Gilson PLATEMASTER P20 User manual

User’s Guide
EN

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS | PLATEMASTER®
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION | 3
Unpacking | 4
Safety | 4
INSTALLATION | 5
General View | 6
Technical Data | 6
OPERATION | 7
Description | 7
Moving PLATEMASTER | 7
Height Adjuster | 7
Volume Setting | 8
Tip Fitting | 8
Pipetting | 9
Pipetting 384 wells | 10
Tip Ejection | 11
General Guidelines for Good Pipetting | 12
ACCESSORIES | 13
ASSOCIATED TIPS | 14
SERVICE | 15
GLP Features | 15
Cleaning and Decontamination | 15
Material in Contact with Liquids or Vapors | 15
Use the Lubrication Box | 15
SPECIFICATIONS | 16
WARRANTY | 17

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
PLATEMASTER® is an easy-to-use, accurate solution for high-throughput manual
pipetting of 96- and 384-well microplates.
PLATEMASTER’s 96-channel design greatly reduces the number of pipetting steps
necessary to fill a microplate when compared to using regular manual multichannel
pipettes. When using PLATEMASTER, the time it takes to fill 96-well plates is
significantly reduced to approximately 10-20 seconds or less, and 384 wells can
typically be filled in less than a minute using only four pipetting steps.
Figure 1
Gilson PLATEMASTER
®
P20
PLATEMASTER is suitable for a wide range of applications:
• Pipetting and providing master mixes for PCR/qPCR
• Simultaneous processing of nearly all reaction steps in
microplates (coating, starting, stopping, washing, etc.) for
applications such as ELISA
• Addition and removal of culture media
• Plate replication in cell culture
• Dropwise addition of solutions for
crystallography
• Plate replication in expression tests
• Enhancement of existing automation:
assay development and adaptation to
96-channel systems
• Back-up solution for maintenance and
downtime
• Workflows of automated systems
involving pipetting on a 96-well or
384-well scale
INTRODUCTION
3
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

Safety
PLATEMASTER is designed for research purposes only. If PLATEMASTER is used in
a manner not specified by Gilson, the protection provided by the instrument may be
impaired. Gilson will not be responsible for damages.
For all transportation, Gilson recommends removing the pipetting head from the base
unit and using the original shipping box. For all moving, the head must be locked with
the secure lock (refer to Moving PLATEMASTER on page 7).
For disassembly, please reverse the installation procedure (refer to INSTALLATION on
page 5).
Temperature of use: 4°C to 40°C - Recommended working temperature: 20°C to 25°C
Use only the accessories provided.
Gilson denies any responsibility for service and repairs carried out by the customer
or third-party companies. Neither the equipment nor the filter tips installed can be
autoclaved.
Gilson is not liable for any damage resulting from the use of PLATEMASTER.
Follow the instructions in this user’s guide to ensure durability and top performance of
your PLATEMASTER. Keep this manual handy for future reference, in accordance with
good laboratory practices.
Unpacking
Each PLATEMASTER configuration is shipped in one box.
PLATEMASTER P220
(part number F110762) contains:
• PLATEMASTER P220
• User’s guide
• 3 height adjusters
• 1 lubrication box
• 1 Allen ball head wrench 3.0 x
100 mm (for assembling and
disassembling of the pipetting
head)
• 1 transport box and packing
material
• Gilson original certificate of
conformity
PLATEMASTER P20
(part number F110761) contains:
• PLATEMASTER P20
• User’s guide
• 3 height adjusters
• 1 lubrication box
• 1 Allen ball head wrench 3.0 x
100 mm (for assembling and
disassembling of the pipetting head)
• 1 transport box and packing material
• Gilson original certificate of
conformity
INTRODUCTION
4INTRODUCTION | PLATEMASTER®

Chapter 2
INSTALLATION
Read this section carefully before installing and operating PLATEMASTER.
The instrument described in this user’s guide should only be operated by qualified
personnel in a laboratory or similar indoor environment.
Cleaning, installation, dismantling, maintenance, adjustment, and repair should be
performed by appropriately trained personnel aware of the hazards involved.
If a spill occurs, refer to the material safety data sheet (MSDS) provided by the
chemical manufacturer before cleaning up the spill and take all safety precautions
required.
Remove PLATEMASTER pipetting head and PLATEMASTER base from box.
Insert the pipetting head as follows and secure the head by screwing the first screw
down.
Figure 2
Unpacking PLATEMASTER® head and base
Figure 3
Location studs
onhead
Figure 4
Sockets for location
studs on base
Figure 5
Insert the location
studs into the sockets
Figure 6
Pull the head down a little and turn the screw
to the lower stop
Keep the packaging!
It will be useful for sending the device for any maintenance and
calibration.
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2
3
NOTE
INSTALLATION
5
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

General View
The figure below shows a general view of a PLATEMASTER.
Pipetting head
Volume adjustment wheel
Volume display
Tip fitting handle
Pipetting handle
Figure 7
PLATEMASTER
®
parts
Technical Data
MODEL PLATEMASTER P20 PLATEMASTER P220
Part Number F110761 F110762
Volume Range 0.5 to 20 µL
Volume can be adjusted
in 0.1 µL increments
2 to 220 µL
Volume can be adjusted
in 1 µL increments
Temperature
Range Recommended working temperature:
20°C to 25°C / 68°F to 77°F
Dimensions 300 x 450 x 400 mm / 12 x 18 x 16 Inch (W x L x H)
Weight approx. 16 kg / approx. 35 lbs.
Tip ejector
Movable drawers
Pipetting head height adjuster
Pin-plate
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9
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2
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56
7
8
9
6
5
INSTALLATION
6INSTALLATION | PLATEMASTER®

Chapter 3
OPERATION
Description
The pipetting head moves both vertically and horizontally. Vertical movements
are made to fit tips and pipette liquid. Horizontal movements are made to
transfer liquids. This movement is possible only when the head is fully raised.
Two drawers can hold up to three different microplates and can be used at the
same time.
Height Adjuster
The descent of the pipetting head and the
position of the tips can be adjusted by using
three height adjusters, as shown in figure 9. .
This will prevent the tips from touching
the bottom of the microplate and can be
adjusted for use with shallow- or deep-well
microplates.
Figure 8
PLATEMASTER®lock
Figure 9
Three height adjusters positions
Tip ejector
Movable drawers
Pipetting head height adjuster
Pin-plate
Moving PLATEMASTER
Whether placed on the lab bench, under a fume hood,
in a cold room, or used in the field, PLATEMASTER is
completely portable. PLATEMASTER includes a locking
system to lock the head when the instrument is being
moved.
After each use of PLATEMASTER, remember to lock the
pipetting head to prepare for transport.
To lock the pipetting head, pull the black part on the
left side of PLATEMASTER, lower the head, and turn
the black part until the notch is in the slot. Let the head
slowly ride up and be locked.
To unlock the pipetting head, pull the black part and turn it. Once the pipetting head
is released, check proper movement of the device.
Never move the device without locking the pipetting head.
Damages caused by movement without locking the device will not
be covered by the warranty.
NOTICE
1
1
OPERATION
7
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

Volume Setting
Do not adjust the volume without squeezing both parts of the pipetting handle .
The volume of liquid to be aspirated is set
using the volume adjustment wheel .
With the pipetting handle fully squeezed, the
volume is set by slowly turning the volume
adjustment wheel to reach the required
setting.
Never try to force the volume outside of the
volume range permitted by the device.
Tip Fitting
For optimum performance, use of PIPETMAN® DIAMOND Tips or AmpliPur® Expert
Tips with PLATEMASTER is strongly recommended. Plastic tips are for a single use and
should not be cleaned for reuse.
To fit PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips or AmpliPur Expert Tips on PLATEMASTER:
• Raise the pipetting head vertically using
the pipetting handle. Move the pipetting
head to the left side.
• Slide the right drawer out and place
anew tip rack on the back position.
The four locations have been specially
designed for PIPETMAN DIAMOND
Tips TIPACK™. Slots embedded in the
drawers ensure that tip racks securely
fit into all locations.
• Use the pipetting handle to position
the pipetting head to the right and
lower it far enough so that a contact is
made with the tips in the rack.
• Press down on the tip fitting handle with moderate pressure. The tip ejector
must be fully expanded to ensure that the tips are fully attached .
• Move the pipetting head up and the right drawer back.
The device is now ready to pipette liquid.
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5
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1 2
Before using AmpliPur® Expert Tips, confirm that you have the
AmpliPur Expert Tips pin-plate assembly (F110765) and AmpliPur
Expert Tips reload block (F110766) installed on PLATEMASTER.
NOTE
OPERATION
8OPERATION | PLATEMASTER®

Pipetting
Place a vessel containing the solution to be pipetted in the front location of the right
drawer. The solution should be under the pipetting head.
Liquids containing protein solutions and organic solvents can leave a film of liquid
on the inside wall of the tip; pre-rinse the tip to minimize any errors related to
this phenomenon. Pre-rinsing consists of aspirating the first volume of liquid and
then dispensing it back into the same vessel (or into a waste basket). Subsequent
volumes pipetted will have levels of accuracy and precision within specifications. As
recommended by the ISO 8655 standard, pre-rinse to stabilize dead volume inside
the pipetting head
ASPIRATION
• Gently squeeze the pipetting handle to the first stop (this corresponds to the
set volume of liquid).
• Use the pipetting handle to lower
the pipetting head to immerse the
tips in the liquid (see immersion depth
table below). It is important that the
tips do not touch the bottoms of the
wells.
• Slowly retract the pipetting handle to
aspirate the liquid into the tips.
• Move the pipetting head fully up.
To simplify this operation, the height
adjuster can be set by turning the
upper screw so that the pipetting head
may only be moved down to a position
slightly above the bottom.
MODEL IMMERSION DEPTH
(MILLIMETERS)
WAIT TIME
(SECONDS)
P20 2-3 1
P220 2-4 1
Check the tip ejector when fitting tips. If the tips have shifted this
implies that they have not been fitted correctly.
The maximum
immersion depth
of the tips can be
adjusted using a
height adjuster.
1
2
3
1
1
2
3
NOTE
NOTE
OPERATION
9
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

DISPENSING
• Place a 96-well microplate at the front location of the left drawer and keep it
fully retracted in the rear position.
• Move the pipetting head to the left and align the tips with the microplate.
• Pull the pipetting head slowly down into
the wells, but do not touch the bottom
of the wells.
• Squeeze the pipetting handle
slowly to dispense all the solution.
• Pull the pipetting head slowly up with
the pipetting handle fully squeezed.
• Gently retract the pipetting handle.
• To simplify this operation, a height
adjuster can be set by turning the
upper screw so that the pipetting head
may only be moved down to a position
slightly above the bottom.
Pipetting 384-well Microplates
PLATEMASTER is able to load 384-well plates with only four movements using the
384-well plate adapter.
STEP 1:
• Place a 384-well microplate on the 384-well plate adapter and make sure that it
is located at the first step by checking the position on the blue wheel.
• Aspirate the solution.
• Move the pipetting head over the microplate and dispense the first 96 wells.
STEP 2:
• Move the microplate on to the second position of the 384-well plate adapter
using the blue wheel.
• Aspirate the solution. Move the pipetting head over the microplate and
dispense the next 96 wells.
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4
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2
1
OPERATION
10 OPERATION | PLATEMASTER®

Figure 10
384-well adapter system
STEP 3:
• Move the microplate on to the third position of the 384-well plate adapter
using the blue wheel.
• Aspirate the solution. Move the pipetting head over the microplate and
dispense 96 wells.
STEP 4:
• Move the microplate on to the fourth position of the 384-well plates adapter
using the blue wheel.
• Aspirate the solution. Move the pipetting head over the microplate and
dispense the last 96 wells.
The 384-well microplate is loaded in less than one minute requiring only four liquid
aspiration steps.
Tip Ejection
• Move the pipetting head over the empty rack on the right drawer.
• Pull the pipetting head down to put the used tips into the original rack (tip rack
will be reused as a receptacle for tip waste).
• Squeeze the tip ejector at the top of the pipetting head to eject the tips into
the rack.
Figure 11
Tip ejection system
123 4
1
1
OPERATION
11
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

General Guidelines for Good Pipetting
Place PLATEMASTER in a dry and clean environment at the recommended ambient
temperature of 20°C to 25°C. These conditions should stay constant, as significant
variations in temperature or humidity may affect precision.
PLATEMASTER is completely portable and requires no electricity; it can be operated
anywhere in the lab. When the device has been moved, allow some equilibration time
for the instrument to adjust to the new ambient conditions.
Make sure that you operate the pipetting handle slowly and smoothly. Aspirating too
quickly may cause drops to form inside the tips. Dispensing too quickly can cause
carryover. Pipetting speed will depend on the type of liquid used.
Never allow any liquid to enter the pin-plate (see Figure 14, page 15). This
phenomenon can be prevented by squeezing and retracting the pipetting handle
slowly and gently.
Change the tips before aspirating a different liquid, sample, or reagent.
Each new tip should be pre-rinsed with the liquid to be pipetted.
Do not pipette liquids having temperatures above 70°C or below 4°C. PLATEMASTER
can be used between + 4°C and + 40°C, but specifications may vary according to
temperature (refer to the ISO 8655-6 standard for conditions of use).
Pipetting corrosive liquids may damage PLATEMASTER parts that contact the
solution. In case of contact, immediately clean up aggressive liquids. Pipetting
of extremely viscous or highly evaporating liquids is at your own risk. The
same applies to aggressive and corrosive reagents.
Avoid aspiration of any liquid into the pin-plate.
NOTE
OPERATION
12 OPERATION | PLATEMASTER®

Chapter 4
ACCESSORIES
DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER
Adapter 384-well Plate positioning done by wheel F1077602
Adapter 384-well Plate positioning done by hand F1077603
Alu-heater block for PLATEMASTER, 96 x 0.2 mL, for PCR tubes,
stripes & PCR plates ∅7.8 mm F1077604
Pipetting head height adjuster F1077605
Lubrication box for O-rings PLATEMASTER F1077606
AmpliPur® Expert Tips Pin-plate Assembly for PLATEMASTER F110765
AmpliPur® Expert Tips Reload Block (pack of 2) for PLATEMASTER F110766
Figure 12
F1077602 — Adapter 384-well
Plate, positioned by wheel
Figure 13
F1077604 — Alu-heater Block
Figure 14
F110765 — AmpliPur® Expert Tips
Pin-plate Assembly
Figure 15
F110766 — AmpliPur® Expert Tips
Reload Block (pack of 2)
ACCESSORIES
13
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

Chapter 5
ASSOCIATED TIPS
For optimum performance, use of PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips or AmpliPur Expert
Tips with PLATEMASTER is strongly recommended. Using recommended tips helps
prevent damage to the pin-plate (see Figure 14, page 15).
PIPETMAN® DIAMOND TIPS
STANDARD TIPS STERILIZED TIPS STERILIZED FILTER TIPS
PLATEMASTER P20 (0.5 — 20 µL)
DF100ST
D200 D200ST DF200ST
DS200* DS200ST* DFS200ST*
PLATEMASTER P220 (2 — 220 µL)
DF30ST
D200 D200ST DF200ST
DS200* DS200ST* DFS200ST*
D300 D300ST DF300ST
*Validated for use with 384-well plates.
PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips DL10, DL10ST, DSL10*, and DSL10ST could be used under a
specific product configuration. For more information, please contact Gilson Technical
Support at [email protected].
AMPLIPUR® EXPERT TIPS — STANDARD FILTER TIPS*
PART NUMBER VOLUME RANGE
PLATEMASTER P20 (0.5 — 20 µL)
F174201 1–20 µL
F174301 10–200 µL
PLATEMASTER P220 (2 — 220 µL)
F174301 10–200 µL
**
*AmpliPur Expert Tips Pin-plate Assembly (F110765) and AmpliPur Expert Tips Reload
Block (F110766) are required for use.
**Can pipette up to 200 µLonly.
All used consumables are tested on the specific volume ranges of PLATEMASTER.
ASSOCIATED TIPS
14 ASSOCIATED TIPS | PLATEMASTER®

Chapter 6
SERVICE
GLP Features
The serial number is engraved on the back of the pipetting head. It provides unique
identification of your PLATEMASTER and the date of manufacture.
The certificate of conformity provides traceability of your PLATEMASTER.
Cleaning and Decontamination
Do not use corrosive and acid reagents to clean or decontaminate PLATEMASTER.
PLATEMASTER must be cleaned before it is decontaminated. Wipe the surface of the
instrument with alcohol or laboratory disinfectant.
PLATEMASTER surface can be cleaned with a soft tissue moistened with water or
laboratory disinfectant.
Do not expose PLATEMASTER to excessive UV radiation and never overnight.
Do not autoclave any part of PLATEMASTER.
Material in Contact with Liquids or Vapors
FKM (Fluoroelastomers), EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer),
PP (Polypropylene), POM (Polyoxymethylene), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate),
Silicone, Stainless steel, Anodized aluminium.
Use of the Lubrication Box
In case of intensive use between each
maintenance interval and to avoid bad tip fitting,
it is recommended to lightly lubricate the external
O-ring using the lubrication box (part number
F1077606).
Proceed as follows
• Open the box lid
• Follow the “Tip Fitting” instructions (refer to
Tip Fitting on page 8)
• Eject the tips.
The O-ring lubrication is complete.
Using a no-fiber wipe, remove any excess lubricant on the pin-plate.
Figure 16
Pin-plate
SERVICE
15
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

Gilson Maximum Perimissible Errors
Chapter 7
SPECIFICATIONS
PLATEMASTER is a high quality 96-channel manual pipetting system that offers
excellent accuracy and precision. The values given in the “Gilson maximum permissible
errors” table below were obtained using PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips. These values are
guaranteed only when genuine PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips are used.
PLATEMASTER P20 is certified with PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips D200 and AmpliPur
Expert Tips.
PLATEMASTER P220 is certified with PIPETMAN DIAMOND Tips D300 and AmpliPur
Expert Tips.
Each PLATEMASTER is inspected and validated by qualified technicians in accordance
with the Gilson Quality System.
The adjustment is carried out under strictly defined and monitored conditions
(ISO 8655-6).
VOLUME*
GILSON ISO 8655
SYSTEMATIC
ERROR
RANDOM
ERROR
SYSTEMATIC
ERROR
RANDOM
ERROR
PLATEMASTER P20 (0.5 — 20 µL)
(P/NF110761)
Min 1 ±0.12 ≤0.1 ±0.4 ≤0.20
10 ±0.12 ≤0.1 ±0.4 ≤0.20
Max 20 ±0.2 ≤0.18 ±0.4 ≤0.20
PLATEMASTER P220 (2 — 220 µL)
(P/NF110762)
Min 2 ±0.12 ≤0.15 ±8.0 ≤3.0
5 ±0.25 ≤0.175 ±8.0 ≤3.0
20 ±0.4 ≤0.3 ±8.0 ≤3.0
100 ±1 ≤0.6 ±8.0 ≤3.0
200 ±1.6 ≤0.8 ±8.0 ≤3.0
Max 220 ±1.8 ≤0.8 ±8.0 ≤3.0
*All Values in Microliters
SPECIFICATIONS
16 SPECIFICATIONS | PLATEMASTER®

Chapter 8
WARRANTY
Gilson warrants this device against defects in material under normal use and service
for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase.
This warranty shall not apply to devices which are subject to abnormal use and/
or improper or inadequate maintenance (limited to the recommendations given in
the user’s guide), including, but not limited to devices which have been subjected
to physical damage, improper handling, spillage or exposure to any corrosive
environment. This warranty shall also be void in the event devices are altered or
modified by any party other than Gilson or its designates. Gilson’s sole liability under
this warranty shall be limited to, at Gilson’s sole option, repair or replacement of
any defective components of devices or refund of the purchase price paid for such
devices.
THE FOREGOING WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND GILSON HEREBY DISCLAIMS
ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND ANY WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL GILSON BE LIABLE
FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY.
WARRANTY
17
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

NOTES
NOTES
18 NOTES | PLATEMASTER®

NOTES
NOTES
19
PLATEMASTER®|USER’S GUIDE

Specifications subject to change without notification - errors
excepted.
Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior written
permission is prohibited, except as allowed under copyright laws.
LT801549/I | ©2022 Gilson, Inc. All rights reserved.
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