Common issues & fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Off-target concentration | Inaccurate input quantification | Re-quantify; normalization is only as good as the input CSV. |
| Wells below min volume | Target too low for highly-concentrated samples | Raise target or allow a two-step dilution; set sensible volume limits. |
| Carryover | Tip reuse | Confirm fresh-tip-per-well (default). |
| Mismatched map | CSV well IDs don't match plate | Validate the CSV against the plate map before running. |
When not to automate this
If samples are already within a tight concentration range, normalization may add little. For only a few wells, manual dilution can be quicker than preparing the map.
Verification: this protocol is reviewed — simulation-verified and scientist-checked, but not yet vision-verified on hardware. Validate against your controls on first run.