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Labware Offsets

Labware offsets are fine-tuned positional coordinates that help the OT-2 align a pipette relative to a specific piece of labware used in a protocol. Labware Position Check is the procedure your OT-2 runs to create these offset measurements.

You can reuse labware offsets in other protocols, but only for an exact labware-and-slot combination. Opentrons recommends running Labware Position Check before every protocol run to help ensure positional accuracy.

You can also define offsets directly in Python API protocols using set_offset. However, because these offsets are written into the code, they cannot be adjusted via the Opentrons App; you must edit the Python script to make changes. See Setting Labware Offsets.

Note

Labware Position Check is designed to correct minor, millimeter-scale variations. If you need to compensate for multi-centimeter offsets, you may have a manufacturing defect in your labware. For persistent misalignment issues, contact Opentrons Support.

Offsets example

After importing a protocol into your OT-2, any available offset data appears in the Labware Offsets section under the Setup tab.

App showing offset data applied to the labware in a protocol

Labware using offset data from Labware Position Check.

You can always generate or recheck labware offsets by clicking Run Labware Position Check.

Running Labware Position Check

The Labware Position Check is a guided workflow that's similar to the robot calibration procedure. To run Labware Position Check:

  1. Click the Setup tab of an imported protocol.

  2. Click the to expand the Labware Offsets section.

  3. Click Run Labware Position Check.

  4. Click Get started to start Labware Position Check. Make sure all your labware is placed on the deck and in the location specified by your protocol.

  5. Follow the instructions shown on the screen. As you go through each step, you'll verify the type and location of labware used in your protocol and use the jog controls to align the pipette.

  6. Click Complete to finish Labware Position Check.

    Confirmation screen for completing Labware Position Check
    Successfully completing the Labware Position Check.

Upon completion, the app returns you to the Setup screen for your protocol. At this point, your protocol is ready to run.