Anybody own an EpMotion 5075 liquid handler?

jlove · 12-16-2011, 12:22 PM

We're looking into liquid handlers and we checked out the Eppendorf EpMotion 5075 recently. We're doing our due diligence - does anybody have any reviews or experience to share? We'd be looking for it to set up reactions and do bead purifications for Illumina TruSeq libary preps.

KLRA · 12-22-2011, 06:32 AM

[QUOTE=jlove;59829]We're looking into liquid handlers and we checked out the Eppendorf EpMotion 5075 recently. We're doing our due diligence - does anybody have any reviews or experience to share? We'd be looking for it to set up reactions and do bead purifications for Illumina TruSeq libary preps.[/QUOTE

The best thing you can do is push for them to bring an instrument in the lab and make them run some preps for you. They will do this for you. I would keep an eye on the purifications. There tends to be beads left behind. This can be a problem. If you don't mind manually getting rid of the beads between runs on the instrument, then you should be OK. It is key to make sure they prove the instrument works. They don't own any chemistry to tie to the instrument. This is always a huge risk. Who will you call when there is a failure? Illumina? Eppendorf? You may get ignored and get stuck with an instrument that doesn't work.

firedancer · 01-31-2012, 08:15 AM

Hi,
We ran the EP exclusively for our Illumina Lib preps as well as qPCR set up. Some tweeks were needed regarding labware definitions and aspiration speeds/depths but once we worked out the kinks we fell in love.

ECO · 01-31-2012, 08:37 AM

For canned protocols, it's pretty nice. For things requiring lots of flexibility, there are better instruments/interfaces.

I also recall it being pretty expensive....but their sales/tech support guys were very helpful throughout (pre- and post- sale).

jlove · 01-31-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firedancer

Hi,
We ran the EP exclusively for our Illumina Lib preps as well as qPCR set up. Some tweeks were needed regarding labware definitions and aspiration speeds/depths but once we worked out the kinks we fell in love.

Hi firedancer - thanks for the feedback. I'd be interested to hear about any specific tweaks. (if you can easily recall any details).

firedancer · 01-31-2012, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlove

Hi firedancer - thanks for the feedback. I'd be interested to hear about any specific tweaks. (if you can easily recall any details).

Well we initially got it as a platform to do some development on. As we had almost every automation platform under the sun, we liked this for the lab because of the single and multichannel pipette options and the small footprint.

We used it for multiple apps but mainly for Next gen lib preps and such. The main hurdle with the instrument was getting the depths just right to perform spri cleanups. Liquid was getting left in the wells or beads were getting pulled off the magnets. After asking the eppendorf crew to define the labware (magnet) and messing around with pipette heights and speeds we got this step to work pretty well.

behavin · 02-15-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firedancer

The main hurdle with the instrument was getting the depths just right to perform spri cleanups. Liquid was getting left in the wells or beads were getting pulled off the magnets. After asking the eppendorf crew to define the labware (magnet) and messing around with pipette heights and speeds we got this step to work pretty well.

We've used ours mainly for dilutions, cherry picking, etc. Simple stuff for the most part, but I just developed a protocol for ours to do ampure bead washes and am expanding into the rest of illumina Library prep. As mentioned above, it is kind of a painful process to learn/adapt it to your needs, but pretty stable and reliable overall. Support has been so-so for me; I had a few custom definitions made that ended up not matching what I'd asked for, so I figured out how to make/adapt my own (not supported by eppendorf I'm sure, but you can figure out how to do it pretty easily). And those work perfectly for my needs.

One thing to consider is that there is no 96 well head, so you do full plate processing 8 wells at a time. And I find it rather slow, not exactly sure how it compares to other platforms in that department, however.

docbio · 11-16-2012, 12:34 PM

I know this thread is old, but curious if anyone has any updates on their experience with the 5075, in particular the 5075 TMX platform, or any competitor automation platforms (SciClone, etc) for NGS library prep?

rosatoc · 12-27-2012, 02:09 PM

Any protocols you are willing to share, firedancer and behavin? We've just installed a 5075 with the desire to set up KAPA qPCR validation plates in addition to library preps. I know we can develop them ourselves, but why not stand on the shoulders of giants?

Thanks in advance

Skamp · 01-09-2013, 09:37 AM

I am also an EPmotion 5075 user. I have created programs to do DNA extractions from plant tissue using this platform. The 5075 performs well at this task.

I have many TruSeq-type libraries to make and want to create a program for this pipetting protocol, but am having difficulties because the program will be longer and more complex than the others I have made in the past.

As for my experience, I really like the EPmotion software for setting up simple tasks, such as cherry-picking. The more difficult part is fine-tuning a protocol. I find that I sometimes have to 'out-smart' the software to get what I want. Additionally, the Eppendorf website may not have the plasticware definitions of the plates etc. that your lab uses. I have sent a sample of the items that I use to the EP headquarters and they have made a custom definition for me but this takes time.

Back to your post, rosatoc, I want to automate library preps too. I would also be happy to share my DNA extraction protocols if anyone would have a use for them

PS: Thermo Scientific now makes tips for the EPmotion. They are less expensive than tips from EP [http://www.thermoscientific.com/ecom...__15105824_-1]

rosatoc · 01-09-2013, 10:55 AM

Hi Skamp. I would be very interested in your DNA extraction protocols (and thanks for the message about the tips!). I have not heard anything else about protocols in place for library preps (e.g. TruSeq).

Thanks again

Skamp · 01-09-2013, 03:45 PM

Hi rosatoc,

I created the program for the Qiagen DNeasy-96 Plant kit, but could be adapted to any similar column-based extraction protocol. With my protocol, you must extract two 96-well plates of DNA at the same time because there are centrifugation steps so the centrifuge must be balanced.

The items you need are:

Qiagen DNeasy-96 Plant kit
Nunc 2 mL deepwell plates
Plate centrifuge that can spin 6500 x g
EPmotion 5075 with 8-channel 50-1000 head and reservoir rack

There are little notes within the protocol to make it a bit more understandable but it generally follows the protocol that comes with the kit.
Enjoy!!!

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12-16-2011, 12:22 PM	#1
jlove Member Location: Boston, MA Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 43	Anybody own an EpMotion 5075 liquid handler? We're looking into liquid handlers and we checked out the Eppendorf EpMotion 5075 recently. We're doing our due diligence - does anybody have any reviews or experience to share? We'd be looking for it to set up reactions and do bead purifications for Illumina TruSeq libary preps.

12-22-2011, 06:32 AM	#2
KLRA Junior Member Location: USA Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 1	[QUOTE=jlove;59829]We're looking into liquid handlers and we checked out the Eppendorf EpMotion 5075 recently. We're doing our due diligence - does anybody have any reviews or experience to share? We'd be looking for it to set up reactions and do bead purifications for Illumina TruSeq libary preps.[/QUOTE The best thing you can do is push for them to bring an instrument in the lab and make them run some preps for you. They will do this for you. I would keep an eye on the purifications. There tends to be beads left behind. This can be a problem. If you don't mind manually getting rid of the beads between runs on the instrument, then you should be OK. It is key to make sure they prove the instrument works. They don't own any chemistry to tie to the instrument. This is always a huge risk. Who will you call when there is a failure? Illumina? Eppendorf? You may get ignored and get stuck with an instrument that doesn't work.

01-31-2012, 08:15 AM	#3
firedancer Junior Member Location: StL, Mo Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2	Hi, We ran the EP exclusively for our Illumina Lib preps as well as qPCR set up. Some tweeks were needed regarding labware definitions and aspiration speeds/depths but once we worked out the kinks we fell in love.

01-31-2012, 08:37 AM	#4
ECO --Site Admin-- Location: SF Bay Area, CA, USA Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,248	For canned protocols, it's pretty nice. For things requiring lots of flexibility, there are better instruments/interfaces. I also recall it being pretty expensive....but their sales/tech support guys were very helpful throughout (pre- and post- sale).

11-16-2012, 12:34 PM	#8
docbio Member Location: Texas Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 16	I know this thread is old, but curious if anyone has any updates on their experience with the 5075, in particular the 5075 TMX platform, or any competitor automation platforms (SciClone, etc) for NGS library prep?

12-27-2012, 02:09 PM	#9
rosatoc Member Location: Oregon Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 16	Any protocols you are willing to share, firedancer and behavin? We've just installed a 5075 with the desire to set up KAPA qPCR validation plates in addition to library preps. I know we can develop them ourselves, but why not stand on the shoulders of giants? Thanks in advance

01-09-2013, 09:37 AM	#10
Skamp Junior Member Location: Canada Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 5	I am also an EPmotion 5075 user. I have created programs to do DNA extractions from plant tissue using this platform. The 5075 performs well at this task. I have many TruSeq-type libraries to make and want to create a program for this pipetting protocol, but am having difficulties because the program will be longer and more complex than the others I have made in the past. As for my experience, I really like the EPmotion software for setting up simple tasks, such as cherry-picking. The more difficult part is fine-tuning a protocol. I find that I sometimes have to 'out-smart' the software to get what I want. Additionally, the Eppendorf website may not have the plasticware definitions of the plates etc. that your lab uses. I have sent a sample of the items that I use to the EP headquarters and they have made a custom definition for me but this takes time. Back to your post, rosatoc, I want to automate library preps too. I would also be happy to share my DNA extraction protocols if anyone would have a use for them PS: Thermo Scientific now makes tips for the EPmotion. They are less expensive than tips from EP [http://www.thermoscientific.com/ecom...__15105824_-1]

01-09-2013, 10:55 AM	#11
rosatoc Member Location: Oregon Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 16	Hi Skamp. I would be very interested in your DNA extraction protocols (and thanks for the message about the tips!). I have not heard anything else about protocols in place for library preps (e.g. TruSeq). Thanks again