Automated workcell for walkaway operation of the Luminex® 100 ™

	In virtually every research laboratory, the revolutionary Luminex System delivers a wealth of information accurately, inexpensively and in real time enhancing your operational efficiency. This powerful, compact lab analysis system includes the Luminex, the XY Platform, and the SD. It utilises xMAP technology which enables you to simultaneously assay up to 100 analytes in a single well of a microtitre plate, using very small sample volumes. The system delivers fast and cost-effective bioassay results on many assay formats including nucleic acid assays, receptor-ligand assays, immunoassays and enzymatic assays. To automate the Luminex, the key is to get the plate in to the open instrument tray, start the plate read procedure, wait to the plate read is complete, open the tray, and remove the plate. The system can handle lidded plates.
	The automated system is setup with a laboratory automation plate handler/robot, stacks for the sample plates and the analysed plates, a shaker (the H+P Variomag Teleshake is ideal) and the Luminex instrument. OVERLORD supports Peak KiNEDx, Zymark Twister I and Twister II, Hudson PlateCrane, Hamilton Microlab SWAP robots, Thermo CRS robots and Mitsubishi robots.
Twister 2 robot arm integrated with Luminex 100.

Hardware setup
The PC controls all the equipment on the automation workcell. The workcell is quick and easy to setup and run, and just easy to reconfigure and run.

Software Setup
OVERLORD is run on the automation PC. This provides direct control of the robot and shaker as well as communications to and from the plate reader control software. The glass bead reader’s own software is used to undertake the analyses and data handling. The methods used in any manual method can be implemented simply and easily in this automated system.

Data Handling
OVERLORD can assist the user to collate the data into a simple report as the final stage of any run.

Example Method

The system can be setup to undertake any sequence of operations, the simplest of which is:

• Collect sample plate from input stack and place in shaker
• Shake for predetermined time
• Remove plate lid and place in parking station
• Open plate reader tray (remote control)
• Pick up plate from shaker and put in plate reader
• Close tray and run plate reader method (remote command)
• Receive plate completed signal remotely and open tray (remote command)
• Pick plate from plate reader tray and put in output rack
• Replace lid from lid parking station on plate
• Repeat steps 1 – 9 for each plate in input stack