Clipping Station

NanoSoft’s Clipping Station provides unmatched ease of use and efficiency for the clipping of Cryo-EM grids (known as AutoGrids) for Thermo Fisher autoloader-based microscopes.

Clipping Station
(#47000-615)

Clipping Hub

AutoGrid Placement

A high quality foam dewar integrates grid box and clipping tool access directly adjacent to the clipping space, increasing ease of use and reducing the potential for contamination. Furthermore, the Clipping Station comes with a puck sized holder for clipping tools, such that up to 33 tools can be pre-loaded with c-clips and placed in the holder to be cooled down while in a position that is easy to access, enabling seamless clipping of up to 33 samples at one time. A new Clipping Hub design makes the workflow easier, and a well-designed lid balances ease of use and protection. The opening in the lid provides the ideal amount of space to access the entire clipping hub without needing to rotate the lid, and while providing protection from ambient humidity. Knobs on the lid enable easy turning to access and transfer other grid boxes or clipping tools to the Hub, and a Lid insert can cover the entire opening so that the clipping space can be closed off from the ambient environment completely during cool down and as needed. Furthermore, the Clipping Station is compatible with both NanoSoft (#47000-611) and Thermo Fisher clipping tools.

Clipping Station Features:

• Foam Dewar - High quality, durable, closed-cell polyethylene
• Clipping Hub – newly designed for ease of use
• Clipping Tool Puck - holds up to 33 clipping tools
• Lid - provides optimal balance between usability and separation of the clipping space from the ambient environment
• Silicone Mat - reduces station movement when rotating the lid
• Compatible with Cryo Grid Box Storage Pucks - grid boxes can be accessed without needing to transfer them through the ambient environment from another dewar

Other clipping stations typically utilize a rotating brass guidance cylinder, which is often difficult to turn and can bend tweezers. The clipping hub of this station utilizes a novel ‘seesaw’ mechanism for moving the guidance cylinder into and out of position. This mechanism requires the user to push down on either side of the cantilever beam to move the guidance cylinder into the position for clipping or for placement/removal of the AutoGrid ring. The shallow hole where the AutoGrid ring is placed for clipping has a dark colored surface to provide better contrast and tracking when placing an AutoGrid ring and picking up a clipped grid with AutoGrid tweezers.

Clipping Hub Features:

• Easy to use ‘Seesaw’ mechanism
• 4 built-in grid box pockets
• 4 "on-deck" positions for clipping tools
• High contrast AutoGrid ring cavity
• Grooves for inspection of clipped grids and cryo-ET/FIBSEM ring notch orientation