[cement_head]

Hi,
we have a epMotion 5070 PC and an older 5075 control panel.
True, they are terribly unflexible. With some trial and error one can define own labware but it's more or less undocumented. We have our own 3D printed plates and had to go through this...
But I still could not find a way to define my own methods, or better, to control the machine with matlab instead of epBlue. E.g. i need the machine to pipette while moving.

Does anyone have experience on that?

Best

Tim

I'd be very interested in how you managed to define your own labware - can you post a guide and/or PM me? TIA

[cement_head]

Hi,
We ran the EP exclusively for our Illumina Lib preps as well as qPCR set up. Some tweeks were needed regarding labware definitions and aspiration speeds/depths but once we worked out the kinks we fell in love.

Is there a way for the end-user to manually tweak the labware definition files, and/or create new ones, or does on have to entirely rely on Eppendorf for those files?

[BrianJames]

Hi ShyN,
What ribo depletion are you using? We've had good luck with the NEB reagent, and it is a pretty easy protocol. We've been using the EP motion for our polyA libraries with the NEB Ultra II directional kit (1/2 reactions) with very good results. We do some steps off deck, but all of the cleanups are on the instrument.
Hope that helps.
Brian

[ShyN]

I know this is an old thread however - update!

We've had pretty bad luck with the EP Motion - we use it for Illumina TruSeq library prep and we had anywhere from 40%-80% rRNA contamination when using the machine as well as adapter dimers.
We've since switched over to a hybrid protocol and have been doing the ribo-depletion manually which sucks because it is very time costly.

We've been working with Eppendorf to fix the protocols but haven't had much success..

If anyone has had this experience and has found a way to fix it, advice would be much appreciated!

[meyerti]

Hacking EpMotion

Hi,
we have a epMotion 5070 PC and an older 5075 control panel.
True, they are terribly unflexible. With some trial and error one can define own labware but it's more or less undocumented. We have our own 3D printed plates and had to go through this...
But I still could not find a way to define my own methods, or better, to control the machine with matlab instead of epBlue. E.g. i need the machine to pipette while moving.

Does anyone have experience on that?

Best

Tim

[acockburn]

I like the epMotion 5075. I think its a great little robot, especially if you are new to programming these types of devices. I like that it checks to make sure the proper labware is being used and has a lot of fail safes for people who use the device infrequently.

That being said, I do like that the BioMex allows you to define your own labware and you can certainly customize it more then the epMotion, but you have to have the training and time to do that. It does not 'check' to ensure the labware is correct or even present, so I found it to be much more time consuming to learn to program and use.

[kzarn]

Are there any updates here regarding good or bad reviews of the epMotion 5075 TMX? Or other models?

Thanks!

[aniacoco]

Please contact me if you have a bad review for the epMotion 5075

We have an epMotion 5075, and it is awful. You have very little control over the machine, the software is sophmoric. It wastes tips, can't be customized, ependorf won't let you make your own labware definitions so you're hostage to their 1 employee that does it, you have no access to the coding language to fix their poor software routines, customer support sucks. Don't buy

I just found your post about the epMotion 5075. I see it was two years ago but if you are still around would you be able to contact me to discuss your review further. I have some questions for you. We are in the process of gathering information on this robot (specifically bad reviews) and your help would be greatly appreciated.

[cbird]

On a related note, now that I'm stuck with this thing, I want to hack the machine so we can make it do what we want. Anybody ever hacked an epmotion? Or better yet, does anybody know what company eppendorf bought this robot from? Typcally, the older robots came with programming guides etc

[cbird]

We have an epMotion 5075, and it is awful. You have very little control over the machine, the software is sophmoric. It wastes tips, can't be customized, ependorf won't let you make your own labware definitions so you're hostage to their 1 employee that does it, you have no access to the coding language to fix their poor software routines, customer support sucks. Don't buy

[docbio]

Can't help you with the first part of the question, but in terms of bead carryover I've found it can often be addressed by slowing down the speed of the pipetting either in automated or manual applications. Also, I think the stand matters - I've tried both the "O-ring magnet" style and the "post" magnet style (24? posts arrayed such that they're on the side wall of the individual tubes in the 96 well plate) and I find the post magnet style to give superior results in our hands.

Best of luck
docbio

[TimLar]

For canned protocols, it's pretty nice. For things requiring lots of flexibility, there are better instruments/interfaces.

I also recall it being pretty expensive....but their sales/tech support guys were very helpful throughout (pre- and post- sale).

it's been a while since this reply but I was wondering if anyone could comment on liquid handlers that are more flexible than the EpM5075? what is the best instrument considering price/specs/flexibility?

how do you address the issue with beads carry over? does it make sense to try different magnetic stands or are they all the same?

[SDGenomics]

EpiMotion 5075

We have a 5075 at our core that we are utilizing for NG Library preps. There is a bit of a learning curve and the writing protocols/ troubleshooting is a bit cumbersome, but the Eppendorf sales and tech team are amazing and very helpful. They are always ready and willing to come out to help troubleshoot. We have almost worked out all the kinks for automating TruSeq RNA lib preps and even though there is still quiet a lot of user intervention, I think that the robot was a good buy.

[rosatoc]

Hi Skamp. I would be very interested in your DNA extraction protocols (and thanks for the message about the tips!). I have not heard anything else about protocols in place for library preps (e.g. TruSeq).

Thanks again

[rosatoc]

Any protocols you are willing to share, firedancer and behavin? We've just installed a 5075 with the desire to set up KAPA qPCR validation plates in addition to library preps. I know we can develop them ourselves, but why not stand on the shoulders of giants?

Thanks in advance