Alabama A&M University

School of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering
ME 470: Senior Design
Automated Washing Process for Microarray Plates
Submitted by:
Jose Long
Ezban Morissette
Darneshia Williams
Cameron Alexander (Team Leader
Date Submitted: January !"# !$"%
&nstru'tor:
Dr( Mohamed Sei) Table of ontents
Abstra't((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((%
&( &ntrodu'tion((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((*
&&( +ro,e't Des'ri-tion((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((*
&&( a Design Constraints and Design .ariable((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((/
&&( b Automation(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((0
&&&( 1esults and Dis'ussion((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((2
&.( Con'lusion(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((2
1e)eren'es(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((2
!
Automated Washing Process for Microarray Plates
Abstract
The -ur-ose o) the )ollo3ing resear'h is to build an automated system that 3ill be used in
)a'ilitating the 3ashing -ro'ess o) mi'roarray -lates( The 'urrent -ro'ess o) manually 3ashing
mi'roarray -lates# de4elo-ed )or the immobilization o) D5A mole'ules# 'an be'ome a tedious and
time6'onsuming tas7( The 'riti'al issue is that 3ith the 'urrent automated methods -lates 'an only
-ro'ess a small number o) -lates( This is a 4ery 'ostly and time 'onsuming -roblem 'onsidering
there are any3here )rom "$$68$$ -lates -ro'essed in a 3ee7( The -ro,e't 3ill 'on'entrate on
de4elo-ing se4eral 'on'e-tual designs 3ith the -lan to im-lement a -rogram in order to automate
the -ro'ess( The -ro'ess 3ill 'on'entrate on using Lab.ie3# a 4isual -rogramming language( We
'hose to use this sim-ly )or the )a't it is 3hat our 'or-orate s-onsor uses and it is no3 an industry
standard( A)ter a 'om-arison o) se4eral design 'on'e-ts# one design 3as deemed )easible and
suitable )or the needed a--li'ations# -ending )urther in4estigation( This is hel-)ul be'ause a
starting -oint has been -ro4ided in regards to ho3 this de4i'e 3ill be 'onstru'ted and a building
blo'7 is set in -la'e )or )uture resear'h(
8
I. Introduction
The mi'roarray -late 3e are using to de4elo- an automated 3ashing -ro'ess is 'alled a
5exterion9 +late E MT+ 2: (;igure "( &t 3as de4elo-ed )or the immobilization o) D5A
mole'ules onto a 'oated mi'ro-late sized glass allo3ing high sam-le throughout 3ith
re-rodu'ibility and higher sensiti4ity( The -late is manu)a'tured )rom high <uality glass and laser
'utting te'hnology is used to obtain de)e't and -arti'le )ree -late sur)a'es( They are 'leaned and
'oated under a stri't -ro'ess to 'ontrol all the )abri'ation ste- endures 'oating uni)ormity and
re-rodu'ibility )rom bat'h to bat'h(
Currently# the -ro'ess )or 3ashing and drying mi'roarray -lates to remo4e unbound mole'ules are
mostly done manually( =e'ause o) the time and ex-enses in4ol4ed# this -ro'ess 'an be'ome
-roblemati' to a 'om-any( The ob,e'ti4e o) this -ro,e't is to automate the -ro'ess in order to
im-ro4e the time and 'ost e))i'ien'y(
The 'urrent -ro'ess is as )ollo3s:
"( Arrays are -rinted and D5A is immobilized being in'ubated at room tem-erature )or 8$
minutes
!( +lates -ut through )ollo3ing 3ashing -ro'ess:
a( 1insing -lates on'e )or * minutes in
Triton9 >6"$$ solution at room
tem-erature (
b( 1insing -lates t3i'e )or ! minutes in
?ydro'hlori' a'id solution at room
tem-erature (
%
!igure "
'( 1insing on'e# )or "$ min in +otassium 'hloride solution at room tem-erature(
d( 1insing on'e# )or " minute in de6ionized 3ater at room tem-erature(
e( 1insing on'e# )or "* min in ethanolamine solution at room tem-erature(
)( 1insing a minimum o) )our times )or " minute in de6ionized 3ater at room
tem-erature(
g( Drying the -lates in an oil6)ree air or nitrogen stream to a4oid any 3ater stains on
the -late sur)a'e(
8( Entire -ro'ess 'ondu'ted by hand# using bea7ers and an -lat)orm sha7er(

The Triton9 >6"$$ 'ontains "$$ mi'ro liters Triton9 >6"$$ and "$$ milliliters de6ionized
3ater 3armed to 8/@ C (be)ore adding Triton9 >6"$$( The ?ydro'hlori' a'id solution
'ontains"$ mi'ro liters in ?ydro'hlori' a'id and "$$ milliliters de6ionized 3ater at room
tem-erature( The +otassium 'hloride solution 'ontains $(*0 grams +otassium 'hloride and "$$
milliliters de6ionized 3ater at room tem-erature( The ethanolamine solution 'ontains 8"$ mi'ro
liters ethanolamine: "$$ milliliters blo'7ing solution (3armed to *$@ C(
II. Project Description
The main ob,e'ti4e o) this -ro,e't is to build an automated system that 3ill be used to 3ash D5A
'o4ered mi'roarray -lates( This automated system 3ill in'lude se4eral sub6systems# in'luding# but
not limited to:
"( 1a'7ing System
!( The Agitator System
8( The Automation +rogramming
*
##$ a Design onstraints and Design %ariable
The &rocess in 'hich 'e use must first accommodate the (e)terion* Plate +""0 ) 74
) "$0 mm +, 0$" thic-ness and 'eight: ". g +, 0$/ g0 &late ty&e Schott0 and 1/ ) 7/ mm slides
as 'ell$ (e)t 'e ha2e to incor&orate a minimum of four 'ash buffers at a&&ro&riate
tem&eratures$ #t must alert user 'hen going into bloc- 'ash then &ause the &rocess and
re3uire user inter2ention to continue$ At this ste& in the &rocess addition of ethanolamine
'ill be re3uired$ The materials cannot interact 'ith reagents$ 4astly5 it must safely 6
effecti2ely dry &lates$ The &rocess 'ill be ergonomically friendly 'ith 'eight of handling no
more than 10lbs5 and about 'aist high +for a /71 female0$
:
The onstraint The Associated Design %ariables
A''ommodate the -lateAs dimensions (""$ x
/% x "($ mm# and thi'7ness (B $(" thi'7ness(
Design a ra'7 that 3ill gi4e the -lates a sa)e
)it(
The -latesA 3eight 'an range )rom "0 g (B $(*
g to !" g (B $(* g# de-ending on su--lier
used(
Design a ra'7 3ith the a--ro-riate material
that 'an 3ithstand the 3eight o) the -lates(
&n'or-orate a minimum o) )our 3ash bu))ers at
a--ro-riate tem-eratures(
Cse -re4iously designed )ood grade soda
'anisters )or 3ash bu))ers(
Alert user 3hen going into blo'7 3ash( Create -rogram using Lab.ie3 to alert user
a)ter 3ash se<uen'es(
+ause the -ro'ess and re<uire user
inter4ention to 'ontinue(
Create -rogram using Lab.ie3 to run 4s(
sto-D-ause# and abort se<uen'e to sa)ely
terminate the -ro'edure by draining all li<uids
and drying -latesDslides(
Materials 'annot intera't 3ith reagents( Sele't a--ro-riate material that 3ill not rea't
to bu))ers(
Weight o) handling no more than !$lbs( Sele't a--ro-riate material(s that 3ill allo3
de4i'e to be o4er !$lbs(
=en'h to- de4i'e useable by a )or a *A!
)emale(
Design ben'h to- de4i'e at a--ro-riate height(
E4er the 'ourse o) the )all semester# three 'on'e-tual designs 3ere -resented( The )irst
3as ins-ired by a 'on4entional 3ashing ma'hineF it in'luded 'ir'ular ra'7s that 'ould be sta'7ed
in order to maximize 3asher 'a-a'ity (;igure !( A se'ond design 3as ins-ired by a dish 3asher
and in'luded a s<uare ra'7 that 3ould slide horizontally into the de4i'e (;igure 8( A third and
)inal 'on'e-t 3as ins-ired by a shoe box# the bottom hal) in'luded the sha7er table 3here the
-lates 3ould be sterilized (;igure %a and the to- -ortion is used as the drying me'hanism (;igure
%b(
C-on )urther deliberation# it 3as de'ided that the design that 3as ins-ired by a
'on4entional 3ashing ma'hine 3ould be best )or our a--li'ations( A )urther des'ri-tion o) this
design in'ludes an agitator to gently 3ash the mi'roarray -lates and -ossible drying 'a-abilities(
/
With this design 3e ha4e the o-tion on sling drying 3ith the agitator or using a gas su'h as
nitrogen to dry the -lates(
The -ur-ose o) using the agitator is to gently 3ash the -lates using a s-e'ially designed set
o) ra'7s that 3ill lo'7 into the agitator( The agitator 3ill en'om-ass a slo3 s-in 'y'le on'e the
-lates are submerged into ea'h bu))er( A)ter the de4i'e -urges ea'h bu))er into the system# the
agitator 3ill slo3ly s-in# 3ashing the -lates in a manner that 3ill 'lean ea'h -late 3hile going as
a s-eed that 3ill not damage them(


!igure 1
!igure 8

!igure 4a
!igure 4b
0
;urther analysis is s'heduled )or the resear'h o) 4arious 'on'e-ts surrounding our 'hosen design(
+lanned analysis in'ludes a )inite element analysis to test maximum durability and -er)orman'e
and to ensure the agitator 'on'e-t does not damage any o) the mi'roarray -lates( With the 3ashing
ma'hine 'on'e-t 3e ha4e the o-tion on sling drying 3ith the agitator or using a gas su'h as
nitrogen to dry the -lates( An in4estigation into 3hat substan'es 3ill be used in order to dry the
mi'roarray -lates 3ill be 'ondu'ted( Another )a'tor to 'onsider 3ill be 3hat material 3ould be
most e))i'ient )or the de4i'e itsel)# something sturdy but not too hea4y and still 3ithin design
'onstraints(
III. Automation
;or our design 3e 3ill im-lement Lab.ie3 sin'e it is the -rogram our 'or-orate s-onsors
Mi'roarrays use( The -rogram 'reated 3ill be -rogrammable to -ro'ess using alternate times
andDor iterations# log tem-erature G humidity readings during the -ro'essing e4ent(s# LED
indi'ator H running 4s( sto--edD-aused# and abort se<uen'e to sa)ely terminate the -ro'edure by
draining all li<uids and drying -latesDslides(
"$ +rogramI": +urgeD+rime se<uen'es i) ne'essary
1$ +rogramI!: ;ull -ro'essing e4ent
8$ +rogramI8: +artial -ro'essing e4ent
2
IV. Results and Discussion
Thus )ar# our -ro,e't has been )ollo3ing the timeline 3e set in order last semester( We resear'hed
'urrent -ro'ess and brainstorm design 'onsiderations# 'ondu'ted trade studies on -ro,e't
alternati4es# did 'on'e-tual de4elo-ment o) -ro,e't# and dra)ted CAD designs o) the -ro,e't 3ith
t3o alternati4es( As o) late# 3e 'ame u-on an issue( When trying to test the dra)ted CAD model
3ith A5SJS 3e dis'o4ered our s'hoolAs li'ense 3as ex-ired( ?o-e)ully this 3ill be resol4ed in a
4ery timely manner# but it is out o) our 'ontrol(
V. Conclusion
A)ter a 'om-arison o) se4eral design 'on'e-ts# one design 3as deemed )easible and suitable )or
the needed a--li'ations( What material 3ould be most e))i'ient )or the de4i'e itsel)# and the ra'7
inside the de4i'e is still to be determined( We 3ill 3or7 on the design details and analysis o) the
ra'7 system( More o4er# the agitator system 3ill be designed and analyzed( &n the meantime# 3e
3ill be 'ondu'ting trade studies on the automation -ro'ess that 3ill be best im-lemented in our
system(
Acknowledgements
Jerry C( Collins# +h(D(
;ello3# =MESF Chair# Ethi's Committee(
;ello3# A&M=EF CC1M Committee(
=oard o) Dire'tors# AEM=(
Ad,un't ;a'ulty# Alabama A G M Cni4ersity(
Ad,un't ;a'ulty# Li-s'omb Cni4ersity(
Maria del Carmen =ro3n
Mi'ro Arrays# E-erations Manager(
"$
Joel +ee7# +h(D(
Mi'ro Arrays# CEE
""