The pipette which is the most commonly used equipment in laboratories for extracting samples has a history of more than sixty years. Liquids and semi-solids are transferred using pipettes. Genetics, microbiology, chemical research such as pharmaceuticals etc are some other areas that make use of pipettes very frequently.
In earlier 50’s one of the major challenges faced by the laboratories was transferring of ideal volumes of liquid, but later in 1958 the revolutionary invention of pipette was done by one of the German scientist named Heinrich Schnitger but this invention was having a lot of limitations. The working of the pipette was by adding a spring to the syringe that would stop according to a set volume and the syringe’s needle was replaced with a plastic tip. The first pipette was called as Marburg pipette and it was supplied by the eppendorf medical supply company.
The first mechanical adjustable pipette was invented by Warren Gilson the Founder and Managing Director of Gilson medical electronics in the year 1978. The mechanical one is having strong resemblance with the one which is used in the labs now. This new invention led to increased accuracy, comfort, variable volume adjustments and lead to the invention of gilson pipetman. The first autclavable pipette was invented in 1984 by Capp Denmark manufacturers. More than 80% percentage of the pipettes used in the market today is autoclavable. Volume control knob was also invented by the same Denmark manufacturers. In 2002 the Vista labsystems technologies founded a new pipette which used state of art ergonomics. Vista lab also founded the first Ovation Bio Natural Pipette which actually reduced the risk of CTS and all other types of musculoskeletal disorders. Now the electronic pipette is replacing the mechanical pipette with ergonomics, precision and safety becoming an important factor in pipette usage.
The Safety of the pipette and the safety of the user using the pipette is given high importance now by the manufacturers. Each brand pipette is different to each other, the advantage now the customers have is that there is large varieties of pipettes in different brands, price etc. The customer can buy pipette according to his use and even some of the companies are making customized pipettes according to the orders from the customers. Never choose a pipette by looking on the price of the pipette. Buy the pipette according to the use of it first of all try to understand the differences between each pipette the main thing in that is the recalibration time for each one and free warranty of each pipette. If you are using pipettes frequently it is important to calibrate the equipment once in three months even if the The manufacturer claims that their product is having permanent calibration but if it is used frequently it will surely need recalibration in every 3 months. Almost every brand’s is giving warranties for their pipette. Clarify all the doubts regarding the warranty of the product at the time of purchase itself, mainly the time period of warranty and what all things comes under warranty.