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Maintenance

Routine Maintenance - Instrument


  • For a reliable daily operation, keep the instrument free of dust and liquid spills.
  • Clean the outside of the instrument periodically with a cloth dampened with water, a mild detergent or 70% ethanol when necessary.
  • Immediately wipe away spilt saline solutions, solvents, acids or alkaline solutions from outer surfaces to prevent damage.
  • Abrasive cleaning agents are not recommended because they are likely to damage the plastic instrument cover.
  • Do not expose the surfaces to concentrated acids or concentrated alcohols for prolonged periods of time as damage may occur.
  • If any surfaces are contaminated with biohazardous material, a mild sterilizing solution should be used. Ensure that the bottom of each microplate is dry. Fluid on the bottom of a microplate may present a contamination hazard.
  • Example of decontaminants:
    • Ethanol 70%
    • Virkon solution 1 - 3%
    • Glutaraldehyde solution 4%
    • Chloramine T
    • Microcide SQ 1:64

Note! If you want to include ethanol wash make sure sure you always wash first with ddH20. Ethanol will precipitate remaining proteins.

Dispensing cassette maintenance: Multidrop Combi, Multidrop 384, Multidrop DW

Handle the dispensing cassette with great care so that you do not damage the tubes and dispensing tips. These factors affect the useful life of the dispensing cassette.

Daily Maintenance


Cleaning the dispensing cassette after use: 
  1. Wash the tubes by predispensing them with ddH2O. Make sure all the tubes are washed properly.
    • Standard tube dispensing cassette: use min. 20 ml ddH2O for washing.
    • Small tube dispensing cassette: use min. 10 ml ddH2O for washing.
    • If cleaning with water is insufficient, use a mild laboratory detergent (for example, TWEEN®-20 or TritonTM X-100) or a cleaning solution (e.g. 1% Micro-90® Cleaning Solution by Cole-Parmer) and then predispense with large amounts of ddH2O.
  2. Empty the tubings of the dispensing cassette. The dispensing cassette can be dried at room temperature.
  3. After washing, store the dispensing cassette in the rest position.

Caution! When dispensing proteins, wash first with ddH2O before ethanol to avoid precipitation.

Regular Maintenance

  • Avoid dust or any particles > 50 μm when operating with the dispensing cassette.
  • Calibrate the dispensing cassette at least once a month.
  • For small tube cassettes, it is recommended to filter the reagents to avoid any clogging. Especially all dye solutions should be filtered for the dispensing.


Cleaning plastic/metal tips:

  1. Press the EMPTY button for a few seconds. Then press the PRIME button for a few seconds.
  2. Place a liquid reservoir filled with ddH2O under the cassette tips so that the tips are submerged in liquid, and press the EMPTY button.
  3. The small plastic tip is very fragile, be careful.

Caution! To avoid particles re-entering the reagent, place the tubing end weight into a separate vessel while you empty the tubing.

Cleaning the metal tips:
  1. Open the cassette cover and detach the tubing from the tips and remove the tip holder from the cassette.
  2. Attach the syringe with the filter unit and press ddH2O, ethanol or another suitable liquid through the syringe to wash out any particles from the tubing.
  3. Attach the short tubing onto the outlet of the tip, and press liquid through the syringe.
  4. Verify the cleaning, and insert the tubing back onto the tips, and place the tip holder back into the cassette.

For more detailed instructions of cleaning the metal tips, please, see the Multidrop Combi user manual.

Trouble Shooting

  • If the tip(s) are clogged or dripping, you can first try to clean the tips according to the regular maintenance instructions above to remove the blockage or prime and empty the tubing several times with a mild detergent and rinse properly with ddH2O.
  • The dispensing cassette should be stored in the rest position. Recalibrate the cassette if the tubing has been under tension for a prolonged period.
  • Wet outer surface of the tip(s) may form disturbing droplets.
  • After autoclaving, the dispensing cassette must cool down at least two hours to room temperature before use.

Dispensing valve and tubing maintenance: Multidrop Combi nL

Daily Maintenance

The basic maintenance procedure should be performed regularly and on a daily basis to ensure proper dispensing valve and tubing operation:

  1. Filter all reagents, detergents, solutions and water before use to remove solid particles.
  2. Rinse the tubings with distilled and filtered laboratory-grade water always after using the instrument.
  3. Before a prolonged standby, wash the tubings with 70% ethanol, and run the tubings dry to avoid microbial growth from developing.

Regular Maintenance

To ensure trouble-free dispensing, do not touch the dispensing valves or the tubing inlet. If there is a reason to suspect that particles have entered the tubings, clean the tubings. Check the reagent filter weekly, wash it regularly and replace it when necessary. It is possible to clean the reagent filter with an ultrasonic cleaner.

Cleaning the valves and tubings:
First carry out the following backflush procedure:

  • Empty the reagent reservoir or fit an empty reagent reservoir and remove the reagent filter at the bottom of the reagent reservoir by pulling it off by the end of the cap tube.
  • Place a disposable reagent basin or a 96-well plate filled with 20-50 ml of filtered detergent under the dispensing valves so that the liquid is in contact with the valves.
  • Press the EMPTY button to rinse the valves and tubings.
  • Place another disposable reagent basin or a 96-well plate filled with distilled and filtered laboratory-grade water under the dispensing valves so that the liquid is in contact with the valves.
  • Press the EMPTY button to rinse the valves and tubings properly.

Trouble Shooting

  • To remove persistent air bubbles from the hosing and microsolenoid dispensing valves, use a tip washing. The tip washing is started by pressing the TIP WASH button. The liquid comes in pulses and one liquid channel at a time to maintain a maximum flow through the dispensing valve.
  • If the valve(s) are clogged or dripping, you can first try to clean the tips according to the regular maintenance instructions above to remove the blockage.
    • The tip washing is possible to do before the dispensing.
    • Clean the tubes and valves by emptying with the EMPTY button.
  • Do not tighten the valve too much.
  • There is one spare valve included.
  • It is possible to remove the reagent filter.