Move Plates Overview
Use this element to instruct a liquid handler to move liquids on plates to a different region of the deck before it starts some downstream actions.
Description
Specify the message that you want Synthace to display in the simulation preview Example: Move the reaction plates to cooled position.
Deck Positions
Select the deck positions to use.
Example: If you select two deck positions, but have only one plate to move, the liquid handler will move the plate to the first position you selected.
⚠️ Warning If you selected one deck position, but have two plates to move, ensure you use a downstream Move Plates Back element. This will instruct the liquid handler to:
Move the first plate
Perform any downstream actions
Move this plate back to its original deck position
Repeat steps 1 to 3 using the second plate
Move All Liquids On Plate
☑️ Uncheck this box if you want Synthace to warn you if moving a liquid on a plate affects other liquids that were not connected to this element.
Example:
You define two liquids called Sample1 and Sample2 on the same plate. You then add Water to a well containing Sample2. If you try to move only diluted Sample2, Synthace will display an error because this action will also affect Sample1.
✅ Check this box if you want Synthace to also move other liquids on the plate.
Example
Continuing from the example above, if you try to move only diluted Sample2, Synthace would also move Sample1 as it is on the same plate.
Plate Cover State
Plate Cover State determines whether plates with lids should be covered or uncovered at the move destination.
Move Plates Back Overview
Use this element to instruct a liquid handler to move liquids on plates back to their original deck positions.
Example
You might want your liquid handler to move two plates to a magnetic stand and remove some liquids from a well, but you only selected one magnetic stand position in the Move Plates element. To move both plates, connect the moved liquids after any downstream elements, to this element. This will instruct your liquid handler to:
Move one plate
Perform any downstream actions
Move the plate back
Move the second plate
Perform any downstream actions
Move the plate back.
⚠️ Warning
Let's say you start with a plate of liquids in Position 1. If you use a Move Plates element to move this plate to Position 2 and use another Move Plateselement to move this plate to Position 3 before using this element to move the plate back, the liquid handler will move the plate back to its original home deck position Position 1.
Using Move Plates or Move Plates Back Elements to cover/uncover lidded plates
You can cover/uncover a plate explicitly — by moving it to another location with Move Plates element:
The Plate Cover State parameter specifies the desired “cover status” after the plate move. That is, whether it should be covered or uncovered at the move destination. If its current “cover status” is different from the desired one, the planner will figure it out and cover/uncover the plate; otherwise, it’ll just move the plate to the destination.
💡 Note that this parameter affects lidded plates only. On ordinary plates, it has no effect.
💡 Parameter’s default value is Covered. But again, it affects lidded plate types only!
Move Plates Back element moves plate to its home position on deck (if it’s been moved away from there), and hence ensures it’s covered.
💡 Move Plates Back element can be used to cover a plate ASAP, when it’s no longer in use.