software Manual, 393172, en, V2.3