Micromanipulator

The flagship in our line of precision micromanipulators, the motorized MP-285 is affordable yet offers advanced features found in manipulators costing thousands more. Custom engineered stepping motors, precision cross-roller bearing slides and proprietary worm gear capstan drives form the basis of

The flagship in our line of precision micromanipulators, the motorized MP-285 is affordable yet offers advanced features found in manipulators costing thousands more. Custom engineered stepping motors, precision cross-roller bearing slides and proprietary worm gear capstan drives form the basis of the watch-like mechanical system. The controller provides power to the stage motors with a quiet linear power supply to minimize electrical noise radiation in your setup. Pipette holders and headstages are securely mounted to the MP-285 with one of our several unique and rigid mounting systems.

The MP-285 was designed to meet a wide variety of positioning needs for the scientific community, and is suitable for patch clamp experiments, extracellular recording, microinjection, intra-cellular recording and precision robotic positioning applications. An outstanding feature of this system is the unique definable 4th axis for diagonal advancement of the pipette. You select the angle, then activate the 4th axis. As with the other three axes, you may move with adjustable coarse or ultrafine resolution, select the movement speed, and move continuously or in single step increments. To quickly reposition the pipette, simply select the Home function. Axes positions are continuously shown in relative and absolute scales, and are easily readable on the vacuum fluorescent display.

The extremely low backlash of the MP-285 removes traditional drawbacks of “open loop” technology and eliminates drift. This allows submicron resolution down to 0.2 microns in the coarse range and down to 40 nano-meters in the fine range. With over 1 inch of motorized travel on all three axes, and a user designated 4th axis, the MP-285 allows tremendous range of motion while maximizing resolution.

Available with a table-top or rack mounted controller, our manipulator fits in seamlessly with your other components while the compact design and assignable axes of the MP-285 allows you to easily integrate it into your setup at any orientation. To add to its practicality, your choice of one of two manual controls: joystick or rotary optical encoder (ROE), assures a comfortable experimentation environment, customized to the scientist.

For users who require repeatable motion sequences, the MP-285 features easily programmed robotic control from the keypad, or via a remote computer. The system can store up to 500 position instructions, including pauses, and will execute the instruction set once, continuously, or in reverse.

As always, our technical support team is available to address your concerns and answer all questions before, and after your purchase.

Choose one of two Input Device Options

1) Rotary Optical Encoder (ROE). Turning one of three 2-inch knobs produces a movement along one axis proportional to the amount and speed of the turn. Buttons allow the activation of “4th axis”, change of movement resolution, “home” return function, and toggle between continuous pulse movements.

2) Joystick. Our joystick is a modified three-axis game controller. The degree of handle deflection determines the velocity of movement of each axis. In pulse mode, a button commands the manipulator to take a single step in the axis selected by joystick deflection.

Features: MP-285

• Highly stable for experiments intolerant of pipette drift.
• Submicron resolution and integrated coarse positioning.
• 1 inch of motorized travel on all three axes.
• 4th axis with user-selected angle for axial drive.
• Adjustable speed and resolution allows optimization for your experimental setup.
• Programmable robotics for complex motion sequences.
• Continuous display (in microns) of axes positions.
• Switch between continuous or single step movement.
• Absolute and relative origins.
• Convenient Home function allows pipettes to be quickly repositioned.
• Assignable axes permit any orientation of the manipulator.
• Easy to read vacuum fluorescent display.
• Remote computer control via serial interface.
• Compact design easily adaptable to your setup.
• Optional mounting adapters (see price list).

Our new MP-265/M "narrow format" mechanical is designed especially for patch-slice manipulator systems that require more than 2 or 3 pipettes. Coupled with our multi-manipulator controller, MPC-200, users have the ability to easily build up multi-manipulator MPC-365 systems for positioning multiple

Our new MP-265/M "narrow format" mechanical is designed especially for patch-slice manipulator systems that require more than 2 or 3 pipettes. Coupled with our multi-manipulator controller, MPC-200, users have the ability to easily build up multi-manipulator MPC-365 systems for positioning multiple recording and stimulating pipettes.

The MP265/M mechanical builds on our existing manipulator line in several ways. First, narrow format means more manipulators can be grouped around a recording chamber. A long throw (25 mm) radial X-axis provides an easier approach to and from the optical center. Finally, travel in the Y-axis is shortened (12.5 mm) to economize on width, which is made possible because radially oriented manipulators do not require long travel in this axis.

The MP-265/M manipulator is designed specifically for systems requiring 4 or more manipulators. To this end, we have put together systems with specialpricing for 4, 5 and 6 manipulators, and 2 or 3 dual manipulator controllers. We are also unveiling a new linear slide for mounting the MP-265/M mechanical as well as for our other manipulators. With the linear slide gantry (MT-75/LS), the manipulator can be quickly and smoothly moved out to a location where there is easy access to the pipette for replacement.

A single controller capable of running 2 manipulators! Sutter Instrument has taken the simplicity of the MP-225 controller and expanded it to run two manipulators from a single controller/ROE. The MPC-200 works with one or two of our world-renowned mechanicals, the MP-285 (MPC-385) or the MP-225 (MPC-325). The controller is self-detecting so there is no need for manual configuration of the components.

If two manipulators aren’t enough, a second controller can be daisy chained to allow the single ROE-200 to move up to four manipulators. Thus the system can be easily expanded to control highly sophisticated experiments.

MPC-200 Controller

The Sutter MPC-200 is electrically quiet. Unlike the competition, our multi-unit controller employs linear output circuitry. Sutter adds additional manipulators to the same controller without requiring potentially noisy chopper drives.

Faster automated pipette exchange. The MPC-200 has faster “Home” and “Work Position” moves for quicker pipette exchange. Automation is set up and run via the same interface used in the MP-225 controller; however, the speeds of the automated movement are much faster.

Accelerated manual mode. For users who prefer manual pipette exchange we have added “Accelerated Mode” to the ROE. Using Accelerated Mode, the user can make quick manual moves in and out of a setup. Accelerated Mode amplifies the speed attainable in a manual move by smoothly accelerating to the maximum speed during sustained, fast turns of the ROE. Accelerated movement ends as soon as the user stops turning the knob. This mode can be fully disabled for those who feel the need for direct control of the pipette.

To provide the ultimate in flexibility, the MPC-200 can be purchased separately or in one of several basic systems such as the MP-365, MP-385 or the MP-325. Additional component pieces can be added at any time, allowing the user to develop a system tailored to his or her particular needs.

Features: MPC-200 and ROE-200

• Single controller and ROE will run two stepper motor drive manipulators
• Self-detecting, daisy-chain capability allows control of four manipulators from one ROE-200
• User-friendly interface: single button access to all major functions
• New Accelerated Mode for fast, manual manipulator movement
• Easy toggle selection of Mode (speed/resolution, pulsed diagonal, Accelerated Mode)
• Display indicates X, Y, Z coordinates, Mode, active manipulator
• Robotic Home and Work Position moves for easy automated pipette exchange
• Faster robotic moves than previous versions
• Definable 4th axis for coaxial pipette movement, angle selected by DIP switches
• Simple USB interface
• Toggle switch selects which manipulator is connected to input device
• LED and display indicate active manipulator
• Low-drift mechanical stability

• Four independent axes - 30mm travel in diagonal for coaxial pipette movement, 25mm travel in X, Y and Z
• Sub-micron 100nm resolution
• True diagonal assures coaxial movement
• Quiet mode eliminates electrical noise
• Display indicates coordinates in relative or absolute
• User-friendly, fanless compact controller with ROE preserves bench space
• Push button control of multiple functions - WORK, HOME, LOCK, PULSE and RELATIVE
• Robotic HOME and WORK position moves for easy automated pipette exchange
• Suited for in vivo electrophysiological recording
• USB interface for computer control