TECAN HYDROSPEED™ High-Speed Microplate Washer for 96- and 384-Well Formats

Overview

The TECAN HYDROSPEED™ High-Speed Microplate Washer is an engineered solution for precision liquid handling in high-throughput immunoassay, cell-based, and magnetic bead-based workflows. Designed and manufactured in Austria, it operates on a dual-mode fluidic architecture optimized for both aspiration and dispensing across 96- and 384-well microplate formats. Its core functionality is grounded in controlled laminar flow dynamics, programmable vacuum regulation, and real-time positional feedback—enabling reproducible wash cycles with minimal carryover and maximal sample integrity. Unlike conventional plate washers relying on fixed-height aspiration or single-point magnetic capture, the HYDROSPEED™ integrates three proprietary technologies—Cell Protection™, Single-Well Dual-Magnet™, and Anti-Clogging™—to address critical pain points in sensitive assay formats including adherent cell ELISAs, suspension-based cytokine arrays, and nucleic acid purification protocols.

Key Features

• Cell Protection™ Technology: Implements two coordinated dispensing modes—drop-wise dispensing to minimize mechanical shear at the cell–substrate interface, and liquid-level-following dispensing to prevent vortex formation and localized turbulence during buffer addition.
• Single-Well Dual-Magnet™ Bead Recovery: Integrates paired rare-earth magnets per well position to generate symmetrical, high-gradient magnetic fields—enhancing binding kinetics and reducing bead loss during aspiration, especially in low-volume 384-well configurations.
• Anti-Clogging™ Needle Protection System: Combines automated needle priming sequences, pre-defined rinse-and-purge protocols, and integrated filter membranes in wash bottles to intercept particulates before they reach the dispensing manifold.
• Modular Vacuum Filtration Option: Supports non-magnetic bead applications (e.g., silica-based DNA cleanup) via an add-on vacuum manifold with independent pressure control and endpoint detection.
• Onboard Touch Interface: Features a calibrated resistive touchscreen with intuitive icon-driven navigation; all wash parameters—including aspiration height, vacuum level, soak time, and cycle count—are configurable without external PC dependency.
• Automation-Ready Architecture: Equipped with optical plate presence sensors, gripper-compatible footprints, and TTL/RS232 interfaces compliant with common laboratory automation standards (e.g., SLAS/ANSI X3.175).

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The HYDROSPEED™ supports standard ANSI/SLAS-compliant 96-well and 384-well plates—including flat-bottom, U-bottom, V-bottom, and cell-culture-optimized surfaces (e.g., tissue-culture-treated, collagen-coated, or extracellular matrix–coated variants). It maintains compatibility with common assay chemistries: alkaline phosphatase and horseradish peroxidase conjugates, fluorescent dyes (e.g., Cy3, Cy5), and chemiluminescent substrates. From a regulatory standpoint, the instrument conforms to the European In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive 98/79/EC. The bundled HydroControl software is validated for compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, supporting electronic signatures, audit trails, user access levels, and data integrity safeguards aligned with GLP and GMP environments.

Software & Data Management

HydroControl software provides full method development, execution logging, and export capabilities in CSV and XML formats. Each run generates timestamped metadata including plate barcode, operator ID, parameter set version, and real-time error flags (e.g., “aspiration timeout”, “low fluid level”). Audit trails record all modifications to protocols, user logins, and calibration events—retained for ≥30 days by default and configurable for extended archival. The software supports IQ/OQ documentation templates and includes built-in validation checklists for routine performance verification per ISO 13485 and CLSI EP25-A guidelines.

Applications

• ELISA and multiplex immunoassays requiring low background and high signal-to-noise ratios
• Gentle washing of adherent mammalian cell lines (e.g., HEK293, HeLa, primary neurons) in functional screening assays
• Magnetic bead-based nucleic acid extraction and protein pulldown workflows
• High-density cytokine profiling using Luminex®-compatible plates
• Preparation of plates for downstream mass spectrometry or capillary electrophoresis analysis
• Automated integration into end-to-end systems with robotic arms and stackers (e.g., Fluent, Freedom EVO)

FAQ

Does the HYDROSPEED™ require dedicated hardware for cell washing?
No—Cell Protection™ eliminates the need for separate low-shear wash heads; all parameters are adjusted via software-controlled aspiration height, vacuum ramping, and dispensing velocity.
Can the system handle both 96-well and 384-well plates without manual head replacement?
Yes—the 96-indexing wash head uses motorized lateral translation and z-axis repositioning to adapt nozzle spacing dynamically between formats.
Is HydroControl software qualified for regulated bioanalytical laboratories?
Yes—it includes 21 CFR Part 11 compliance features such as role-based access control, electronic signatures, and immutable audit logs.
What maintenance is required to sustain Anti-Clogging™ performance?
Daily visual inspection of filters, weekly ultrasonic cleaning of removable wash heads, and quarterly calibration of vacuum sensors using NIST-traceable manometers.
How is plate positioning verified before wash initiation?
Integrated optical sensors detect plate edges and barcodes; misalignment triggers automatic pause and on-screen alert prior to fluid delivery.