The rumor has become a reality! Thermofisher has announced they will no longer sell consumables, such as the capillary array for your DNA Analyzer, ABI 3130/xl. If you have one of these machines, you’ve probably already gotten a notice saying that you’ll have to upgrade your instrument soon. Even though the immediate response to this action is stressful for some labs, SeqGen has a plan.
SeqGen has serviced the ABI 3130/xl for many years and is planning to continue its service for years to come! You may ask yourself how we can do this if SeqGen does not sell consumables and must be purchased from the manufacturer or a 3rd party reagent provider. Well, the answer is simple, stock up on the capillary array.
There are a few things to take into consideration. On average, labs utilize 2 or 3 Capillary arrays per year. But this depends on its usage. The lifespan of an array goes from 500 to 1000 injections. However, if you properly maintain the array, clean and wash it with Nitric Acid, it can prolong the lifespan at least twice longer.
Please see our Capillary Array Cleaning Can Save Your Lab up to $6000 blog at https://blog.seqgen.com/our-capillary-array-cleaning-can-save-your-lab-up-to-6000-0.
The dry shelf lifespan, storing it without being used, can last for five years or longer. This can only work if it has not been used. Once used, it depends on its usage, as mentioned above.
While there will come a time when you should probably retire your machine, it should happen on your terms, not the manufacturer. Depending on your lab’s budget, needs, and level of throughput, it might make sense to go ahead and take advantage of an opportunity to upgrade. SeqGen has ABI 3500 availability and can help with your purchase. However, it will often make sense to remain with the machine you know. If this is your preference, SeqGen can help you with your time and materials, and contract services as long as you have the capillary array.
Please contact sales@seqgen.com if you have any questions or need an instrument upgrade quote.