PCR Prep & Automation Systems

Ask whether the pipetting head passes a volume accuracy and precision check across its range. Confirm the deck positions, gripper and any tip loading mechanism move without fault. Request the run count and evidence of a recent setup run to see the deck still dispenses reliably.

Check the deck accepts the plates and tubes you use, whether 96 well, 384 well or strip formats. Confirm the tips are a current, affordable consumable rather than a discontinued line. Matching formats upfront saves adapters and protocol rewrites after delivery.

Manual pipetting introduces well to well variation that automation largely removes, especially at volume. The gain is greatest where you build many identical reactions or run sensitive quantitative assays. For a handful of reactions a week, a simple dispenser may deliver most of the benefit.

Every liquid handler leaves some unusable dead volume in reservoirs and tips, which matters with costly reagents. Ask the seller about typical dead volume for the layout you would run. A deck that minimises waste pays back over time on expensive master mixes.

Listings come from verified sellers, and you contact the owner directly to confirm deck configuration and service history. The exchange runs straight between you and the owner. That direct line lets you settle the technical detail before you commit to an automation purchase.