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RoboDiff: combining a sample changer and goniometer for highly automated macromolecular crystallography experiments
Author(s) -
Nurizzo Didier,
Bowler Matthew W.,
Caserotto Hugo,
Dobias Fabien,
Giraud Thierry,
Surr John,
Guichard Nicolas,
Papp Gergely,
Guijarro Matias,
Mueller-Dieckmann Christoph,
Flot David,
McSweeney Sean,
Cipriani Florent,
Theveneau Pascal,
Leonard Gordon A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section d
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.374
H-Index - 138
ISSN - 2059-7983
DOI - 10.1107/s205979831601158x
Subject(s) - goniometer , sample (material) , beamline , automation , computer science , massif , optics , materials science , computer hardware , mechanical engineering , engineering , physics , geology , beam (structure) , thermodynamics , geochemistry
Automation of the mounting of cryocooled samples is now a feature of the majority of beamlines dedicated to macromolecular crystallography (MX). Robotic sample changers have been developed over many years, with the latest designs increasing capacity, reliability and speed. Here, the development of a new sample changer deployed at the ESRF beamline MASSIF‐1 (ID30A‐1), based on an industrial six‐axis robot, is described. The device, named RoboDiff, includes a high‐capacity dewar, acts as both a sample changer and a high‐accuracy goniometer, and has been designed for completely unattended sample mounting and diffraction data collection. This aim has been achieved using a high level of diagnostics at all steps of the process from mounting and characterization to data collection. The RoboDiff has been in service on the fully automated endstation MASSIF‐1 at the ESRF since September 2014 and, at the time of writing, has processed more than 20 000 samples completely automatically.