Dimension4 Modular Automation Platform

Things change rapidly in the business of drug discovery: assay techniques, instrument technologies, bioinformatics, staff, facilities, research goals, government regulations... budgets. The solution is here now: Thermo Scientific™ Dimension4 Modular Automation Platform consists of software and hardware components that enable you to rapidly develop any size of automated lab system, from workstation to production line. Dimension4 provides an automation platform that meets all your needs—flexibility, scalability, reconfigurability, reliability, ultra high throughput, now and for years to come.

• Designed modularity of Dimension4 software and hardware components enable you to rapidly develop any size of automated lab system, from workstation to production line—and just as rapidly reconfigure the Dimension4 components into a completely different system
• If you need to create a larger system, you simply add the components you need
• Thermo Scientific Polara controls all lab automation applications, drastically reducing the impact on users as new instruments are added and the plate mover technology is upgraded for higher throughput

Problem: Automate a cellular ion channel assay that requires room temperature storage for both 30 compound sample plates and 30 assay cell plates, simultaneous compound addition to all wells, and whole plate imaging

Solution: Develop a workstation built on a single Dimension4 Modular Table section, two Microplate Hotels, a Robbins Scientific Hydra96 liquid handler, an Applied Biosystems Northstar reader, and a CataLyst-5 plate mover—all controlled by Thermo Scientific Polara software

Problem: Add temperature-controlled incubation for the cell plates and increase your walkaway time

Solution: Connect another Modular Table section and integrate a Thermo Scientific Cytomat series carousel incubator and additional Microplate Hotels

Problem: Suppose that you must add temperature-controlled incubation for the cell plates and increase your walkaway time?

Solution: Connect another Modular Table section and integrate a Thermo Scientific Cytomat series carousel incubator and additional Microplate Hotels

Problem: Expand this application to include automated compound preparation and cell plating functions

Solution: Connect additional Dimension4 Modular Table sections, mount the CataLyst-5 on a linear track, integrate a second liquid handler and additional microplate storage units, and upgrade the Polara software to accommodate the new instrument

Problem: A new bioassay technology requires a different reader and a five-fold increase in microplate throughput

Solution: Rapidly swap readers, and replace the CataLyst-5 with Dimension4 Flip Movers and Linear Plate Transport