I’ve just inherited a Nimbus 4 channel liquid handler, we just had it serviced and I’m ready to start learning but there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of online resources for beginners.
I thought it would be a good idea to ask here and see what you all suggest.
Long term I’d like to move NGS library prep’s to the Hamilton, but for now I’d be happy with just importing an excel file of DNA concentrations and having it normalize them, so any advice is appreciated for this green horn.
Make sure you have the software to run Nimbus and not just the typical Venus4 software. Probably looking at some trial and error 'till you get the hang of things after setting up the basics.
Go through the Hamilton download library https://forums.pylabrobot.org/t/library-downloads-links/1052?u=evwolfson and try to find some guides to follow.
Hamilton Guides >> Quick Guides would likely be a good place to start.
Hi @kellogg76 ,
I would like to also share with you a link to download the NIMBUS 4-specific programming guide. Most of the programming techniques are the same as VENUS on the STAR platform, but this will help cover the differences.
If you’d like to go a step further, the VENUS Software Basic Training that we offer also covers those techniques which can be applied to a NIMBUS (including file handling that you mentioned). You can find more information on our website at this link, or by reaching out to our trainers directly at training@hamiltoncompany.com.
Thank you,
Dan
Hi, I’m sorry to revive this old thread, but we’ve also purchased a used NIMBUS and were wondering if it might be possible to receive an updated link for software which would work for a NIMBUS 96?
Thank you,
Max
Hello, we also recently got a NIMBUS 4, but it came with no computer, unfortunately. I was wondering if there is a link we could download the VENUS software for the NIMBUS robot, as all I could find (so far) in the forum is the download link for the STAR. Any help is much appreciated 
I also recently inherited a NIMBUS 96, got it PM (had not been used in 2years), put on a new computer and recent version of Venus (6.2.1 at the time). I have an Opentrons OT-2, been running/writing the protocols for it, so used to writing scripts for liquid handling… I am now banging my head on the wall. I am trying to get the Nimbus to do normalization taking in a spreadsheet with source (ID,well) to target (ID, well) target volume to basically do what I do on the OT-2. I got the file to be imported using Worklist and got sequences for source and target. I managed to get something actually working using the transfer power step. But any container I put for the dilution buffer triggers an error at simulation. I am using the single tip of the 96 head, since I need to normalize samples in plates. What am I missing here? This forum has helped me already with a couple of questions I had. Really hoping you can help me get this going, because right now I am regretting taking this robot in my lab instead of getting another one! Thanks in advance
That’s an interesting use case for the NIMBUS 96! Normalization protocols are typically accommodated on platforms with independent channels. That being said, I can recall some instances of this being implemented, but don’t have any examples on hand to share.
If you can provide more details such as the method and trace file with the error then we can better assist.
You can upload the files here. Password is: Hamilton2025