Knowledge Base

Common questions about the dispensers, mesh plates, cleaning and ordering. If your question is not here, email us and we will answer it directly.

Using the dispenser

How does a LabTIE dispenser work?

Fill the bucket with seeds, beads or powder and slide it across the mesh plate. Every hole or cavity in the plate captures the same amount. Lift the bucket away and release, and the whole plate is loaded at once.

How long does a plate take?

About 30 seconds for a seed or bead plate and about 45 seconds for powder, once the dispenser is set up. Throughput after that depends mostly on how quickly you refill and swap plates.

How accurate is it?

Under 1% dispensing error across a full plate. Because the mesh plate sets the dose mechanically, the result does not depend on who is operating it.

Is it manual or automated?

The dispensers are manual, which keeps them affordable and easy to maintain. They are designed as a practical alternative to automated liquid and powder handling systems for labs that do not need full automation.

Do I need one dispenser per format?

No. One dispenser body covers many formats. You change the mesh plate to change the dose or particle size, and the converter to change the labware underneath.

My small beads cling to the plate

That is static. Treat the beads with an anti static method such as nebulised ethanol before dispensing, and keep the mesh plate clean and dry.

Mesh plates, converters and formats

Which sizes can you dispense?

Seeds from 0.2 to 9.0 mm, beads from 0.3 to 6.0 mm, and powders from 1 to 1500 microlitres per well. Anything finer than 0.3 mm is handled by the powder dispenser rather than a bead plate.

Which plate formats are supported?

24, 48, 96 and 384-well plates, deep well plates, microtubes, cryovials, GC vials, Falcon tubes, petri dishes and germination trays.

Can you make a custom mesh plate?

Yes. Custom mesh plates and converters are a normal part of what we do. Send us the seed, bead or volume and the container, and we design a plate to match.

Can I use my own labware?

Usually yes. Tell us the brand and part number of the plate or tube rack you already use and we will confirm which converter fits, or build one.

Cleaning, care and ordering

How do I clean the dispenser?

Wash with soap and water, then wipe down with ethanol. That is enough to prepare it for sterile work. Dry the mesh plate fully before the next run so material flows freely.

Can beads be reused?

Grinding beads can typically be reused around five to ten times if they are washed, rinsed in ultrapure water, dried and sterilised. Discard any that are chipped or irregular.

How do I order?

Email moc.eitbal@ofni with your dispenser type, container, sample and rough throughput. We reply with a configuration and a quote, usually within one working day.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes. We are based in the Netherlands and ship worldwide. Labs in more than 60 countries and institutions use LabTIE dispensers.

Still have a question?

Email us with your sample and labware and we will answer directly, usually within one working day.