Multichannel Pipettes
Sartorius multichannel pipettes are engineered for high-precision liquid handling and are available in 8- and 12-channel formats. Designed to enhance productivity and ensure consistent sample dispensing, they also help reduce the risk of repetitive strain. Choose from mechanical or electronic models to match your workflow and optimize multichannel pipetting in any research or clinical lab.
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Enjoy the Benefits of Multichannel Pipettes
Laboratory applications such as PCR, ELISA, and cell culture often require precise, repeatable pipetting of small liquid volumes. Electronic multichannel pipettes enhance accuracy and consistency by minimizing human error, making them essential for high-throughput workflows and reproducible results.
Multichannel pipettes streamline liquid handling by dispensing uniform volumes across multiple wells simultaneously, reducing manual errors and increasing throughput. Ideal for high-efficiency laboratory workflows, these pipettes boost accuracy, speed, and overall productivity in applications like microplate assays and sample preparation.
Multichannel pipettes improve ergonomics and efficiency for tasks requiring consistent liquid dispensing across multiple wells. By reducing pipetting time and repetitive motions, they minimize strain and enhance user comfort—making them ideal for high-throughput laboratory applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Multichannel Pipette FAQs
Choosing between single-channel and multichannel pipettes depends on your specific laboratory tasks and workflow needs:
- Single-channel pipettes are ideal for transferring individual samples with high precision and flexibility, making them suitable for diverse applications requiring varied volumes.
- Multichannel pipettes, on the other hand, allow simultaneous dispensing into multiple wells—perfect for high-throughput tasks like plate filling or replicating samples in microplates.
When choosing a multichannel pipette, consider these key factors to ensure optimal performance:
- Number of Channels: Match the number of channels (e.g., 8- or 12-channel) to your microplate format to maximize efficiency.
- Volume Range: Select a pipette with a volume range that fits your typical sample sizes to maintain accuracy and precision.
- Ergonomics: Look for lightweight, well-balanced designs with comfortable grips to reduce user fatigue during repetitive tasks.
- Adjustability: Choose models with easy volume adjustment and clear digital or mechanical displays for quick, precise setting changes.
- Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with your preferred pipette tips, including low-retention or filtered tips if needed.
- Durability and Maintenance: Opt for pipettes that are easy to clean, service, and calibrated regularly to maintain performance.
- Additional Features: Some pipettes offer electronic or automated functions for even greater speed and consistency, which can be beneficial for high-throughput labs.
Sartorius multichannel pipettes are designed with key ergonomic features such as:
- Lightweight construction: Reduces hand fatigue and strain during prolonged use.
- Comfortable grip: Ensures a secure and natural hand position, minimizing awkward postures that can contribute to RSI.
- Low pipetting forces: Requires minimal effort to operate, reducing stress on fingers and wrists.
- Light tip ejection: Tips can be ejected with an electronic system in Picus® 2 or light and comfortable Optiject system with Tacta® Fingerhook: Provides a resting position for the pipette, reducing the need to grip it with excessive force, thereby promoting comfort and reducing strain.
These features work together to promote natural hand positioning and reduce the effort required for pipetting, minimizing the risk of RSI and enhancing user comfort during extended pipetting tasks.
Mechanical multichannel pipettes can be autoclaved as they are without disassembly. Electronic pipette lower ends (excluding 1,200µL models), meaning housing for 8 or 12 channels, can be autoclaved when separated from the main body.
Calibration frequency depends on usage, the specific model, and laboratory standards. However, as a general guideline, it's recommended to calibrate pipettes at least annually, every 3-6 months, or as required by your quality control protocols.
If a pipette is used frequently or for critical applications, more frequent calibration may be necessary. Additionally, if a pipette is dropped or damaged, it should be calibrated immediately to ensure accuracy.
Temperature and liquid viscosity play important roles in pipetting accuracy. Temperature influences liquid density, potentially causing variations in dispensed volume. To maintain precision, calibrate pipettes at the working temperature and allow liquids to equilibrate to ambient conditions before pipetting.
Viscous liquids require careful handling — slower pipetting speeds and longer wait times help ensure complete aspiration and dispensing. Techniques like pre-wetting tips and reverse pipetting can further improve accuracy with viscous, volatile, or small-volume samples.
Reverse pipetting, supported by Sartorius multichannel pipettes, involves aspirating slightly more liquid than needed and dispensing the exact desired volume, leaving a small amount in the tip. This technique is recommended for:
- Viscous liquids, to minimize retention and improve accuracy
- Volatile liquids, to reduce evaporation effects
- Small volumes, to counteract surface tension issues
- Preventing bubbles, as it avoids sample disruption without requiring blow-out
By understanding and adjusting for these factors, you can ensure consistent and precise pipetting results.
To ensure accuracy and consistency across all channels, maintain a consistent pipetting angle, immerse the tips to the same depth in the liquid, and keep a steady pipetting speed. Pre-wetting the tips can also improve accuracy by reducing liquid retention and improving consistency between the first and subsequent dispenses.
Additionally, ensure that the pipette is held vertically when aspirating and dispensing, and if possible, touch the sides of the wells with the pipette tips when dispensing to make it easier for the liquid to eject from the tips.
