#pipetting

Labasics Pipette Pump (2/10/25 mL Compatible) 🧪💧

Make pipetting easier and more precise with the Labasics Pipette Pump!✨

Designed for use with 2, 10, and 25 mL glass or plastic transfer pipettes, it enables smooth aspiration and controlled dispensing of common lab liquids, including acidic and alkaline solutions. The rotating thumbwheel offers effortless control, while detachable components make cleaning and maintenance simple and convenient. 🔄✨

A durable, reliable tool for everyday lab work—backed by a 1-year warranty.

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In the laboratory setting, scientific research, precision, and accuracy which makes them essential. Following its versatility, it is used in operating clinical laboratories, conducting pharmaceutical research, and in an academic environment. 

Overall, micropipettes are considered one of the important instruments in the lab while experimenting. But there are various models and sizes available for micropipettes, which makes you choose the right one. 

This blog is all about the features and the aspects you can consider while getting micropipettes online. We also discuss the tools that can eventually enhance your laboratory work, making it more efficient and accurate.

Features of Micropipettes when buying online

Accuracy and Precision: The Core of Every Micropipette

At the centre of every quality micropipette is its precision and accuracy in delivering liquids. Accuracy is the measure of how close the actual dispensed volume is to the set volume, while precision is the capability to dispense the same volume over and over again.

When purchasing online, make sure the product description or datasheet includes:

Accuracy and precision information at different volume ranges

Calibration certifications (ISO 8655 compliance is best)

Error margin information

A good micropipette must provide consistent performance even after being used hundreds of times. High-end reliability means relying on companies like Microlit, which strictly test their products before shipping.

Ergonomics and Design: Comfort Counts

Pipetting is a repetitive action. Inadequately designed micropipettes may lead to strain injuries like repetitive strain injury (RSI) or carpal tunnel syndrome in the long run. Be on the lookout for:

Lightweight construction

Finger-hook or ergonomic handle

Soft plunger and tip ejector

Low operating force

Comfort means efficiency. Ergonomic design allows researchers to pipette for many hours without getting tired.

Volume Range and Versatility

Micropipettes are available in two broad categories: fixed volume and variable volume.

Fixed volume pipettes are best for repetitive work with a fixed volume.

Variable volume pipettes are versatile and ideal for general laboratory use.

Typical volumes range from 0.1–2 µl, 2–20 µl, 20–200 µl, to 100–1000 µl. The most cost-effective approach is to spend money on a range-covering set or using multichannel pipettes for high-throughput applications.

Tip Compatibility and Ejection System

Nobody prefers to deal with tip-sticking or trouble ejecting tips. Always inspect:

Whether or not the micropipette can be used with universal tips

The convenience of attaching and ejecting tips

Whether the pipette has a tip cone for a secure seal

Newer pipettes also have colour-coded tips and tip cones, which are simpler to identify amidst chaotic workflows.

Calibration and Maintenance Ease

Each micropipette requires periodic calibration to help it continue functioning. Opt for a model that:

Has a readily accessible calibration mechanism

Includes a calibration tool or can be recalibrated electronically

It is supported by post-purchase support and service from the brand or seller

Microlit provides recalibration equipment and internal support, making it easy to use over the long term.

Material Compatibility for Sensitive Experiments

Some chemicals may corrode internal micropipette parts over time. If you handle severe solvents, acids, or biological substances, make sure:

The materials of construction are chemical-resistant and corrosion-proof

The piston and seals are PTFE or FKM coated for added resistance

Durability guarantees that the instrument lasts you longer without compromising accuracy.

Brand Reputation and Warranty

Research instruments have to be from a reliable source. Reputed brands such as Microlit are famous for:

Long-lasting instruments

Effective warranties

ISO and CE certifications

Great customer support and replacement facilities

Keep in mind, a good warranty reflects the manufacturer's faith in the product.

Digital vs Mechanical: Choosing the Right Format

Digital micropipettes are more accurate, contain memory settings, and can be automated, which makes them suitable for sophisticated labs. Mechanical micropipettes, however, are more basic, less expensive, and practical for regular lab work.

When purchasing online, consider the advantages and disadvantages:

Complementary Tools to Maximise Pipetting Efficiency

A laboratory's pipetting requirements do not stop with a micropipette. Add an upgrade to your equipment using complementary liquid handling accessories like:

Bottle top dispenser: Suitable for dispensing reagents from bottles directly, minimising waste and contamination.

Acid dispenser: Tailored to handle corrosive and high-purity acids with precision and safety.

Automatic burette: Helpful for titrations and experiments where gradual and controlled liquid dispensing is needed.

All of these fall into a larger class of liquid handling equipment, and investing in them will greatly enhance your lab's throughput and safety.

Online Buying Tips and Red Flags

When purchasing micropipettes online:

Always read product reviews and ratings

Seek out certification and authenticity stamps

Check that return and replacement policies are customer-oriented

Opt for sites that provide technical support and product demonstrations

Avoid purchasing from unfamiliar vendors or marketplaces with no obvious brand presence

Watch out for counterfeit products being sold at significantly reduced prices

Don't Settle for Less

Micropipettes are not just tools; they are the precision engines of your research. The wrong choice can derail weeks of hard work, while the right one can elevate your lab’s accuracy and speed.

Brands like Microlit have built their reputation on producing world-class pipettes and liquid handling instruments that researchers around the globe trust. When you’re ready to buy, take your time to compare, consult with suppliers, and read specifications carefully.

Invest once, and invest wisely.

Contemporary laboratories are under continuous pressure to provide precise results faster, more efficiently, and with fewer human errors. With the advancement of technology, one of the strongest innovations that increases lab productivity is the robot micropipette.

These automated platforms have transformed liquid manipulation for laboratory technicians and scientists with uniformity, efficiency, and reduced fatigue. But what makes pipetting robots so revolutionary in laboratories?

Let us examine the overall use of automated liquid handling instruments and how pipetting robots are improving efficiency in research, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and beyond.

What are Pipetting Robots?

Liquid handling robots, also known as pipetting robots, are machines that perform tasks that were previously done manually with the help of pipettes. Pipetting robots have precision mechanisms and software that allow them to add and remove liquids between different samples or containers with great accuracy.

They find application from the extraction of DNA/RNA to drug discovery's high-throughput screening, not only hastening the process but also standardising every step.

Increased Accuracy and Precision

One of the key benefits of pipetting robots is precision. Unlike manual pipetting, whose range of variation is reliant on the expertise and stability of the user, robotic pipetting is controlled by sensors and computer software, which provide precise volumes each time. This removes cross-contamination and human error, both major problems in sensitive experiments, quite considerably.

Increased Throughput

Speed is of the essence in most laboratories. Pipetting robots handle dozens or hundreds of samples in a single pass without interruption and are therefore well-placed for high-throughput applications. This greatly accelerates the rate of experiments and enables scientists to concentrate on interpreting data and analysis rather than monotonous manual work.

Integration with Liquid Handling Instruments

The capacity of pipetting robots is doubled when combined with other liquid handling instruments. These include reservoirs, mixers, and dispensers, which combine with robotic systems to fully automate entire workflows.

Regardless of whether a 96-well PCR plate or serial dilutions are being prepared, the built-in design ensures precision and efficiency in every step.

 Most advanced pipetting robots are designed in modular form, hence they can be tailored to fit the individual needs of experiments.

Transition from Manual to Electronic Devices

Even though traditional micropipettes have been a lab standard for decades, they are increasingly being replaced by more intelligent, ergonomic pipettes. The shift from electronic to manual pipettes is a trend driven by requirements for compatibility, convenience, and consistency.

One of the most important advances in the area is the electronic pipette pump. These pumps mechanise aspiration and dispensing through motorised motion, reducing user fatigue and enhancing the precision of pipetting.

They are particularly valuable in repetitive processes or the handling of volatile chemicals or thixotropic chemicals, where high control is necessary.

How do Electronic Pipettes Complete Automation?

An electronic pipette provides a compromise between manual pipetting and full automation systems. They are best for laboratories that are not yet ready to invest in complete robotic systems but require greater accuracy and convenience.

Electronic pipettes will also have programmable parameters, memory functions, and digital displays, making them significantly more convenient to use than manual ones. They also support semi-automatic installations, which are flexible enough to cater to changing lab needs.

Where robotic pipetting is not yet feasible, due to cost, space, or space considerations. Electronic pipettes offer a compelling alternative for better performance and precision.

Titration Specific Equipment: Welcome to the E-Burette

Accumulation and control are required for titration experiments. That is where the e-burette comes in. While mechanical glass burettes are operated by a manual interface, e-burettes provide direct digital control over titrant flow, improving repeatability as well as constraining parallax error.

Such e-burettes are generally accompanied by data analysis software programs that provide immediate monitoring and recording of the data, enabling scientists to keep safe and reliable records of volume dispensed, flow rate, and endpoint detection.

Coupled with pipetting robots or electronic pipettes, e-burettes maximise complex workflows, best suited for pharma, analytical chem labs, and university research.

Benefits of Pipetting Robots

The following are the primary advantages that pipetting robots provide to laboratories:

Consistency: Collect and prepare sample preparation for multiple experiments. This will be useful and time-saving through your experiments. 

Time-Saving: Saving time is the goal. Automation in the laboratory can enable laboratories to process more samples in a given period, without causing any delay.

Cost-Effectiveness: In a laboratory, the initial cost of acquisition may be high, but pipetting robots save pennies on reagents, mistakes, and labour costs in the long term.

Data Integration: High-end systems can be integrated with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to provide real-time tracking and reporting of data.

Scalability: From a small research institution to a big pharma company, pipetting robots can be scaled up or down to fit your operations. As they can be supported due to their enhanced versatility. 

Real-World Applications of Pipetting Robots

Let's look at some actual application areas where pipetting robots are contributing:

Genomics: Automation of sample preparation for next-gen sequencing. This can be helpful for speeding up the experimentation process. 

Drug Discovery: Screening compound libraries by high-throughput screening. Robotics can focus on minute details that may have been missed through the microscope lens in the laboratory.

Diagnostics: Processing hundreds of patient samples daily with minimal error. It will also streamline the experiment and keep the results up to date. 

Food and Beverages: Testing for quality in manufacturing plants, food and beverages need constant scrutiny throughout their manufacturing. Robotic interference may keep the edibles in check by maintaining their quality. 

Environmental Science: Scaled testing of water and soil samples will improve the overall environmental quality. This will also enhance the scientific environmental standards with precise measurements. 

Selecting the Right System for Your Laboratory

When you select a pipetting robot or companion device for your laboratory, think about:

Range of Volume: In a laboratory, which volume do you handle most frequently throughout the experiment?

Throughout Requirements: This depends on the number of experiments you are conducting in a day. For which you need external support for enhancing the process.

Ability to Integrate: Will the robot have to be interfaced to other lab instruments or computer software?

User Interface: Is the system easy to use for your staff?

Budget: What are the purchase price and recurring costs, such as maintenance, consumables, etc.?

Lab instrument companies like Microlit will typically offer demo models and service with reconfiguring of the system to your specific needs.

The Future of Laboratory Automation

As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence continue, pipetting robots will become smart, with needs foreseen, aberrant behaviours detected, and self-optimal performance offered. Through historical data read using machine learning algorithms, future equipment might even predict experimental outcomes or propose process optimisation.

Besides, cloud integration will ensure remote monitoring, as sample progression will be posted in real time from anywhere in the world. With green features like smart reagent management, laboratories in the future will be quicker, greener, and more accurate than they are today.

Conclusion

In the high-speed research and diagnostic settings of today, accuracy and speed are not negotiable. Pipetting robots and associated equipment like micropipettes, electronic pipette pumps, and e-burettes are at the forefront of revolutionising laboratory workflows.

In a lab, during an experiment it's a place of discovery where a constant battle is fought for accurate precision, against tiny volumes. This is carried out by pipetting microlitres, which includes droplets that play a key role in an experiment. 

The overall procedure while experimenting with liquid handling instruments is like navigating a minefield. A wrong move can affect the carefully crafted reaction into an ample inaccuracy. As a lab technician, you would have experienced this adverse accuracies. 

This blog is about the tips for pipetting in small volumes, which are difficult to handle. Along with this, you would also get an overview on challenges and various solutions which can make way to your laboratory, enhancing your overall experimenting standards. 

The challenges encountered in the Laboratory

While conducting an experiment in the laboratory, you may need to use pipetting processes for smaller volumes. This can be a tricky process that could also affect the experiment standards. Several factors that can hinder your experiment are, 

Evaporation

When you, as a laboratory technician, use liquids in small volumes, this can trigger slight evaporation. Eventually, it can drastically affect the concentration of your solution. It can be more enhanced, when you are including volatile liquids. Further, the race against time is real. 

Surface Tension

When you pour liquid in the micropipette, there is an interaction between the liquid and the pipette, which becomes a significant point. Through the interaction, the tiny droplets cling to the tip, eventually can affect the accuracy and alter the experiment results. 

User Error

There can be one of the common errors which can be triggered by your experiment processes and the usage errors. Even if your hands are steady, this can falter when dealing in small volumes during an experiment. Consistency is key, but fatigue and subtle variations in technique can introduce errors.

Pipette Calibration

Including pipettes that are not properly calibrated, that can play a significant role in affecting the accuracy. While dealing with the lower volume liquids, this can only increase the chances of getting accurate experiment results.

Liquid Viscosity

If you are including viscous liquids like gasoline, etc. for experimenting, they can be harder to pipette at the small volumes. They are difficult to flow from one container to another, as they tend to stick to the tip and dispense unevenly.

The Solutions for Pipetting Small Volumes

If you are dealing with issues while conducting pipetting methods with small volumes of liquids. No need to worry, there are various strategies which can help in overcoming challenges and let you achieve consistent results. 

Choose the Right Pipette

While conducting the experiments, check for the volumes of liquids involved in the experiment. If it is below the volumes of 2µL, consider using positive displacement pipettes with the bottle top dispenser. They use disposable capillary and piston, minimizing the air cushion and evaporation, along with the surface tension effects. 

Furthermore, you can also include pipettes specially designed for small volumes. They can also include finer tips, which would provide a better calibration accuracy. Eventually, you will get enhanced accurate results.

Master your Technique

There are various pipetting techniques for multiple liquid types, like for aqueous solutions you can forward vs. reverse pipetting. However, for viscous or volatile liquids, reverse pipetting can improve accuracy. Along with this, you can also follow the consistent immersion techniques, maintaining the consistent depth and angle.

The smooth operation technique can also play a significant role in dispensing the liquid smoothly and slowly. Through this, you can avoid liquid splashing and consistent air bubble formation. It can also make the experiment seamless without affecting the results.

Among all the techniques, vertical dispensing can be a favourable one, which allows you to dispense liquids vertically into the receiving container. This can also play a significant role in preventing the liquid quality and exposure to the environment.

Minimize Evaporation

While conducting an experiment in a laboratory, you can speed up the process which can reduce the chances of evaporation. The electronic pipette filler could be a suitable addition for the experiment reducing the involvements of manual techniques. 

Along with this, use chilled reagents and tips, as it will take significant time to heat up, which will slow down the evaporation processes. You can also use a humidifier for working in a controlled environment. Furthermore, check the management of the liquids included in the experiment, and seal the containers as soon as possible to prevent evaporation.

Tackle Surface Tension

This can be one of the important techniques to look out for, this follows with the usage of pipette tips designed for low retention. It begins by pre-wetting the tip and aspirating, dispensing the liquid a few times before taking the final measurement.

Furthermore, dispense the liquid by touching the tip to the wall of the receiving vessel. This can also play a significant role in enhancing the experiment standards and providing the accurate results. 

Dealing with Viscosity

Viscosity of the liquids included in the experiment can play a significant role in giving you a projected view that the experiment conducted will be accurate or not. It can also give you the time the liquid takes to flow. For the required viscosity, you can use reverse pipetting techniques. 

Along with this, you can also allow the liquid to equilibrate to room temperature, which does not hinder the overall experiment standards. Through this you can also consider using positive displacement pipettes.  

Conclusion

The process of achieving the accurate pipetting standards while including small volumes in an experiment. In a laboratory, the overall setting requires enhanced attention to detail and thorough understanding of the challenges involved in an experiment. 

The various effects include evaporation, surface tension, human errors, calibration defects, and viscosity. These can create significant obstacles to precise liquid handling. However, you can implement strategies that can prevent the challenges in an experiment.