UniteLabs
Hamilton Vantage

XL Pipettes

Use the XL (5ml) pipettes for high-volume pipetting on the Hamilton Vantage.

The Vantage can be equipped with XL pipetting channels alongside the standard 1000 µl pipetting channels. XL channels are 5ml high-volume pipettes used for larger volume transfers.

Overview

XL channels work the same way as the standard pipetting channels — the same aspirate, dispense, tip handling, and complex mix APIs apply. The key differences are:

  • Volume range: XL channels handle volumes up to 5000 µl (vs. 1000 µl for standard pipettes)
  • Tip types: XL channels use larger tip types (e.g. HamiltonTip_5000, HamiltonTip_4000_Filter)
  • Waste spots: Tips are ejected to dedicated XL waste spots — see Waste Configuration
  • Module exclusivity: XL pipettes are inactivated when using other modules such as IDL or IPG

Basic Pipetting

Use vantage.pipettes_xl instead of vantage.pipettes. The API is identical.

from unitelabs.liquid_handling.hamilton import Vantage
from unitelabs.labware.hamilton import HamiltonTip_5000, HamiltonTipRack_5000, LiquidClass

vantage = Vantage(name="Microlab Vantage")
await vantage.configure()
await vantage.initialize()

# Pick up tips
tip_rack = HamiltonTipRack_5000(filled_with=HamiltonTip_5000)
await vantage.pipettes_xl.pick_up_tips_from(channels=range(8), rack=tip_rack)

# Aspirate and dispense
liquid_class = LiquidClass.HamiltonTip_5000_Water_DispenseJet_Empty()

await vantage.pipettes_xl.aspirate(
    source=trough,
    channels=range(8),
    volume=2000,
    liquid_class=liquid_class,
)

await vantage.pipettes_xl.dispense(
    target=plate["A1":"H1"],
    channels=range(8),
    volume=2000,
    liquid_class=liquid_class,
)

# Discard tips
await vantage.pipettes_xl.discard_tips()

For full details on pipetting operations, see the shared guides: