Pipetting ergonomics: Reduce strain and improve pipetting performance

Selecting the right pipette can help reduce hand and arm strain during repetitive liquid handling tasks. Factors such as operating force, pipette weight, grip design, tip attachment and ejection force can have a significant impact on user comfort and workflow efficiency.

When selecting an ergonomic pipette, consider the following:

• Choose electronic pipettes with electronic tip ejection to minimize the manual force required to eject tips.
• Select mechanical pipettes with low operating forces, particularly for tip attachment and ejection.
• Choose a lightweight, well-balanced pipette to help reduce the effort required to hold and operate the instrument.
• Look for an ergonomic grip and finger hook that provide support and minimize the force needed to maintain a secure grip.
• Use multichannel pipettes when appropriate to process multiple samples simultaneously, reducing repetitive motions and helping increase workflow efficiency.

The operating force required to complete a pipetting cycle can vary considerably between pipettes. While the force required for an individual aspiration, dispense, blow-out or tip-ejection step may seem small, these forces can accumulate over hundreds or thousands of pipetting cycles.

Tip ejection is often one of the most force-intensive steps in manual pipetting. Choosing an electronic pipette with electronic tip ejection, or a mechanical pipette designed for low-force tip ejection, can help reduce the physical effort associated with repetitive liquid handling.

Choosing a pipette that combines ergonomic design, low operating forces and consistent performance can help create a more comfortable and efficient liquid handling workflow.

Ergonomics can influence more than user comfort. Fatigue and inconsistent pipetting technique can affect how consistently a liquid handling task is performed, particularly during long or repetitive workflows.

Lightweight, well-balanced pipettes can help reduce fatigue during extended use, while electronic pipettes can provide consistent, controlled operation with minimal manual force. Multichannel pipettes can also help streamline repetitive workflows by allowing multiple samples to be processed at the same time.

Sartorius considers ergonomics, ease of use, accuracy and efficiency when developing pipetting solutions. Our pipettes are designed to help minimize the physical effort associated with repetitive liquid handling while supporting accurate and precise results.

Ergonomic design features include lightweight and balanced handles, comfortable grip options, low operating forces and designs that accommodate different hand sizes and holding positions. These features can help reduce the physical demands of repetitive pipetting and support more comfortable laboratory workflows.

• Picus^® 2 electronic pipettes feature electronic pipetting and electronic tip ejection to minimize manual operating forces and a lightweight ergonomic design to  support comfortable operation during repetitive liquid handling tasks.
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• Tacta^® mechanical pipettes combine a lightweight, ergonomic design with low operating forces. The Optiload system uses spring-loaded tip cones to help make tip attachment and ejection smoother. 
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Sartorius pipette tips are available in easy-to-open racks designed for convenient access, while compatibility with the Optiload system supports low-force tip loading and ejection.