Microspotting device

A method for printing an array having a plurality of wells, comprising

• providing a spotter device for spotting a plurality of drops into individual wells of an array, the spotter device including a print head having a plurality of orifices in the same configuration as the array and an imaging system that includes a camera positioned for imaging all of the plurality of orifices simultaneously,
• capturing an image of all of the plurality of orifices of the print head with the imaging system prior to drop formation,
• simultaneously pumping fluid from a plurality of reservoirs to the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of drops on the orifices,
• imaging the drops and determining whether the approximate volume all of the plurality of drops are within predefined upper and lower threshold values, wherein if one or more drops are determined to be above or below the predefined upper and lower threshold values, the array is at least one of discarded or blotted;
• contacting each drop to its respective well of the array substantially simultaneously, and
• substantially simultaneously transferring each respective drop into its respective well.

A method for printing an array having a plurality of wells, comprising

• providing a spotter device for spotting a plurality of drops into individual wells of an array, the spotter device including a print head having a plurality of orifices in the same configuration as the array and an imaging system that includes a camera positioned for imaging all of the plurality of orifices simultaneously,
• capturing an image of all of the plurality of orifices of the print head with the imaging system prior to drop formation,
• simultaneously pumping fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in a first configuration to the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of drops on the orifices, wherein the first configuration is different than configuration of the array,
• retaining drops of a preselected volume adjacent to the orifices of the print head by surface tension;
• contacting each drop to its respective well of the array substantially simultaneously, and
• substantially simultaneously transferring each respective drop into its respective well by surface tension between the drops and each respective well,
• wherein the imaging system further comprises a computing device, wherein the computing device interfaces with the imaging system to perform one or more of the following:
• (a) signaling the camera to acquire a first image of the print head prior to drop formation,
• (b) qualifying the first image to ensure that no drops are present on the print head,
• (c) notifying a user if drops are present in step (b),
• (d) signaling the formation of a plurality of drops on the orifices if no drops are present in step (b),
• (e) signaling the camera to acquire a second image of the print head with drops,
• (f) qualifying the second image to ensure proper location and size or volume of the drops, wherein qualifying the second image to ensure proper location and size or volume of the drops includes at least one of analyzing the image to determine the location and radius of each drop or defining a mask around each of the plurality of drops, wherein a drop is within the predefined upper and lower threshold values if it fills but does not exceed the mask,
• (g) notifying the user if the drops fail the qualification in step (f),
• (h) signaling the contacting of the array with the drops if the drops pass the qualification in step (f),
• (i) signaling the camera to acquire a third image of the print head after contacting of the array with the drops,
• (j) qualifying the third image to ensure that no drops are present on the print head,
• (k) notifying the user if the print head passes the qualification step in step (j).