The simplest way to create a Design of Experiments (DOE) workflow is to define the stock liquids you plan to use and how they will be combined to form the final mixtures. You can approach this in two ways, depending on the constraints of your stock liquids:
Fixed Concentrations: Your stock liquids have predetermined concentrations that cannot be changed.
Maximum Concentration Limit: Your stock liquids have an upper concentration limit, but you can create intermediate stocks as needed to meet the final mixture requirements.
If you don’t have strict concentration constraints other than the maximum limit, you can let Synthace handle the calculations using the Calculate Required Stocks toggle. It will calculate the most suitable stock concentrations that will satisfy the downstream mixtures requirements. Synthace will calculate as many stocks as it requires to satisfy your DOE design.
This document will cover scenario 2. To learn about scenario 1 click here.
In this tutorial you will learn:
How to build a simple DOE workflow where Synthace generates your stock liquids and their concentrations
Get started
How to calculate required stocks:
When defining your liquids in the Define liquids and plates element you will be able to select whether or not a liquid “Is stock” from the parameters definition, or from the table editor
How to build a DOE workflow with calculated stock liquid concentrations
Building the Workflow
Add the Define Liquids and Plates, Liquid selections, and Make Mixture elements to the workflow builder canvas.
How to define your stocks when defining from Parameters:
In the Define Liquids And Plates element, in “define from” select “Parameters” as the drop-down.
Define your liquid with the appropriate criteria.
Navigate to “Calculate Required Stocks”, click + ADD NEW ENTRY
Enter the appropriate liquids that you would like to be treated as stocks and click the checkbox below.
🚨 Note: If all liquids defined in your element are to be treated as stocks, you can select “default” from the drop-down in Step
How to define your stocks when defining from Table Editor:
In the Define liquid and plates element, from the “define from” select “Table editor”
Click “Edit spreadsheet”
Define your liquid with the appropriate parameters
Click the check box in the “Calculate Required Stocks” column.
What happens when you simulate?
Once you have defined your required stocks and created your downstream mixtures, Synthace will choose the most appropriate dilution of your stock that will satisfy your mixture requirements.
You can see the appropriate stock chosen by Synthace in the simulation preview. Within the simulation preview, hover over input plate wells, to see the concentration of each input liquid.
Additionally, you will be provided with a list of starting concentrations on the Stock Solution Calculator tab found on the resources page once you simulate. This will calculator will inform you of how much diluent needs to be added to your maximum stock defined in the workflow builder to reach the correct concentrations that will be used in your executions To learn more about how to use the Stock Solution Calculator, take a look at this article.
How to define your Liquid Selection Criteria:
Synthace provides you with the capability of defining minimum or maximum transfer volume or both using the “Liquid selection criteria” element. This element will allow Synthace to choose which of the available liquids should be used based on the criteria that you have set.
Note: The specified minimum volume represents the threshold at which you are satisfied with transferring liquid from one of your stock solutions. Should the transfer volume for a particular stock fall below this threshold, Synthace will create a more diluted stock solution to ensure that the transfer volume exceeds the minimum specified value.
🚨 Note: Liquid Selection Criteria along with defining your stock liquids in the Define Liquids And Plates element will replace the Calculate Stocks Concentrations element
We hope that this tutorial has been helpful!
To learn how to build more complex workflows suitable for DOE, click here.
To learn how to define factors in your workflow and calculate a DOE design, click here.