Automated Plate Seal Remover (formerly XPeel)

The Automated Plate Seal Remover, formerly XPeel, removes full-plate seals from microplates at the press of a button. It lets labs keep plates sealed until the moment of use, the 'sealed plates, no lids' model, without the repetitive and contamination-prone step of peeling seals by hand.

Instead of mechanical grippers, it uses a patented Removal Tape that adheres to the seal and peels it away while the plate is held down. It works with full-skirted PCR plates, low-base microplates and deep-well plates up to 2 ml, and with both heat-applied and pressure-applied seals. A reflective sensor verifies that each seal has been removed.

The unit runs standalone with push-button operation or inside automated workcells via its RS232 interface. Each tape roll covers up to 400 removals, and throughput reaches 200 plates per hour. Adjustable parameters include tape adhere time, de-seal speed, plate output orientation and peel start location.