Compact and Affordable Open Access Automation Platform

Velocity11, a leader in innovative automation technology solutions for life science laboratories, launched its newest system, the Element?, at the Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS) conference in Seattle, USA.

The Element is designed for a mid-size range of applications between the company's popular BenchCel? Microplate Handling System and the larger, more powerful BioCel® Automation System. A compact floor-standing unit, the Element features an open-access platform to quickly facilitate configuration of up to nine instruments for processing. The Element is the most affordable and flexible system on the market that can be easily tailored by customer-specific needs to perform microplate pipetting, mixing, sealing, barcode labeling, signal detection, and more. Serving the genomics, proteomics, cellomics, drug discovery, ADME/Tox, and compound management fields, the Element is perfectly suited to applications that include cell-based and enzyme assays, ELISA, plasmid and sequencing preparation, PCR clean-up, solubility & more.

The Element includes a central robotic arm with ample vertical reach for stacking instruments, and a wrist-action gripper that manoeuvres microplates onto instruments precisely for efficient usage of space. The power, air, and communication infrastructure of the Element is the foundation of its robustness, reliability, and usability. In combination with the power of Velocity11's renowned VWorks? automation control software, the Element is the perfect compact solution to run many of the most popular screening applications. VWorks enables the integration of many devices and instruments from a wide range of suppliers. The Element is compatible with SBS-standard microplates, tube racks, and tip boxes. Microplate densities of 96, 384, and 1536 wells are easily accommodated.

A typical Element system configuration could include a VPrep® Precision Pipetting Station, a VCode® Bar Code Print and Apply Station, a PlateLoc® Thermal Plate Sealer, a VSpin? Integrated Microplate Centrifuge and Access2? Plate Handler, a plate-storage hotel, an incubator, and multiple VStack® Modular Plate Stackers. The versatility of the VPrep liquid-handling platform makes all combinations of plate formats possible, and it has outstanding liquid-handling performance in a wide volume range from 0.1 µl to 200 µl.