Pin Length and Diameter

Tube Pins

Pins are available as 2 basic styles; the tube pins to the right are fixed inside tubes to provide greater strength to small diameter pins.  The pins vary in diameter from 0.229 mm to 0.914 mm, and they also vary in the total length of the pin (from 33 to 50 mm) and the length of the exposed pin from 12 to 30 mm long.  The exposed length terminology is used to define how far the pin is able to extend below the bottom float plate thus it subtracts the thickness of the lower float plate from the length of the pin that protrudes from the tube. The 12 mm long exposed length pins are used on robots with "Z" limitations and the 30 mm long exposed length pins are used when delivering to or from the bottom of a deep well plate.  For all other applications either the standard (FP_ series) 17 mm long exposed length or the shorter overall length (38 mm FP_N series) with a 17 mm long exposed length pins.  Which one you select is based on the "Z" limitation of your robotic system.  The diameter of the mounting tubes for all these pins is 1.58 mm.

E-Clip pins

***NEW***
Pins for the 3456 Mcroplates

One of our customers wanted to know if we can make a pin tool for the new 3456 microwell plates.  Yes, we can - see the photo at the right.  By simply using a smaller cannula we can make a pin tool with only a 0.75 mm center to center pitch.  We can easily accommodate both our FP1 (0.457 mm) and FP9 (0.229 mm) diameter pins.

  Pin Designations

The FP (Floating Pin) and a number refer to the pin diameter, the C means it is a shorter pin, T is  a taller or longer exposed length pin.  Some robots have height or "Z" limitations and need to have the shortest overall height possible.  Pins for deep well plates need to be longer to reach the bottom of the well.  The H means the pin has a hydrophobic coating,  S means the pin has a slot and the number after the S indicates the nanoliter or microliter volume of the slot.

The tables below contain hyperlinks to the various types/lengths/diameters/coatings of the pins we offer.

Tube Style Pins

E-Clip Style Pins

  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, tip and in slots we cut into the tip. 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's 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

DMSO Liquid To Liquid Transfers With Uncoated Pins

  A Guide For Selecting The Right Pin For Your Application

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

 
  Convert a Robot Pin Tool to a Manual Pin Tool

  Exposed Pin Length

*The above delivery volumes for these pins are approximate values, the actual volumes delivered depend upon many controllable factors that will vary from one application to another.  For example in liquid to liquid transfers the amount transferred will include the hanging drop on the bottom of the pin as well as the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a membrane then only the hanging drop would be transferred and not the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a dry plate then only about 1/4 off the hanging drop would be transferred to the dry plate and the rest would be on the pin.  The division of the hanging drop would be determined by the surface tension of the pin and the surface tension of the dry plate. The speed of pin withdrawal can increase the volume transferred by 3 fold.

 
Short solid Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

***NEW***
Tall solid Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

***NEW***
17 mm length pins for short tube solid Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

*The above delivery volumes for these pins are approximate values, the actual volumes delivered depend upon many controllable factors that will vary from one application to another.  For example in liquid to liquid transfers the amount transferred will include the hanging drop on the bottom of the pin as well as the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a membrane then only the hanging drop would be transferred and not the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a dry plate then only about 1/4 off the hanging drop would be transferred to the dry plate and the rest would be on the pin.  The division of the hanging drop would be determined by the surface tension of the pin and the surface tension of the dry plate. The speed of pin withdrawal can increase the volume transferred by 3 fold.

  Hydrophobic & Lipophobic Coating of Pins

All of the above pins can also be obtained with a hydrophobic/ lipophobic coating.  Just adding an H to the above pin designates that pin as a hydrophobic/ lipophobic coated pin.  These coated pins are very useful in handling solutions with proteins or lipids that may stick to naked stainless steel.

Hydrophobic Coated Standard length Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

Hydrophobic Coated short Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

Hydrophobic Coated Tall Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

***NEW***
Hydrophobic coated 17 mm length pins for short tube solid Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

*The above delivery volumes for these pins are approximate values, the actual volumes delivered depend upon many controllable factors that will vary from one application to another.  For example in liquid to liquid transfers the amount transferred will include the hanging drop on the bottom of the pin as well as the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a membrane then only the hanging drop would be transferred and not the liquid on the sides of the pin.  If the transfer was to a dry plate then only about 1/4 off the hanging drop would be transferred to the dry plate and the rest would be on the pin.  The division of the hanging drop would be determined by the surface tension of the pin and the surface tension of the dry plate. The speed of pin withdrawal can increase the volume transferred by 3 fold.

 
  Slot Pins

Slot in Standard length pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

The FP4 slot pins in the photo on the right are used to transfer liquid to and from 1536 microplates.  The pins are small enough to fit into the wells and can be slotted to carry larger samples (1,000 and 2,000 nl).  If you want to add a larger volume to a 1536 well microplate this is the pin of choice.

 
Slot in Short Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

***NEW***
Slot in 17 mm long short pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators

***NEW***
Slot in Tall Pins used in Double Float Plate Replicators