Page ContentClick a heading below to view the related questions. Instrument Hardware How much space will this instrument take up? Will existing benches need to be modified (widened, pulled away from the wall, extended)? What types of specialty additions can be incorporated? Plate shaker Barcode reader Heating unit How many plates/tips can I fit on the deck? Can the instrument track samples? Is the labware (plates, reservoirs, tips) I plan to use compatible? If not, are there adaptors that can be used? What is the cost of the recommended labware? Are there other options for needed labware (other brands) or does it have to be from the same company as the instrument? Can low reagent volumes be accurately pipetted? What are the accuracy and precision rates? What is the dead volume when pipetting my lowest volume needed from my desired reservoir? Are there other reservoirs available that would decrease my dead volume that would also work for my needs? Approximately how long does it take to dispense reagent to a 384 well plate? Into a 96 well plate? From different sources (reservoirs, plates, tubes) Can the instrument be used for non-molecular cross purposes? Can the instrument be connected to the intranet? Do I have a mechanism to purchase this instrument? Do I have a mechanism to purchase consumables (tips, plates, reservoirs)? Where can I see this instrument in action with a method similar to what I have planned? Can I demo the instrument? Does our specimen throughput or backup requirements necessitate instrument redundancy (purchase of more than one of the same instrument)? Instrument Software How much control does the user have over the labware descriptions, including plates and tips? (Example – if you need the tip to enter a plate at the side of a well, instead of the middle – can the end user adjust this?) Can the user define their own labware specifications or is that done by the manufacturer? What level of programing is required? Is the software user-friendly? Do we have a person currently in our lab who can manage/maintain the more technical instrument software? Instrument Maintenance What is covered by the warranty at time of purchase and what options there are when warranty need to be renewed? Is this instrument maintenance covered under the contract agreement with my lab? Recommendations on how often the instrument has to be shut down (daily, over the weekend, monthly). What is the required instrument maintenance (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)? Does the vendor supply a loaner instrument if our instrument cannot be fixed or is down for a long time? What types of maintenance contracts are available? Instrument Support What type of support is available for method development? User forums and annual/bi-annual user meetings Telephone assistance or remote computer support Company representative visits site Tech support What is the response time if I encounter a problem with my instrument? It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again.