FORMULATOR®
Build Crystallization Screens with Ease The FORMULATOR ® - Screen Builder is a next-generation liquid handler specifically designed for Protein Crystallography that uses patented microfluidic technology to dispense up to 34 different ingredients to design even the most complex optimization screens. A 96-nozzle dispensing chip can dispense any volume of any ingredient of any viscosity into any well.
Crystallization of macromolecules
The instrument allows us to quickly set-up 96-well crystallization conditions screening using multple components. It is fast for its type of instrument although dispensing of very viscous reagents is slow. The software controlling the instrument is intuitive and easy to learn. The instrument interfaces well with the other Formulatrix products. The reproducibility is excellent. On the negative side, it leaks solutions - which may happen when removing a bottle of reagent from the top of the instrument. These can be difficult to clean up. I consider this instrument as a must have for any laboratory heavily involved in crystallizing macromolecules.
Review Date: 23 Sept 2020 | FORMULATRIX®, Inc.
Design custom crystallization screens
The Formulator allows us to easily design and dispense crystallization screens.
Review Date: 26 Jul 2018 | FORMULATRIX®, Inc.
Create custom crystallization screens
Being able to make custom crystallization screens is of paramount importance for our group. The Formulator from Formulatrix allows us to do just that. The technical and after sales support is second to none.
Review Date: 11 Nov 2015 | FORMULATRIX®, Inc.
The FORMULATOR® provides users the ability to:
- Save Money + Reduce Waste
No Consumables Needed - No additional consumables are needed to run or maintain the system.
- Maintain Ingredient Integrity
Use Only Closed Containers - Closed containers prevent contamination, evaporation, and the release of noxious fumes.
- Build Complex Screens
Use up to 34 ingredients to create custom screens to fit your experiment needs.
- Be Flexible with Your Liquid Dispensing
- Low volumes, down to 200 nL with no upper limit
- Dispense a 100 μL, 3-ingredient, 96-well crystallization grid in 2.7 mins
- Supports all microplate types, even VDX/Linbro plates
- Set Up Screens Fast and Efficiently
- Integrated barcode scanner automatically loads experiment and ingredient data
- Bottle sensors know where ingredients are located
- Simply Design, Barcode, Scan, and Run
- The only screen builder integrated with ROCK MAKER - Crystallization Software
Dispense Viscous and Non-Viscous Ingredients
At the core of the FORMULATOR is a patented microfluidic chip that measures and dispenses discrete volumes of liquid. The chip has 96 outputs, each with its own microfluidic valve cluster. Each valve cluster has two micro-diaphragms (200 nL and 2.5 µL) that fill and dispense up to three times per second. By combining multiple dispenses of each micro-diaphragm, the FORMULATOR can dispense any volume down to 200 nL.
User-Friendly Software
The FORMULATOR software provides a straightforward, user-friendly way to run even the most complicated dispensing protocols through a visual representation of your plate that displays each ingredient’s dispense volume and well location. Design dispenses that vary the volume of each reagent to every well on the plate, dispense the same volume to every well, and add a backfill if necessary. Quickly design experiments using the ROCK MAKER Crystallization Software. ROCK MAKER can provide a barcode to print and label for your plate with. To run the dispense list, scan the plate label using the integrated barcode scanner before placing the plate on the FORMULATOR's plate holder. The dispense design will automatically load and you're ready to run the dispense.