Cartesian SQ Series

Ultra-Fast Dispensing Workstations

The Cartesian Technologies SQ Series of Dispensing Workstations provide a high-speed dispensing platform for delivering nanoliter to microliter volumes of chemical and biological reagents. The workstations use the proprietary synQUAD^TM technology. The technology combines the high-speed actuating capability of a microsolenoid inkjet valve with the high-resolution displacement of a syringe pump. By synchronizing the valve, the pump, and the x-y positioning system, synQUAD technology provides:

High-speed dispensing
Quantitative dispensing of nanoliter volumes (down to 20 nL)
Dispensing in a non-contact mode which eliminates tip washing or replacement
Wide dynamic dispense volume range (20 nL to 250 µL)

Dispensing is accomplished by moving the dispense head above the substrate (microplates, slides, membranes) and dispensing drops "on-the-fly". By eliminating the traditional "move-dispense-move-dispense" sequence, very high dispense speeds can be achieved for rapid filling of high-density plates or arraying of material. With non-contact dispensing, tips never require washing or replacing.

Applications

High-speed Plate Filling. 384 or 1536 well plates can be rapidly filled with different reagents, either delivered as bulk reagents or transferred from a source reservoir. Fill volume can range from 50 nL to 8 µL. Since the dispense mechanism is non-contact, the tips do not require replacing or washing between dispenses. Using the synQUAD dispenser, a 1536 well plate can be filled with 4 µL per well in under 60 seconds. Since the dispensing system is multi-channel, up 8 different reagents can be dispensed independently.
Click here for a description of automated 384- and 1536-well dispensing of yttrium oxide beads
and its application to scintillation proximity assay (SPA).
High-Speed Arraying. Low-density microarrays can be created using the synQUAD technology. With the high-speed dispensing, thousands of spots per minute can be created on a glass slide or membrane substrate. This application is most useful for high-throughput production of low-density microarrays.

Features and Benefits

Fast-Dispensing. synQUAD technology can fill a 1536-well plate with 2 to 10 µL in < 60 seconds.
Volume Control. Programmable applications provide quantitative dispensing from 20 nL to 250 µL.
Multi-Mode Dispensing. Transfer Sample using Aspirate and Dispense or Continuous Dispensing of Single Reagent.
Multi-Reagent Dispensing. Up to 8 channels can be used for independent delivery of 8 different reagents.
Flexible Programming. Windows 95/98/ NT Control Software

Product Models

The SQ Series is available in two platforms, based on size and positioning mechanics (click hyperlinks for pictures):

PixSys SQ Workstation. This configuration holds up to 9 microwell plates, 50 glass slides, or membranes of various sizes. It is designed for medium throughput applications and can be configured with optional plate loader and humidity chamber.
ProSys SQ Workstation. The overhead gantry positioning device permits higher capacity compared to the PixSys configuration. Up to 19 microwell plates, 100 slides, or membranes can be positioned on the work surface. An integrated humidity chamber controls the dispensing environment.

Model	Microwell Plate Capacity	Dispense Channels	Options
MicroSys 4000	2	1 or 4
MicroSys 4100	1 plate + 10 slides	1 or 4
PixSys 4200	9	1, 4 or 8	humidity chamber plate loader
PixSys 4500	1 plate + 50 slides	1,4, or 8	humidity chamber plate loader
ProSys 4210	19	1,4, or 8	plate loader
ProSys 4310	3 plates + large membranes	1,4, or 8	plate loader
ProSys 4510	3 plates + 100 slides	1,4, or 8	plate loader
ProSys 4960	19	96	plate loader

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