RoboDiff: combining a sample changer and goniometer for highly automated macromolecular crystallography experiments

Area of Science:

• Structural Biology
• Crystallography
• Biophysics

Background:

• Automated sample mounting is crucial for modern macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamlines.
• Existing robotic sample changers have evolved to enhance capacity, reliability, and speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of RoboDiff, a novel sample changer for the MASSIF-1 beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).
• To enable completely unattended sample mounting and diffraction data collection.

Main Methods:

• Development of RoboDiff, a sample changer based on an industrial six-axis robot.
• Integration of a high-capacity dewar, functioning as both a sample changer and a high-accuracy goniometer.
• Implementation of comprehensive diagnostics for unattended operation from mounting to data collection.

Main Results:

• RoboDiff has been operational at the MASSIF-1 beamline since September 2014.
• The system has successfully processed over 20,000 samples completely automatically.
• High level of diagnostics ensures reliable unattended operation.

Conclusions:

• RoboDiff represents a significant advancement in automated sample handling for MX.
• The system facilitates fully unattended diffraction data collection, increasing throughput and efficiency.
• Successful long-term deployment demonstrates the robustness and reliability of the automated system.