You are currently viewing the documentation for the Opentrons OT-1. To view documentation for the OT-2, click here.

Liquid Handling¶

The instruments module gives your protocol access to the Pipette, which is what you will be primarily using to create protocol commands.

Creating a Pipette¶

                    '''
Examples in this section require the following
'''
from opentrons import instruments

                  

Axis and Max Volume¶

To create a Pipette, you must give it an axis and a max_volume. The axis can be either 'a' or 'b', and the volume is whatever your hand pipette is calibrated for. In this example, we are using a 200uL pipette.

                      pipette = instruments.Pipette(
    axis='b',
    name='my-p200',
    max_volume=200)

                    

Minimum Volume¶

The minimum allowed volume can be set for each pipette. If your protocol attempts to aspirate or dispense a volume below this volume, the API will give you a warning.

                      pipette = instruments.Pipette(
    axis='b',
    name='my-p200',
    max_volume=200,
    min_volume=20)

                    

Channels¶

Pipettes can also be assigned a number of channels, either channel=1 or channel=8. If you do not specify, it will default to channel=1 channel.

                      pipette = instruments.Pipette(
    axis='b',
    name='my-p200-multichannel',
    max_volume=200,
    min_volume=20,
    channels=8)

                    

Plunger Speeds¶

The speeds at which the pipette will aspirate and dispense can be set through aspirate_speed and dispense_speed. The values are in millimeters/minute, and default to aspirate_speed=300 and dispense_speed=500.

                      pipeipette = instruments.Pipette(
    axis='b',
    name='my-p200-multichannel',
    max_volume=200,
    min_volume=20,
    channels=8,
    aspirate_speed=200,
    dispense_speed=600)

                    

Tip Handling¶

When we handle liquids with a pipette, we are constantly exchanging old, used tips for new ones to prevent cross-contamination between our wells. To help with this constant need, we describe in this section a few methods for getting new tips, and removing tips from a pipette.

This section demonstrates the options available for controlling tips

                    '''
Examples in this section expect the following
'''
from opentrons import containers, instruments

trash = containers.load('point', 'D2')
tiprack = containers.load('tiprack-200ul', 'B1')

pipette = instruments.Pipette(axis='a')

                  

Pick Up Tip¶

Before any liquid handling can be done, your pipette must have a tip on it. The command pick_up_tip() will move the pipette over to the specified tip, the press down into it to create a vacuum seal. The below example picks up the tip at location 'A1'.

                      pipette.pick_up_tip(tiprack.wells('A1'))

                    

Drop Tip¶

Once finished with a tip, the pipette will autonomously remove the tip when we call drop_tip(). We can specify where to drop the tip by passing in a location. The below example drops the tip back at its originating location on the tip rack.

                      pipette.drop_tip(tiprack.wells('A1'))

                    

Instead of returning a tip to the tip rack, we can also drop it in a trash container.

                      pipette.pick_up_tip(tiprack.wells('A2'))
pipette.drop_tip(trash)

Return Tip¶

When we need to return the tip to its originating location on the tip rack, we can simply call return_tip(). The example below will automatically return the tip to 'A3' on the tip rack.

                      pipette.pick_up_tip(tiprack.wells('A3'))
pipette.return_tip()

Tips Iterating¶

Automatically iterate through tips and drop tip in trash by attaching containers to a pipette

                      '''
Examples in this section expect the following
'''
from opentrons import containers, instruments

trash = containers.load('point', 'D2')
tip_rack_1 = containers.load('tiprack-200ul', 'B1')
tip_rack_2 = containers.load('tiprack-200ul', 'B2')

                    

Attach Tip Rack to Pipette¶

Tip racks and trash containers can be “attached” to a pipette when the pipette is created. This give the pipette the ability to automatically iterate through tips, and to automatically send the tip to the trash container.

Trash containers can be attached with the option trash_container=TRASH_CONTAINER.

Multiple tip racks are can be attached with the option tip_racks=[RACK_1, RACK_2, etc... ].

                        pipette = instruments.Pipette(
    axis='b',
    tip_racks=[tip_rack_1, tip_rack_2],
    trash_container=trash
)

                      

Note

The tip_racks= option expects us to give it a Python list, containing each tip rack we want to attach. If we are only attaching one tip rack, then the list will have a length of one, like the following:

tip_racks=[tiprack]

Iterating Through Tips¶

Now that we have two tip racks attached to the pipette, we can automatically step through each tip whenever we call pick_up_tip(). We then have the option to either return_tip() to the tip rack, or we can drop_tip() to remove the tip in the attached trash container.

                        pipette.pick_up_tip()  # picks up tip_rack_1:A1
pipette.return_tip()
pipette.pick_up_tip()  # picks up tip_rack_1:A2
pipette.drop_tip()     # automatically drops in trash

# use loop to pick up tips tip_rack_1:A3 through tip_rack_2:H12
for i in range(94 + 96):
    pipette.pick_up_tip()
    pipette.return_tip()

                      

If we try to pick_up_tip() again when all the tips have been used, the Opentrons API will show you an error.

Note

If you run the cell above, and then uncomment and run the cell below, you will get an error because the pipette is out of tips.

                        # this will raise an exception if run after the previous code block
# pipette.pick_up_tip()

Select Starting Tip¶

Calls to pick_up_tip() will by default start at the attached tip rack’s 'A1' location. If you however want to start automatic tip iterating at a different tip, you can use start_at_tip().

                        pipette.reset()

pipette.start_at_tip(tip_rack_1['C3'])
pipette.pick_up_tip()  # pick up C3 from "tip_rack_1"
pipette.return_tip()

Get Current Tip¶

Get the source location of the pipette’s current tip by calling current_tip(). If the tip was from the 'A1' position on our tip rack, current_tip() will return that position.

                        print(pipette.current_tip())  # is holding no tip

pipette.pick_up_tip()
print(pipette.current_tip())  # is holding the next available tip

pipette.return_tip()
print(pipette.current_tip())  # is holding no tip

will print out...

                        None
<Well D3>
None

                      

Liquid Control¶

This is the fun section, where we get to move things around and pipette! This section describes the Pipette object’s many liquid-handling commands, as well as how to move the robot.

                    '''
Examples in this section expect the following
'''
from opentrons import containers, instruments

plate = containers.load('96-flat', 'B1')
pipette = instruments.Pipette(axis='b', max_volume=200)

                  

Aspirate¶

To aspirate is to pull liquid up into the pipette’s tip. When calling aspirate on a pipette, we can specify how many micoliters, and at which location, to draw liquid from:

                      pipette.aspirate(50, plate.wells('A1'))  # aspirate 50uL from plate:A1

                    

Now our pipette’s tip is holding 50uL.

We can also simply specify how many microliters to aspirate, and not mention a location. The pipette in this circumstance will aspirate from it’s current location (which we previously set as plate.wells('A1')).

                      pipette.aspirate(50)                     # aspirate 50uL from current position

                    

Now our pipette’s tip is holding 100uL.

We can also specify only the location to aspirate from. If we do not tell the pipette how many micoliters to aspirate, it will by default fill up the remaining volume in it’s tip. In this example, since we already have 100uL in the tip, the pipette will aspirate another 100uL

                      pipette.aspirate(plate.wells('A2'))      # aspirate until pipette fills from plate:A2

                    

Dispense¶

To dispense is to push out liquid from the pipette’s tip. It’s usage in the Opentrons API is nearly identical to aspirate(), in that you can specify microliters and location, only microliters, or only a location:

                      pipette.dispense(50, plate.wells('B1')) # dispense 50uL to plate:B1
pipette.dispense(50)                    # dispense 50uL to current position
pipette.dispense(plate.wells('B2'))     # dispense until pipette empties to plate:B2

                    

That final dispense without specifying a micoliter amount will dispense all remaining liquids in the tip to plate.wells('B2'), and now our pipette is empty.

Blow Out¶

To blow out is to push an extra amount of air through the pipette’s tip, so as to make sure that any remaining droplets are expelled.

When calling blow_out() on a pipette, we have the option to specify a location to blow out the remaining liquid. If no location is specified, the pipette will blow out from it’s current position.

                      pipette.blow_out()                  # blow out over current location
pipette.blow_out(plate.wells('B3')) # blow out over current plate:B3

Touch Tip¶

To touch tip is to move the pipette’s currently attached tip to the edges of a well, for the purpose of knocking off any droplets that might be hanging from the tip.

When calling touch_tip() on a pipette, we have the option to specify a location where the tip will touch the inner walls. If no location is specified, the pipette will touch tip inside it’s current location.

                      pipette.touch_tip()                  # touch tip within current location
pipette.touch_tip(-2)                # touch tip 2mm below the top of the current location
pipette.touch_tip(plate.wells('B1')) # touch tip within plate:B1

                    

Mix¶

Mixing is simply performing a series of aspirate() and dispense() commands in a row on a single location. However, instead of having to write those commands out every time, the Opentrons API allows you to simply say mix().

The mix command takes three arguments: mix(repetitions, volume, location)

                      pipette.mix(4, 100, plate.wells('A2'))   # mix 4 times, 100uL, in plate:A2
pipette.mix(3, 50)                       # mix 3 times, 50uL, in current location
pipette.mix(2)                           # mix 2 times, pipette's max volume, in current location

                    

Air Gap¶

Some liquids need an extra amount of air in the pipette’s tip to prevent it from sliding out. A call to air_gap() with a microliter amount will aspirate that much air into the tip.

                      pipette.aspirate(100, plate.wells('B4'))
pipette.air_gap(20)

Moving¶

Demonstrates the different ways to control the movement of the Opentrons liquid handler during a protocol run.

                    '''
Examples in this section expect the following
'''
from opentrons import containers, instruments, robot

tiprack = containers.load('tiprack-200ul', 'A1')
plate = containers.load('96-flat', 'B1')

pipette = instruments.Pipette(axis='b')

                  

Move To¶

Pipette’s are able to move_to() any location on the deck.

For example, we can move to the first tip in our tip rack:

                      pipette.move_to(tiprack.wells('A1'))

                    

You can also specify at what height you would like the robot to move to inside of a location using top() and bottom() methods on that location.

                      pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').bottom())  # move to the bottom of well A1
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').top())     # move to the top of well A1
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').bottom(2)) # move to 2mm above the bottom of well A1
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').top(-2))   # move to 2mm below the top of well A1

                    

The above commands will cause the robot’s head to first move upwards, then over to above the target location, then finally downwards until the target location is reached. If instead you would like the robot to mive in a straight line to the target location, you can set the movement strategy to 'direct'.

                      pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1'), strategy='direct')

                    

Note

Moving with strategy='direct' will run the risk of colliding with things on your deck. Be very careful when using the option.

Usually the strategy='direct' option is useful when moving inside of a well. Take a look at the below sequence of movements, which first move the head to a well, and use ‘direct’ movements inside that well, then finally move on to a different well.

                      pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1'))
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').bottom(1), strategy='direct')
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1').top(-2), strategy='direct')
pipette.move_to(plate.wells('A1'))

                    

Delay¶

To have your protocol pause for any given number of minutes or seconds, simply call delay() on your pipette. The value passed into delay() is the number of minutes or seconds the robot will wait until moving on to the next commands.

                      pipette.delay(seconds=2)             # pause for 2 seconds
pipette.delay(minutes=5)             # pause for 5 minutes
pipette.delay(minutes=5, seconds=2)  # pause for 5 minutes and 2 seconds

                    

Liquid Handling¶

Creating a Pipette¶

Axis and Max Volume¶

Minimum Volume¶

Channels¶

Plunger Speeds¶

Tip Handling¶

Pick Up Tip¶

Drop Tip¶

Return Tip¶

Tips Iterating¶

Attach Tip Rack to Pipette¶

Iterating Through Tips¶

Select Starting Tip¶

Get Current Tip¶

Liquid Control¶

Aspirate¶

Dispense¶

Blow Out¶

Touch Tip¶

Mix¶

Air Gap¶

Moving¶

Move To¶

Delay¶

Table Of Contents

Related Topics

This Page