Deck, Slot, and Labware

This section explains the core components for defining and managing the physical layout of your automated pipetting system through the GUI interface.

Overview

The deck-slot-labware system creates a hierarchical structure that you interact with through the GUI:

  • Deck - The main working surface that contains all slots

  • Slot - Individual positions on the deck that hold labware

  • Labware - Physical items like tip racks, well plates, and reservoirs

This hierarchical organization allows for precise positioning and tracking of all components during automated pipetting operations. Each item has a unique id.

Labware Types

Low level labware (LLL)

  • Well

  • IndividualPipetteHolder

  • Reservoirs

LLL Parameters

All three Low level labware require size x,y,z dimensions alongside offset x and offset y values.

  • Offset is distance from the center of the object at which the pipettor should access the labware.

  • Well and Reservoir has content attribute, a dictionary mapping content types to volumes.

  • IndividualPipetteHolder has has_tip attribute that signify if tips are present or not.

High level labware (HLL)

  • Plate – contain wells (e.g. 48-well plate)

  • PipetteHolder - contain IndividualPipetteHolders (individual tips)

  • ReservoirHolder – contain Reservoirs (30ml reservoir,100ml reservoirs, 2ml tubes)

  • Stack - a minimal labware intended to let other labware stack on top of it

  • TipDropzone - An open box where tips can be discarded

HLL parameters

All HLL share a few common attributes. This includes dimensions(size_x,y,z), offset(x & y), and stackable(True or False) - offset values is the distance (mm) of the first object in the labware from slot corner (top left) - stackable property allow other labware to be placed on top of them.

TipDropzone includes a drop height parameter, which specifies the distance above the labware bottom where the pipettor should release (discard) tips. Unique parameters for PipetteHolder, ReservoirHolder, and Plate include:

  • Rows

  • Columns

  • Add height: height from the specific LLL bottom at which eject_tip / dispense is performed

  • Remove height: height from the specific LLL bottom at which pick_tip / aspirate is performed

  • X spacing: distance between adjacent LLLs along the X dimension

  • Y spacing: distance between adjacent LLLs along the Y dimension

  • LLL template: create or select the LLL

Since reservoir can be big enough to accommodate all tips of multipipettor or just one, ReservoirHolder has another parameter called as one reservoir per tip. When ticked, the pipettor will expect unique reservoir for all the tips