Troubleshooting FAQ

Liquid drips from the tip during aspiration/dispense, or leaks persist after tip attachment

1. 1Reattach tip firmly ⬛ — Place the pipette vertically over the tip and press down firmly. Angled attachment causes leaks.
2. 2Test with a new tip box ⬛ — Rule out a defective tip
3. 3Reduce pipetting speed ⬛ — Set speed to 80% of current value in Windy and retest
4. 4Request FSE pipette inspection 🔴 — If leak persists after all steps, internal seal may be damaged

Z-axis Timeout error during tip pickup, arm stuck or unable to rise, or tip attached abnormally

1. 1Check tip box position ⬛ — Confirm the tip box is fully seated in its deck slot with no tilt or shift
2. 2Replace with a different tip box ⬛ — Verify operation with a new box
3. 3Fine-tune Tip Depth setting ⬛ — Adjust in 0.1 mm increments and retest
4. 4Tip box slot re-teaching 🔴 — If error recurs, FSE will re-teach the tip box slot on-site

Tip randomly detaches during movement or dispense, occurring intermittently

1. 1Reduce pipette speed to 80% ⬛ — Fast aspiration can cause step-loss leading to tip detachment
2. 2Visually verify tip attachment after pickup ⬛ — Check that tip does not wobble
3. 3Contact FSE 🟡 — Report if issue persists after speed adjustment

1. 1Lower Trash Drop Height in Windy ⬛ — Reduce the height so the tip fully detaches
2. 2FSE re-teaching 🔴 — If not resolved by setting adjustment, request Trash position re-teaching

1. 1Confirm Windy is on the latest version ⬛
2. 2Delete the step and recreate it ⬛
3. 3Contact FSE 🟡 — If issue persists after update and step recreation

During Multi Dispense, residual (margin) volume is dispensed into the last well instead of the waste container

1. 1Check Blowout position ⬛ — Verify Blowout is set to Tip Waste in the protocol editor
2. 2Split into single dispense steps and retest ⬛
3. 3Contact FSE 🟡 — If issue persists, submit the protocol file with your report

Stop and Initialize buttons are unclickable after an error occurs during a run

1. 1Force-quit software and restart ⬛
2. 2Power OFF → wait 30 seconds → Power ON 🟡
3. 3Request FSE remote support 🟡 — If error recurs

Error occurs when Target Tip Depth is set beyond -1.0 mm (e.g., -1.1 to -1.5 mm). Source Tip Depth works normally; only Target is restricted.

1. 1Set Target Tip Depth to -1.0 mm or less ⬛ — Current software allowed range
2. 2If deeper depth is needed 🟡 — Contact FSE to request a software exception setting

Timeout on the P, Y, or Z axis during initialization; same axis fails consistently on restart

1. 1Power OFF → wait 1 minute → Power ON ⬛
2. 2Check for obstructions in the axis travel path ⬛ — Remove tip boxes, tubes, or tools
3. 3Contact FSE immediately 🔴 — If error recurs, motor, cable, or control board inspection is required

Set to 38°C but reads 42–44°C; does not drop to setpoint even after extended wait

1. 1Turn off temperature setting → re-enter ⬛
2. 2Disconnect temperature module → wait 5 min → reconnect ⬛
3. 3Request FSE calibration 🔴 — If offset of 2°C or more persists

Shaker vibrates or stops at the set RPM; plate separates from the shaker

1. 1Reduce RPM by 200 and retest ⬛ — Incrementally find the maximum stable RPM (recommended start: below 1,000 RPM)
2. 2Check plate seating ⬛
3. 3Request FSE re-tuning 🔴 — If step-loss occurs even at low RPM

NOTABLE pipettes use an Air Displacement (ADP) mechanism — there is no direct contact between the sample and the pipette interior, making contamination unlikely.

For ongoing pipette quality, we recommend periodic professional maintenance. Contact our support channel for service intake details.

Recommended settings for high-viscosity liquids (glycerol, serum, oil, etc.):

• Aspirate Speed — reduce to 50–70% of default
• Dispense Speed — reduce as well
• Blowout Volume — increase to minimize residual liquid
• Pre-wetting — aspirate/dispense 1–2 times before the run to improve accuracy