Pipette -  The Primary Laboratory Measurement Tool

Typical force and repetition rates in manual pipetting rates in manual pipetting add up to 5,000-10,000 lbs/day, enough to push over an elephant.

In order for a calibration lab to achieve ISO 17025 certification, an accrediting body (AB) must ensure both the competency and the quality of a calibration lab’s measurement capability and management system. In other words, the ISO 17025 standard validates that a lab does what it says, says what it does, and documents all processes.  Is that sufficient?

If you’re reading this article about brushing up on the basics of pipette calibration, it’s clear that you recognize the importance of keeping yourself sharp in the calibration lab. In this post, we have outlined what you need to know about the basics of proper calibration, from maintaining your equipment to proper preparation to the importance of metrology-driven calibration.

At TTE Laboratories, we pride ourselves on offering an ISO-accredited, audit-ready pipette calibration program that allows our clients to maximize their pipette performance and improve their scientific development. In this post, we’ll offer readers an insider’s look at our state-of-the-art facility by providing comprehensive material and photos from our lab. So please join us as we take you through a visually engaging tour of our pipette calibration best practices and ultimately showcase the TTE difference.

As lab technicians, we can’t deny that mistakes happen—human error, broken machinery, environmental conditions, fatigue and the list goes on. At TTE, we make it a priority to help scientists avoid pipetting errors and reduce their risk of pipette mistakes as a preventative measure. Our belief is to address all contributors and minimize pipetting errors from a broad approach, of standardized pipette calibration or pipette repair services, pipette training of best practices and incorporating the use of high quality, comfortable pipette equipment. The following is our top 10 list of routine steps technicians can take to prevent pipetting errors from taking over. Give some consideration to these steps the next time you’re pipetting:

Within pipette calibration there are five widely used grades of pipettes, all of which have specific guidelines and requirements regarding use, testing, maintenance, and measurement. The five grades of pipettes include disposable/transfer, graduated/serological, single channel, multichannel, and repeat pipette. From the most basic transfer pipette dropper to the advanced repeat dispensing pipettor, the manner in which the equipment is handled will impact the accuracy of the test results.

Every year, commercial and research laboratories await the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) annual audit of their establishment’s compliance to the strict requirement guidelines. The FDA regulations for laboratory environments are based on the ISO 17025 standard, which focuses on the level of competency and consistency in lab methodology. For companies conducting laboratory research, the ISO 17025 standard applies to pipettes, dispensers, diluters, and burets. So how do labs meet the FDA standards in every aspect of their establishment? Adhering to FDA regulations and ISO standards requires commitment from every employee involved in the organization.

Laboratories use various types of liquid handling devices every day to measure and transfer valuable samples and reagents. Single and multichannel pipettes, repeat dispensers, bottle-top dispensers, and positive displacement pipettes have been around for 40+ years, and are present in almost every biopharma, medical research and clinical lab today. So, what are the costs associated with an institutions liquid handling processes?  More than you think...

Abstract: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are commonly used analytical biochemistry assays. The specific techniques vary significantly in the details and sequence of the biological interactions that occur, but they all require a similar range of liquid handling operations. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the potential benefits of using the Avidien microPro300 semi-automated benchtop pipettor when performing these assays in either a 96 or 384 well microplate format.