Floating Pin Tool Replicators

  Double Float Plate, Standard Tube Style Replicators

NEW- If you don't have a robot you can purchase the new V&P Pin Tool Robot and attach any of our pin tools to it.  This gives you the advantages of robotic reproducibility at a fraction of the cost of large robotic system.

Click here for a list of published articles that cite using the products on this page.

The Double Float Plate style Replicators have several advantages over the E-Clip style Floating Replicators:

1.  The double float plate pins are smaller in diameter and deliver very small volumes (down to 2 nl).

2.  Smaller pin diameters also result in more precise delivery volumes (CV's ~4%).

3.  Because the pin is registered between 2 float plates over a greater height, the pin angle will be truer (closer to 90 degrees ) when they touch the surface. 

4.  The smaller hole on the lower float plate allows us to make very tight tolerances on the fit between the pin and the hole.  This results in very precise placement of the pins on the surface so that very high density arrays can be made without overlapping the spots.

5.  Precise spacing between absolutely straight small diameter pins is also essential when delivering liquid to or from 1536 well microplates.

The E-Clip Pin Tools on the other hand are capable of delivering larger volumes (from 0.5 to 5 ul).

  Floating Pins

Floating pins are not fixed in the base but will float when they hit the surface.  This ensures that all pins touch,  even if the surface is uneven.  The floating design can be used manually or also by robots where the Z control may vary.   The Tube Style series described on this page transports the smallest volume of liquid with very precise pitch location and absolute perpendicular vertical alignment.  The Standard Tube FP_ series pins are 50.8 mm long with an exposed pin length of 17 mm that is capable of being placed into microplate wells.  The Standard Tube Style can be used manually with a handle and Multi-Blot Guide Pin Assembly or it can be mounted directly to the Beckman BioMek 2000.  We also provide tube style pins of different lengths.  The FPC_ tube series is similar to the FP_ series Standard Tube Style but with a shorter overall length pin (33 mm) and a shorter 12 mm exposed pin length.  We recommend that you use the shorter FPC series tube pins on PerkinElmer PlateTrak, MiniTrak, EP3, Beckman MULTIMEK, Sagian MultiPette,   Standard Cybi Well and Matrix PlateMate work stations because of height limitation concerns.  The Deep well Cybi Well work stations will accommodate the longer FP_ and FP_T series pins.  If there are no height limitations we recommend the longer 50.8 mm pins (FP_ and FP_T series) because of the longer exposed pin length.  We have just introduced a new shorter overall length pin the FP(#N) series pins (17 mm exposed pin length and 38 mm overall)

The Standard Tube style pin tools are easily adapted to be mounted on many robot work stations.  We have made custom mounts for  custom robots and our customers have mounted our pin tools on the Beckman FX work stations.  We now have 2 mounting systems for the FX  and one for the FX Gripper If you want to use it with a robotic work station just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.  All of our Standard Tube style pin tools have the mounting features for the Beckman BioMek 2000 already built in.  If you want to use it by hand, please add the BGPK kit to your order. Docking Stations for Pin Tools provide a safe facility for tool changing robots to park and pick up pin tools.

Save Money

If you have an obsolete 96 or 384 pipetting station or one with damaged pistons, you can bring it back on line as a 96, 384 or 1536 pin tool work station.  Not only will you save a ton of money rehabilitating an obsolete or broken work station,  you will also pay for the pin tool in your second screening operation by eliminating the cost of disposable pipet tips.  At $.12/tip, 200 cases of 384 tips are ~$9,000.00

For comprehensive data on nanoliter dispensing
with pin tools see the following pages.

• DMSO and Aqueous delivery with hydrophobic coated and uncoated solid and slot pins

• DMSO and Aqueous delivery with solid and slot pins

• Maxim Pharmaceuticals, results with slot pin tools

• New England LRIG presentation 6/18/02

• Pin tool data page

Storage Stations for Pin Tools offer a safe place to store pin tools and keep them clean.

  Factors Affecting Pin Delivery Volumes

The list on below summarizes the factors that contribute to the volume delivered.  With each application these factors can be controlled and standardized so that the delivery volumes are very reproducible.  With most applications the CV's are less than 5%.

1. Pin Diameter
2. Surface tension of the liquid being transferred
3. Surface tension of the pin
4. Speed of removal of pin from source liquid
5. Speed of pin striking recipient dry plate
6. Depth to which the pin is submerged in source plate
7. Depth to which the pin is submerged in recipient plate
8. Volume of slot in pin
9. Surface tension of the dry plate and dwell time

V&P pins transfer liquid by carrying the liquid on the sides, tips and in slots we cut into the tips. The amount delivered is determined by the diameter and surface tension of the pin, the surface tension of the liquid, how far the pin is submerged into the liquid and the speed with which the pin is removed from the liquid.  When all of these variables are fixed, the accuracy of the liquid transfer is very consistent, with CV averages better than 5%.

Increasing the speed of withdrawal from the source plate by 7- fold will increase the volume delivered by as much as 3 fold in a linear relationship.  This phenomenon can be exploited to expand the range of delivery volume for a single pin. The table and the chart below illustrates the effects of increasing the speed 7- fold.  The speed range is from 0.78 cm/sec to 5.7 cm/sec.  Use this chart to select the pin that will deliver in your desired range.

 
  Select The Volume You Need To Transfer For Your Application

  A Guide For Selecting The Right Pin For Your Application

  Liquid To Dry Plate Transfers For Multiplexing Assays

  Defining a Pin Tool

Originally we sold our pin tools with unique part numbers.  As we have added more pins to our selection and more robot systems to mount the pin tools to, the number of unique part numbers grew exponentially to an un-manageable size.  Our solution has been to specify a pin tool by the 3 component parts that compromise the Pin Tool.  The Pins, the Floating Fixture and the Robot Mounting Plate.  If you have previously ordered a pin tool by unique part number, we will be able to provide the same pin tool to you.

  Selecting a Pin Tool as Simple as 1, 2, 3

  Convert a Robot Pin Tool to a Manual Pin Tool

For comprehensive data on nanoliter dispensing
with pin tools see the following pages.

• DMSO and Aqueous delivery with solid and slot pins

• Maxim Pharmaceuticals, results with slot pin tools

• Pin tool data page

  Standard 96 Pin Double Float Plate Style Replicators

0.229 mm Diameter Pins To Deliver ~4 nl liquid to liquid

The 0.229 mm diameter stainless steel pins are 50.8 mm long with flat tips and are fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube 31.75 mm long thus strengthening the pin characteristics and adding mass to enhance the floating ability.  This pin/tube combinations passes through two float plates 2.54 cm apart for greater precision of spot placement.  As the Replicator is lowered onto the gridding surface, each pin rides on top of the lower float plate assembly until it touches on the gridding surface and delivers ~2 nl of liquid in the hanging droplet at the tip.  When the tip hits the surface the pin slides up ("floats") up through the holes.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth.  These Replicators are designed to make multiple offset blots to produce high density arrays.  Just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

0.457 mm Diameter Pins To Deliver ~20 nl liquid to liquid

The 0.457 mm diameter stainless steel pins are 50.8 mm long with flat tips and are fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube, 31.75 mm long thus strengthening the pin characteristics and adding mass to enhance the floating ability.  This pin/tube combinations passes through two float plates 2.54 cm apart for greater precision of spot placement.  As the Replicator is lowered onto the gridding surface, each pin rides on top of the lower float plate assembly until it touches on the gridding surface and delivers ~6 nl of liquid in the hanging droplet at the tip.  When the tip hits the surface the pin floats up through the holes.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth.  These Replicators are designed to make multiple offset blots to produce high density arrays.  The VP 438FP1 is designed to be used with a robotic work station or by hand as shown in the photo to the right.  If you want to use it manually we need to equip the pin tool with a guide pin assembly and handle.  Please specify manual or robotic use.  If you want to use it with a robotic work station just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

0.787 mm Diameter Pins To Deliver ~80 nl liquid to liquid

The 0.787 mm diameter stainless steel pins are 50.8 mm long with flat tips and are fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube, 31.75 mm long thus strengthening the pin characteristics and adding mass to enhance the floating ability.  This pin/tube combinations passes through two float plates 2.54 cm apart for greater precision of spot placement.  As the Replicator is lowered onto the gridding surface, each pin rides on top of the lower float plate assembly until it touches on the gridding surface and delivers ~35 nl of liquid in the hanging droplet at the tip.  When the tip hits the surface the pin floats up through the holes.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth.  These Replicators are designed to make multiple offset blots to produce high density arrays.  The VP 438FP3 is designed to be used with a robotic work station or by hand.  If you want to use it with a robotic work station just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

Click here for a list of published articles that cite using the products on this page.

 
  384 Double Float Plate Replicators

0.457 mm Diameter Pins To Deliver ~20 nl liquid to liquid

The stainless steel pins in the VP 384FP1 have a diameter of only 0.457 mm and will deliver a ~6 nl hanging drop. This small diameter pin enables a smaller delivery volume.  Each 50.8 mm long pin is fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube that is 31.75 mm long, thus strengthening the pin design and adding mass to enhance the floating characteristics.  Each pin slides ("floats") through holes in the lower and upper float plates as it touches on the bottom of the microplate well or the gridding surface.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will touch and deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth. 

The VP 384FP1 is designed to be used with a robotic work station or by hand.  Just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

Dimensions: 85.75 mm wide, 135.42 mm long, 67 mm high from tip of the pins to the top of the mating plate and weighs 543 grams. Exposed pin length = 17.4 mm, pin diameter = 0.457 mm .....VP 384FP1

The 0.229 mm diameter stainless steel pins are 50.8 mm long with flat tips and are fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube, 31.75 mm long, thus strengthening the pin characteristics and adding mass to enhance the floating ability.  This pin/tube combinations passes through two float plates 2.54 cm apart for greater precision of spot placement.  As the Replicator is lowered onto the gridding surface, each pin rides on top of the lower float plate assembly until it touches on the gridding surface and delivers ~2 nl of liquid in the hanging droplet at the tip.  When the tip hits the surface the pin floats up through the holes.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth. These Replicators are designed to make multiple offset blots to produce high density arrays.  The VP 384FP9 is designed to be used with a robotic work station or by hand.  Just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

Click here for a list of published articles that cite the products on this page.

  1536 Floating Pin Replicators

0.457 mm Diameter Pins To Deliver ~20 nl liquid to liquid

The stainless steel pins in the VP 838FP1 have a diameter of only 0.457 mm and will deliver a   ~6 nl hanging drop.  This small diameter pin eliminates "well wall clearance" problems encountered with larger diameter pins with some brands of 1536 well microplates.   Each 50.8 mm long pin is fixtured inside a 1.58 mm diameter tube that is 31.75 mm long, thus strengthening the pin design and adding mass to enhance the floating characteristics.  Each pin slides ("floats") through holes in the lower and upper float plates as it touches on the bottom of the microplate well or the gridding surface.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will touch and deliver its droplet even if the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth.   

The VP 838FP1 is designed to be used with a robotic work station or by hand.  Just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

The VP 838FP1 Replicator can even be used manually to simultaneous transfer 20 nl of specimen to the 2 nl wells of the Corning 1536 assay plate.  The ability to simultaneous start all assays at the same time is critical in many assay procedures.  The guide pins on the VP 838FP1 and the alignment holes on our VP 381F LIBRARY COPIER™ provide a precise registration of the Replicator to the Microplate.  This is critical with the small diameter 1,536 wells. 

Dimensions: 85.75 mm wide, 135.42 mm long, 67 mm high from tip of the pins to the top of the mating plate and weighs 1800 grams.

The 25.4 mm alignment distance between the lower and upper float plates insures that pin to pin spacing remains true at 2.25 mm. The evenness of this spacing is demonstrated in the blot to the right.

Click here for a list of published articles that cite the products on this page.

1536 Pin Replicators

If you are transferring DNA, cDNA or other materials in hydrophobic solutions you will find that using our new V&P Pin Cleaning Solution will greatly increase the precision of delivery.  For an explanation see the FAQ page and the V&P Pin Cleaning Solution page.

Replacement Pins for the above 96, 384 and 1536 Solid Pin Replicators can purchased inividually.

  Hydrophobic & Liphobic Coating Of Pins

All of the above pins can also be obtained with a hydrophobic/lipophobic coating to reduce non-specific binding by proteins and lipoproteins.  Just adding an H to the above pin designates that pin as a hydrophobic/lipophobic coated pin.  This coating is metallic and only a few angstroms thick so it does not effect the basic dimensions of the pins.  These coated pins are very useful in handling solutions with proteins or lipids that may stick to naked stainless steel.  Click on the following hyperlink for more details on the nature of our hydrophobic/lipophobic coating and the coating process.

Hydrophobic Pins used in the Standard Double Float Plate Replicators 

Replacement pins are also available on our Replacement Pin page. Please visit this hyperlink for Pin Tool Data And Charts.

  Floating Slot Pin Replicators

Slot pins have several advantages over solid pins:

1. Slot pins carry a larger volume than solid pins in liquid to liquid transfers.

2. Slot pins are not as sensitive to the depth of the mother liquid as solid pens.

3. Slot pins deliver a larger volume than solid pins in liquid to dry plate transfers.

4. Slot pins deliver a larger volume than solid pins in liquid to membrane transfers.

5. Slot volume is customizable.

6. Slot pins can deliver to dry plates by pre-wetting the plate. See customer data.

Replacement Pins for the 96 and 384 Slot Pin Replicators.

  Hydrophobic Slot Pin Replicators

Hydrophobic/lipophobic coated pins are very useful in handling solutions with proteins or lipids that may stick to naked stainless steel. Click on the following hyperlink for more details on the nature of our hydrophobic/lipophobic coating and the coating process. Visit the following link for Pin Tool Data and Charts.

Replacement Pins for the 96 and 384 Hydrophobic Slot Pin Replicators.

  Cleaning The Pins

Procedures for transferring liquids, robot speed, wash solutions, blotting protocols and pin cleaning can found at this hyperlink.  Cleaning the pins between mother plates is easy and effective.  In an experiment to determine the amount of carry over after 100 transfers of concentrated FITC (mother to daughter plate) we were only able to detect  0.000,001,8% of the residual FITC on the pin using only two 100 ml wash baths.

Download Video of 384 Pin Tool on a Maxim Robot
(mpeg movie- 6.2MB)

Press the play button to view the video in a flash format, flash must be installed, or click the download link to download a mpeg version.

  Custom Floating Slot Pin Replicators

Custom Floating Slot Pin Replicators can also be made using the 0.457 mm and 0.787 mm diameter pins and placing them into the Floating Pin Replicators described above.  The slot volumes between these two pins can cover a range of volumes from 5 nl to 1000 nl by changing the width and depth of the slot.  Inquire by phone or e-mail for more information.

Replacement Pins

Replacement Pins for all the replicators on this page can be found on this hyperlink.

  Cleaning Pins on Robot Mounted Replicators

  Manual Membrane Macro Array Starter Kit Accessories for FP Series

For your convenience and a 5% discount, V&P Scientific has combined the essential components of our floating FP series (FP1, FP3, and FP9)  96, 384 and 1536 pin MULTI-BLOT™ Replication System into a Starter Kit to make up to 4 identical 864 or 1536 feature Macro Arrays at once.  You select whichever Solid or Slot Pin FP series MULTI-BLOT™ Replicator that fits your application and delivery volume,  then just add it to the Basic Macro Array Starter Kit VP OK14A and you have everything you need to start making arrays.  This kit differs only from the VP OK14 in that a VP 381N LIBRARY COPIER™ is substituted for the VP 381 because the pins on the FP Series Replicators are shorter and therefore need a shorter registration accessory.  Included in the Starter Kit are the following:

  Accessories

  Robot Pin Tool Accessory Kit

We highly recommend that you order the Robot Pin Tool Accessory kit at the time you order the pin tool.  This "essentials" accessory kit contains the VP 540DB Lint Free Blotting System used to clean the pins efficiently between samples, two VP 540 Wash Reservoirs to wash the pins between source plates, the VP 110 Pin Cleaning Solution is used the clean the pins daily, the VP 425 Pin Cleaning Brush is used if a build up occurs and the VP 555 Safe Pin Tool Storage System is used to keep it clean and the fragile pins out of harms way.   Although we have several other wash and blot accessories available, these are the most cost effective for the majority of applications.  If you elect to use the fountain and flowing reservoirs we still strongly recommend the other items in this kit.  When purchased as the VP OK17 Kit you will receive a 5% discount over the sum of the individual items.