Prior Scientific Robot Sample Handling Systems
PL 200 Slide Loader
The PL-200 Slide Loader is an advanced system for automatic slide handling in a variety of microscope applications. Featuring higher slide capacity, smaller footprint and fast slide changing times, the PL-200 provides complete walk away convenience. The PL-200 has been optimized to provide the highest productivity with a complete system capable of performing load/unload cycles in as little as 24s. The units can be used with existing microscopes simply by adding the appropriate Prior scanning stage.
Large Slide Capacity
The PL-200 model is designed for 75mm x 25mm (3″ x 1″) slides and accommodates up to 200 slides that are housed in four removable slide racks, each of which holds up to fifty slides. For those using larger slides the PL200 has racks available to hold 75mm x 50mm (3″ x 2″) slides and is capable of handling up to 100 slides which are housed in two racks of fifty
Slide Safety
Prepared specimen slides are precious, often unique, and need to be handled with care. In addition to the slide retaining design of the slide racks, a range of further safety features have been included in the unit to minimize the risk of damage to slides. The slide gripper includes a sensor to detect the presence of a slide. If the state of this sensor changes due to an absent slide for example, the system will stop and report an error message. A similar approach is taken on the scanning stage where a sensor identifies if a slide is present on the stage. Slide scanning will not take place for example, if a slide is not successfully placed onto the stage. A third sensor is used to monitor the position of the slide relative to the stage. If the user inadvertently moves the scanning stage in the Z axis, collisions are avoided by this sensor.
High Resolution Imaging
Applications such as cytology or cytogentics may require the use of high numerical aperture oil objectives to achieve the required optical resolution. An optional automatic oiling system is available to work alongside the slide loader. The PL-220 automatic oil dispenser provides a highly controlled automatic delivery for dispensing immersion oil onto the surface of the slide after the slide has been loaded onto the stage, but before it is scanned.
Data Integrity
To ensure that any data generated using a PL-200 system is correctly associated with the corresponding slide, a bar code reader capable of reading 1D or more complex 2D bar codes is available. The system is capable of reading all bar codes prior to starting the load cycle to enable random access scanning if required.
PLW20 Plate Loader
Adaptable to most modern inverted microscopes, the simple, rugged and compact PLW20 provides three independently controlled and encoded axes for rotational, vertical and horizontal movement. Combine the PLW20 with a Prior ProScan stage for your inverted microscope and you have a system designed specifically for high content screening applications with a capacity of 20 well plates (two hotels of 10 each).
The two stainless steel hotels provided with each loader accommodate covered and uncovered well plates up to 19mm in height.
Sensors monitor the presence of well plate hotels so that the system can be programmed to respond when racks are changed in the middle of a run. Upon detection of a newly installed well plate rack, a unique well plate detection system is able to automatically scan and identify the quantity of well plates in each hotel.
Plate Safety
Prepared specimen are precious, often unique, and need to be handled with care. The PLW20 system is fitted with multiple sensors to ensure safe, accurate transfer of the plate between the hotels and the stage and back again.
Data Integrity
To ensure that any data generated using a PLW20 system is correctly associated with the corresponding well plate, a bar code reader capable of reading 1D or more complex 2D bar codes is available. The system is capable of reading all bar codes prior to starting the load cycle to enable random access scanning if required.
PL100/200 Slide Loader
PLW20 Well Plate Loader System
