Beckman Coulter Announces Enhancements to its Top-of-the-Line Liquid Handlers

Beckman Coulter introduces the Biomek® FXP and Biomek NXP Laboratory Automation Workstations, incorporating major upgrades to these two liquid handling systems.

Hardware enhancements to the Span 8 Pod on both systems provide increased positioning accuracy for accessing 384-well plates and other high-density labware. Clot detection and septum piercing capabilities, previously only available on the Biomek NX, are now built into the FXP system as well. The multichannel pod has been revised for increased performance and robustness.

A new version of Beckman Coulter’s Biomek software – v3.3– is also being introduced, with improvements that include enhanced password protocols on methods and improved tools for organizing methods within a project.

“These new models are the result of continual improvements to our systems, based on customer feedback,” commented Marc Goldstein, Strategic Marketing Product Manager for Beckman Coulter. “We’ve maintained our leadership position in automated liquid handling by making the necessary investments to meet the application needs of an evolving market.”

The Biomek FXP and Biomek NXP systems are ideal for automation in small-well applications such as PCR* reaction setup, sequencing setup, high-throughput genomics and cell-based assays. The Biomek FXP provides the highest deck capacity available, along with flexibility to integrate a number of application-specific devices on the deck. The Biomek NXP has a more compact deck and footprint and is priced affordably for medium-throughput applications. The multichannel pod on both systems features interchangeable pipetting heads for a range of formats including 96- and 384-well. The Span 8 pod on both systems supports tube-to-plate transfers. The Biomek FXP and NXP systems are expandable with external storage devices and robotic integration.