Liquid dispenser with manifold mount for modular independently-actuated pipette channels

A method of dispensing and aspirating a fluid comprising:

• providing a manifold comprising a vacuum channel and a pressure channel;
• providing one or more pipette channels, each pipette channel comprising a dispense head, a vacuum port, a pressure port, and an independently controlled valve in simultaneous fluid communication with the vacuum port and the pressure port;
• selectively engaging the one or more pipette channels to the manifold, wherein selectively engaging comprises connecting each vacuum port of the one or more pipette channels to the vacuum channel of the manifold and connecting each pressure port of the one or more pipette channels to the pressure channel of the manifold;
• transmitting control signals from the manifold to a first pipette channel of the one or more pipette channels to independently control operation of the independently controlled valve to selectively direct gas under vacuum or gas under pressure received through the vacuum port and the pressure port of the first pipette channel to the dispense head of the first pipette channel;
• and
• performing aspirate and dispense operations with the first pipette channel, the aspirate and dispense operations comprising aspirating the fluid or dispensing the fluid in response to receipt of gas under vacuum or gas under pressure, respectively, in the dispense head of the first pipette channel from the independently controlled valve of the first pipette channel.