Artel PCS® Pipette Calibration System

In this eBook, Artel provides a series of publications that provide technical information regarding the use, application, and metrology related to liquid handling instrumentation.

In this whitepaper, Artel presents the dual-dye ratiometric photometry technology behind the industry-leading Pipette Calibration System (PCS). The PCS platform is designed to provide a fully integrated and streamlined approach to pipette calibrations, interim verifications, operator training and competency assessments, as well as results that are traceable to the SI through NIST and NPL standards.

To master pipetting, we need to understand that viscosity is the measure of a liquid's resistance to flow. This poster from Artel demonstrates the best practices when it comes to pipetting viscous solutions.

This poster from Artel features 10 top tips on how to improve your pipetting technique and the performance of your pipette.

Pipetting tasks are the backbone of countless assay procedures and ensuring the accuracy and precision of dispensed volumes is paramount to the integrity of assay data. This application note demonstrates how the Artel PCS® Pipette Calibration System can be used to test the performance of a Beckman Coulter Biomek® 3000 Laboratory Automation Workstation’s pipetting tools.

Assay transfer is one of the most complex activities in laboratories today. Successful assay transfer ensures that new results are comparable to historical data. Whether it involves scaling an assay up to a higher throughput platform or transferring an assay from development to a QC environment, assay transfer is challenging because of the large number of variables involved. This application note explains how differences in equipment, reagents, technique and interpretation of methodology can affect your assay transfer.

Mechanical action pipettes, unlike the original glass pipette, contain many internal parts. Some pipette failures are evident, either to the eye or by the feel of the pipette action. In these instances, the operator is aware that the pipette is not operating correctly. However, when the internal mechanism of a pipette fails, and it is not obvious to the operator, a silent failure has occurred. This application note explains how silent failures can occur and how to avoid them.

The performance of mechanical action pipettes must be tested periodically to ensure accurate and precise liquid delivery. The results of such testing then may be compared with pre-established tolerances, and out-of-tolerance conditions corrected. Further complicating the situation is the fact that pipette performance is dependent upon factors beyond the mechanical condition of the pipette. This application note reviews the key issues that should be considered when establishing tolerance limits for the working laboratory, and recommends as a starting point a set of achievable tolerance limits for pipettes of various sizes.

Increased usage sometimes causes definitions to become tainted. In the laboratory, two terms which are often used interchangeably are accuracy and precision, or inaccuracy and imprecision. These, in fact, are different terms with very distinct meanings. Knowing the true definition, influences upon, and importance of each is critical to the development of a sound quality control program in the laboratory. This application note explains how sound quality control program assures the reliability of your results, allows the interchangeability of results between laboratories, reduces the likelihood of expensive repeat testing, and, in a worst case scenario, could prevent failed inspection or the questioning of vital research data.

Two factors in pipetting which can cause the user physical stress are the design of the pipette and the manner in which it is used. An ergonomically designed pipette should pose few if any difficulties or risks to the user who, trained in body mechanics, knows which positions and postures to avoid. Selecting your pipettes and the manner in which they are used is a relatively simple project which requires little more than applying some useful information. This application note demonstrates how careful choice of pipette can lead to improved safety and health in the workplace and improved productivity.

Simplify and improve confidence in your pipette calibration with the Artel Pipette Calibration System (PCS). Learn how the Artel PCS can improve calibrations quickly and accurately, in compliance with ISO requirements.

Find out which products have earned a new Seal of Quality, including the rare Diamond Seal of Quality

Portuguese Metrology Institute used Artel’s PCS Pipette Calibration System to report CMC for smallest liquid volume measurement on record