BenchArt™ Multichannel Compatible Microtube Rack For 0.5/1.5/2.0mL Tubes

From microcentrifuge tubes to a 96-well plate—in 2 transfers instead of 12.

Ever wondered why you can’t simply use a multichannel pipette to transfer samples from microcentrifuge tubes into a 96-well plate? The answer is: standard microtubes are too wide to line up with every tip on a standard fixed-spacing multichannel pipette. That's why you have to use the very expensive adjustable-spacing multichannel pipette. But is this the only solution?

BenchArt takes a different approach: a tube rack with 18 mm center-to-center spacing—twice the standard 9 mm pipette tip spacing. Fit tips onto alternating channels of a 12-channel pipette, then arrange samples 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 in one row and samples 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 in the next. Transfer the first group into alternating wells of a 96-well plate, then shift over by one well to fill the remaining positions with the second group. That’s 12 samples transferred in two groups of six, instead of 12 individual transfers.

The rack accommodates 24 × 1.5/2.0 mL microcentrifuge tubes and 24 × 0.5 mL microcentrifuge tubes. Its base matches the size of a standard 96-well plate, allowing use with compatible plate-format holders, microplate shakers, and automated liquid-handling setups. Equipment compatibility depends on holder clearance, retention mechanisms, and any required labware configuration.

For workflows that also require cooling, we also offer a separately sold multichannel-compatible aluminum cooling block featuring the same 18 mm spacing for use with alternating tips on a compatible multichannel pipette.