Matrix WellMate User manual


Matrix Technologies Corporation
22 Friars Drive
Hudson, NH 03051 USA
Phone: (800) 345-0206
www.matrixtechcorp.com
Rev. 1.6
May 2006
®
& WellMate Stacker
User Manual

Trademarks and Copyright
© 2005 Matrix Technologies Corp. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by
any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written
permission of Matrix Technologies Corporation.
WellMate is a trademark and Matrix Technologies Corp.
and the Matrix logo are registered trademarks of Matrix
Technologies Corp.
Third party products are registered trademarks of their
respective companies in the United States and/or other
countries.

Contents
®
III
Table of Contents
A. INTRODUCTION ...................................................... 1
B. INSTRUMENT OVERVIEW ...................................... 2
1. General Description.......................................................2
2. Keypad and LED Display...............................................6
3. Stacker Unit ...................................................................8
4. Specifications.................................................................9
5. Hazards/Precautions ...................................................12
C. CONFIGURING THE DEVICE................................ 13
1. Install the Tubing Cartridge..........................................13
2. Attach the Removable Plate Carriage/Stage...............16
3. Attach the Waste-Fluid Vessel.....................................17
4. Set Up Plates...............................................................18
5. Install Stackers (optional) ............................................21
6. Attach the Power Cord.................................................23
D. SETTING UP AND RUNNING THE
INSTRUMENT ........................................................ 24
1. Prime the Tubing Cartridge..........................................24
2. Create, Load and Save a Program in Memory ............25
3. Run a Program From Memory.....................................27
4.Program Lock Freature Instructions...............................29
5. Overwrite a Locked Program.........................................30
6. Set Up and Operate Stacker Base Unit.......................31
7. Operate the Instrument Manually ................................33
8. Adjust the X-Axis Stage Position .................................34
9. Adjust the Dispensing Speed.......................................36
10. Additional Functions ....................................................37
E. TUBING CARTRIDGE MAINTENANCE
AND RECALIBRATION.......................................... 39
1. Clean the Tubing Assembly .........................................39
2. Recalibrate the Tubing Cartridge If Necessary............40
F. HELPFUL HINTS.................................................... 43
G. TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................... 44

IV
Contents
H. APPENDICES......................................................... 47
1. Plate Setup....................................................................47
2. Chemical Compatibility..................................................51
3. RS-232 ASCII Commands for Remote Device
Activation...........................................................................53
4. WellMate Schematic .....................................................64
5. Customer Service..........................................................65
WARRANTY .................................................................. 66
PACKING LIST .............................................................. 69
LIST OF REPLACEMENT PARTS
AND ACCESSORIES .................................................... 65
INDEX

1
®
A. Introduction
The WellMate instrument from Matrix Technologies is a
high-speed, small footprint, 8-channel fluid dispenser for
6, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 384-well microplates. It repetitively
dispenses samples and reagents into microplates, with
high accuracy and efficiency. An optional stacker unit
provides higher throughput and walk-away capability.
You can program the WellMate unit with dispensing
protocols, setting dispense volumes, plate type, and more.
Features and applications of the WellMate instrument
include:
• Height-adjustable dispense head that accommodates
shallow- and deep-well plates and blocks.
• High-resolution, stepper-motor technology that allows
fast, accurate dispensing.
• Low-cost, replaceable tubing cartridges.
• Dynamic dispense volume range (1.0μl–2000μl),
programmable in 1.0μl increments.
• Easy programming that allows you to select individual
plate columns for dispensing.
• Memory-storage capacity for up to 18 files.
• Full RS-232 programming for ease of integration.
• Optional OCX driver interface for integration.
• Removable plate stage that allows easy cleaning of the
PTFE coated base.
• Optional stacker unit to process 25 or 50 plates in a
single run.

2
B. Instrument Overview
1. General Description
The WellMate instrument dispenses samples and
reagents efficiently through use of a peristaltic pump
mechanism and a unique, disposable tubing cartridge.
Operators can adjust nozzle height to customize use of the
instrument for different plate configurations (for example,
flat-bottom plates or V-bottom plates).
Your WellMate instrument package provides these items:
• Base unit.
• AC power cord.
• Two disposable 8-channel tube assemblies, with
silicone-based tubing and polypropylene nozzles.
One each of:
• Standard-bore tubing cartridge, for use with 96-well
(shallow or deep well) microplates.
οNozzle orifice ID 0.023 in (0.58 mm).
οDispenses volumes 20–2000μl.
οApplications include sterile plate filling and
dispensing of cellular materials, viscous fluids, and
beads.
οTo order replacement 5-pack, use item no. 201-
30001.
• Small-bore tubing cartridge, for use with 96- and
384-well (shallow or deep well) microplates.
οNozzle orifice ID 0.015 in (0.38 mm).
οDispenses volumes 1–200μl.
οApplications include sterile plate filling, dispensing of
high vapor pressure fluids, and dispensing of small
volumes (1–200μl) with enhanced precision.
οTo order replacement 5-pack,use item
no. 201-30002.

3
®
• Nozzle-height reference scale.
• Nozzle-height spacer guide.
• 7/64-inch Allen wrench (for use in tubing-cartridge
adjustment).
• 1/16-inch Allen wrench (for Y-axis arm).
• Universal-microplate removable stage.
• Waste-fluid vessel with tubing.
• Sample Microplate Starter Kit.
• Manual.
You can also purchase the optional WellMate Stacker unit,
which contains:
• Power Cord.
• Connection Cable.
• Priming trough with tubing and hardware.
• Chimney support brackets and hardware.
• Stacker base.
• 2 breakaway washers.
You must provide the following:
• Container of liquid to be dispensed.
• Liquid vessels (6, 12, 24, 48, 96, or 384-well
SBS-format microplates).
• RS-232 Dsub connection cable if you wish to control
the instrument from a remote device (To order: Matrix
item number 501-30019).
• Container to receive fluid drained from waste-fluid
vessel.
Instrument Overview

4
Instrument Overview
The following figure shows the primary components of the
WellMate instrument:
The WellMate base unit also comes with the following
components:
Disposable
Tubing Cartidges
Keypad
Removable Plate
Carriage/Stage
w/Spacer Guide
Waste-Fluid
Vessel Plate-type
Selector
Nozzle Head
Power Cord Removable Plate
Carriage/Stage
Waste-Fluid
Vessel
Nozzle Height
Spacer Guide;
Allen Wrench
Nozzle
Head
Removable
Weight
8-Channel Disposable
Tubing Cartridge

5
Instrument Overview
®
Note: Only one disposable tubing cartridge appears in
the previous photograph; however, two disposable tubing
cartridges are included in the initial system package: one
standard-bore tubing and one small-bore tubing.
The WellMate Stacker package comes with the following
components:
Power
Cord
Priming
Trough
Connection
Cable
Chimney Support
Brackets and
Hardware

6
Instrument Overview
2. Keypad and LED Display
The keypad allows the operator to program and execute
dispense operations. You can also execute “manual
operations” (without using a preprogrammed dispense
volume) by pressing and releasing the PRIME and EMPTY
keys on the keypad.
Instructions for using the keypad are described under
Setting up and Running the Instrument beginning on
page 24.
Key and Display Description (clockwise from top left):
LED Display — Displays volume, selected channel,
program number, and error-message codes.
SELECT — When PATTERN mode is selected, allows
you to cycle through channels (individual tubes) to toggle
them on or off for dispense. When MEMORY mode is
selected, allows you to first load and then save a program
in memory.
PLATE Type LEDs — Indicates which plate type (96 or
384-well) is currently selected.
LED Display Select Plate Start, Stop
Mode
Reset Vol (µl)
Pattern
Memory
Modes
Up, Down
(+,-)
Alarm Prime, Empty
(for manually filling
receptacles)

7
Instrument Overview
®
START and STOP — Allows you to start and stop the run
of a program. Also, you press STOP to stop the program
when an error occurs and an alarm sounds. After you
press STOP, the operation (dispense) of the currently
selected channel will finish and then the operation will end.
PRIME and EMPTY — Allows you to manually aspirate
supply agents into channel tubing (PRIME) or manually
dispense agents currently in the channel tubing (EMPTY).
You must press and hold the key for as long as you want
the fill or empty operation to continue.
ALARM — LED lights up when error occurs; audio signal
also sounds and LED display shows error code.
UP and DOWN Arrows — VOL mode, allows you to
increase or decrease dispense volume. PATTERN mode,
allows you to select or deselect individual channels
for dispense. MEMORY mode allows you to choose a
program number for a program.
VOL (μL) — Allows you to set dispense volumes.
PATTERN — Allows you to set columns (wells) to be filled
during a dispense.
MEMORY — Stores up to 18 sets (programs) of dispense
volumes and selected dispense channels: 9 programs for
96-well plates (including 6, 12, 24, and 48 well plates) and
9 programs for 384-well plates.
RESET — Allows you to restart a program after you have
stopped the program run. When you press RESET, the
stage returns to its starting position. Also, when the VOL
mode is selected, you can press RESET to increment the
dispense volume setting by 200μL at a time.
MODE — Allows you to select the three modes (VOL,
PATTERN, and MEMORY) one at a time, to set a
program’s parameters.

8
Instrument Overview
3. Stacker Unit
Stacker base unit: Attaches to the standard WellMate
unit to accommodate stacker chimneys. Used in
conjunction with the WellMate instrument to automate the
liquid dispensing and plate handling process.
Optical plate sensors: Allows the stacker unit to run until
the stacker chimney is empty, then stops the run.
Stacker chimneys: Tall chimneys accommodate up to
50 standard height plates, short chimneys accommodate
up to 25 standard height plates. Both will accommodate
shallow plates, deep well plates, blocks or tube racks up
to 3.5 in or 89 mm. Interchangeable with the PlateMate®
Plus system.
Built in waste reservoir: Drains waste fluid.

9
Instrument Overview
®
4. Specifications
Table 1. WellMate Specifications
Table 2. Standard-bore Tubing Cartridge Specifications
(item no. 201-30001)
Power supply AC 100–240V, 50/60Hz 40VA
Dimensions
(HxWxd)
14.75* x 11.5 x 8.5 in (37.5 x 30 x 21.6 cm)
(*Allow at least 3 more inches [7.62 cm] in width for
extension of tubing and ~6 more inches [15.24 cm]
in depth for extensions of power cord and waste-fluid
tubing.).
Weight 24 lbs (10.89 kg)
Description
8-channel, pre-sterilized, standard-bore
disposable tubing cartridge. Inner diameter
nozzle orifice = 0.023 in (0.58 mm).
Recommended
dispense volumes 20μl to 2000μl.
Recommended
uses
With 6, 12, 24, 48, or 96-well (shallow- or
deep-well) plates, for:
• Sterile plate filling
• Dispensing of volumes 20–2000µl
• Dispensing of cellular materials
• Dispensing of viscous fluids
Dispense accuracy/
precision +/-2.0% or 1.0µl
Precision limit 1000 96-well microplates processed with
100µl dispense volume

10
Instrument Overview
Table 3. Small-bore Tubing Cartridge Specifications
(item no. 201-30002)
Table 4. Stainless Steel PTFE-coated tip Tubing Cartridge
Specifications (item no. 201-30003)
Description
8-channel, pre-sterilized, small-bore
disposable tubing cartridge. Inner diameter
nozzle orifice = 0.015 in (0.38 mm)
Recommended
dispense
volumes
1µl to 200µl
Recommended
uses
With 96-well or 384-well (shallow- or deep-
well) plates, for:
• Sterile plate filling
• Enhanced dispense precision
• Dispensing of high vapor pressure fluids
Dispense
accuracy/precision +/- 2.0% or 0.25µl < 20µl
Precision limit 1000 96-well microplates processed with
100µl dispense volume
Description 8-channel, pre-sterilized, stainless steel PTFE-
coated tip tubing cartridge
Recommended
dispense
volumes
2µl to 2000µl
Recommended
uses
With 6,12,24,48, 96 or 384-well (shallow- or
deep-well) plates, for:
• Sterile plate filling
• Dispensing of viscous fluids
• Dispensing of volumes 2-2000μl
Dispense
accuracy/
precision
+/- 2.0% or 0.25µl
2.0% or 0.25μl
Precision limit 1000 96-well microplates processed with 100μl
dispense volume.

11
Instrument Overview
®
Table 5. WellMate Stacker Unit Specifications
(item no. 201-20001)
*Allow at least 2 inches clearance if unit is placed in a containment hood.
Description
Stacker base unit with plate sensors and
built-in waste reservoir; two chimney sizes
available, 50 or 25 plates (501-30005 or 501-
30006)
Power Supply Input Voltage 100V AC or 240V AC
Consumption 50/60 Hz -40VA
Measurements
Width 31.06 in (78.89 cm)
Depth 12.65 in (32.13 cm)
Height with Tall Stackers = 40 in (101.6 cm)*
Height with Short Stackers = 28 in (71.12 cm)*
Weight 60 lbs (27.22 kg)
Plate Type
96 and 384-well plates; shallow and deep well
Capacity: 25 standard-height plates
50 standard-height plates

12
Instrument Overview
5. Hazards/Precautions
Note the following hazards and precautions for setup,
operation, and maintenance of the WellMate instrument:
Operator protection
• Always unplug the unit from the power outlet before you
perform any service or maintenance task that does not
require power.
• Do not touch nozzles or the stage when the unit is
operating.
Base-unit protection
• Use only dilute detergent cleaning solutions to clean the
unit. Do not clean the keypad with bleach solutions or
other solvents. To clean the unit, first remove the tubing
assembly from the instrument. Then use a bleach
solution (2%) or an aqueous-based cleaner to clean
surfaces. Rinse solution completely from surface.
• If liquid leaks out of the tubing onto the stage or onto
any other part of the instrument, stop the operation
immediately and then wipe off the liquid.
Tubing-cartridge protection
• Inspect the nozzles and nozzle tips regularly to ensure
that the tips are not clogged and that there is no debris
in the nozzles. Clean them regularly following the
procedures described on page 39.
• Be careful not to bend the nozzles.

13
®
C. Configuring the Device
1. Install the Tubing Cartridge
To install a tubing cartridge:
1. When installing the tube set, make sure that the
adjustment screws are accessible. To do this, have
the screws on the top half when you lay out the tube
set so the adjustment screws will be toward the
middle of the pump when presented on the machine.
2. Push the blue PUSH button on the front of the tube
holder to open the mechanism.
Jaw is Open

14
Configuring the Device
3. When installing the tubing, place the left-hand tube
holder onto the arm first. Then place the other
holder into position. Rotate the arm so the tubing is
set into position.

15
Configuring the Device
®
4. Push the cover on the pump mechanism to the
closed position.
5. Insert the nozzle tip head as shown in the following:
Adjustment screws
are towards middle
of pump
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1
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