Reproducible 96- and 384-well randomization
The planner uses a versioned seeded shuffle and a complete bipartite matching allocator. Every requested replicate receives one eligible well. Constraints are hard limits: excluded wells are never assigned, samples can be kept off the perimeter, and declared block names restrict each replicate. A failure produces no partial map. Allocation is randomized within those limits; it does not guarantee row or column balance, replicate separation, blinding, power, or a statistically appropriate experiment.
Serial dilution with equal retained volumes
For a twofold series retaining 100 µL, each transfer is 100 µL. Load 200 µL undiluted stock in the first well, add 100 µL diluent to each later well, mix and transfer 100 µL onwards, then discard 100 µL from the last well. Each well retains 100 µL; concentrations are stock, stock/2, stock/4, and so on. The peak is 200 µL. For fold factor F and retained volume V, transfer T = V/(F − 1), diluent V, and peak V + T. Small fold factors may require impractically large peak volumes and are rejected when they exceed your declared limit.
The model assumes additive liquid volumes and ideal mixing. It excludes assay-reagent additions, pre-dilutions, solvent composition, evaporation, adsorption, carryover, pipetting error, dead volume and excess. Validate mixing, tips, reservoir sufficiency and actual plate working volumes before pipetting. Concentrations use your stated unit without conversion. Randomized chains can occupy nonadjacent wells and are intended for individually addressed pipetting.
Supported CSV and report formats
Supports UTF-8 CSV with comma separators, quoted cells, doubled quotes, LF or CRLF and the exact headers shown above. Both CSV inputs retain source line numbers. One rectangular 96-well (8×12) or 384-well (16×24) plate is supported. JSON preserves the planner version, inputs, settings, full map, warnings and operations. Formula-safe UTF-8 CSV supports allocation and human-readable worklist review; it is not an instrument protocol. SVG and printable HTML show the complete plate and legend; Print / PDF uses your browser’s print dialog. Multi-plate designs, instrument-specific addressing, plate geometry and calibration are outside this model.
Frequently asked questions
Does the plate planner upload laboratory data?
No. CSV inputs, allocation and dilution calculations run in a cancellable browser worker. No sample names or file contents are uploaded. Clear removes the current inputs and results.
What does the seed reproduce?
The same seed and exactly the same input rows, settings and planner version reproduce the same well allocation. Row order, exclusions, plate size and block or edge policies affect the result. JSON includes the version and all inputs. This is random allocation, not a statistical design or balancing guarantee.
How are serial dilution volumes calculated?
Step 1 is undiluted stock. With retained volume V and fold factor F, each onward transfer is T = V / (F − 1). Later wells receive V of diluent, then T from the previous mixed well. Peak volume is V + T. The last well discards T, leaving V in every well. A one-step series receives only V stock.
Can I use the exported worklist on a robot?
The worklist is a human review CSV, not a robot method. Validate liquid properties, mixing cycles and volume, tips, carryover, pipette limits, plate working volume, excess and dead volume with your laboratory protocol. Randomized dilution wells may be nonadjacent.
Laboratory references
Review INTEGRA’s serial-dilution calculation guide and Corning’s microplate selection and working-volume guide alongside your validated assay and pipetting procedure.