Supplementary Table D Microarray Printing Technologies

Supplementary Table D Microarray printing technologies

Printing implement / Type / Advantages / Disadvantages
Capillary tube / Contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single uptake
·  Defined spot diameter / ·  Undefined loading volume
·  Difficult sample cleaning between printing cycles
·  Fixed spot diameter
Micro Spotting pin / Contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single uptake
·  Defined loading volume
·  Tightly defined spot diameter
·  No mechanical differences between pins
·  Select spot size and loading volume
·  Low sample volume
·  User can install pins
·  Durable over millions of printing cycles / ·  Environmental control required for optimal printing
·  High replacement cost if robot ‘crashes’
·  Not available in 1,536-well format
Piezoelectric jet / Non-contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single loading
·  Rapid spot delivery
·  Precise delivery volume
·  Can deliver multiple spots per address / ·  Nozzle-to-surface distance affects spot size
·  Contaminants can clog delivery nozzle
·  User cannot change printing nozzles
Pin & Ring / Contact / ·  Multiple spots with a single uptake / ·  Small number of pins
·  Large loading volume
·  Large sample volume required
·  Low delivery volume per spot
·  Fixed spot diameter
Solenoid jet / Non-contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single loading
·  Rapid spot delivery
·  Precise delivery volume
·  Can deliver multiple spots per address / ·  Nozzle-to-surface distance affects spot size
·  Contaminants can clog delivery nozzle
·  Generally produces larger spot sizes than contact methods
Solid pin / Contact / ·  Easy to use
·  No clogging
·  Large number of pins per printhead
·  Inexpensive / ·  Slow printing
·  One spot per loading
·  Variable loading and delivery volume
·  Low delivery volume per spot
Split pin / Contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single uptake
·  Easy sample cleaning between printing cycles / ·  Undefined loading volume
·  Tapping force diminishes durability
·  Large pin-to-pin variability
Thermal jet / Non-contact / ·  Large number of spots with a single loading
·  Extremely rapid spot delivery
·  Precise delivery volume
·  Can deliver multiple spots per address / ·  Nozzle-to-surface distance affects spot size
·  Contaminants can clog delivery nozzle
·  Difficult sample changes
·  Difficult to implement in a research setting
·  No routine use in field because of thermal concerns