Microplate Washer: OEM Pumps & Compressors

Microplate washers are indispensable tools in high-throughput labs, automating the critical wash steps in assays like ELISA and cell-based screening. Their function is simple but critical: to completely remove unbound reagents and blocking agents from each well without disturbing the bound sample, thereby reducing background noise and ensuring accurate results. This requires a coordinated fluidic system for both dispensing wash buffer and aspirating waste. 

The Engineering Challenge 

The core engineering challenge in a microplate washer is to efficiently perform two opposing fluidic tasks: positive pressure dispensing and vacuum aspiration. This is often accomplished with two separate pumps, which increases the instrument's size, cost, and complexity. The pumps must provide precise and consistent performance; incomplete aspiration leaves high residual volumes that dilute reagents in the next step, while overly aggressive aspiration can dislodge weakly adherent cells. The system must be reliable over many thousands of wash cycles. 

The Thomas Solution 

Thomas Mixed-Operation diaphragm pumps offer an elegant and efficient solution to this common OEM challenge. A single pump with two heads can be configured to provide simultaneous pressure and vacuum from one compact motor. One head provides positive pressure to dispense the wash buffer, while the other head generates the vacuum needed to aspirate the waste liquid. This integrated approach significantly reduces the instrument's footprint, BOM cost, and system complexity. Our pumps provide the stable, controlled performance needed for gentle yet thorough washing, ensuring low residual volumes and high assay quality.