NanoSoft Clipping Station

NanoSoft’s Clipping Station provides unmatched ease of use and efficiency for the clipping of Cryo-EM grids, 'AutoGrids' for Thermo Fisher autoloader-based microscopes.

NanoSoft Clipping Station

A high quality foam dewar integrates grid box and clipping tool access directly adjacent to the clipping space, increasing ease of use and reducing the potential for contamination. The Clipping Station comes with a puck sized holder for up to 33 clipping tools that can be pre-loaded with c-clips and to be cooled down in an easily accessible position for seamless sample clipping.

Clipping Station with clipping hub, clipping tools, lid and silicone mat

Clipping Station Features: High quality foam dewar, durable, closed-cell polyethylene Newly designed clipping hub for ease of use Clipping tool puck that holds up to 33 clipping tools Lid provides optimal balance between usability and separation of the clipping space from the ambient environment Silicone mat to reduce station movement when rotating the lid Compatible with Cryo Grid Box Storage Pucks where grid boxes can be accessed without needing to transfer them through the ambient environment from another dewar

NanoSoft Clipping Hub A new Clipping Hub design makes the workflow easier, with a well-designed lid to balance ease of use and protection. The opening in the lid provides space to access the entire clipping hub without needing to rotate the lid while providing protection from ambient humidity. Knobs on the lid enable easy turning to access and transfer other grid boxes or clipping tools to the Hub, and a Lid insert can cover the entire opening so that the clipping space can be closed off from the ambient environment completely during cool down and as needed. The Clipping Station is compatible with both NanoSoft and Thermo Fisher clipping tools.

Clipping Hub in use and Clipping Hub, grid boxes and Clipping Tool Rack

Seesaw mechanism of the Clipping Hub

The ‘seesaw’ mechanism for moving the guidance cylinder into and out of position avoids the difficult movement of other clipping stations that a use rotating brass guidance cylinder. The seesaw mechanism requires the user to push down on either side of the cantilever beam to move the guidance cylinder into the position for clipping or for placement/removal of the AutoGrid ring. The shallow hole where the AutoGrid ring is placed for clipping has a dark coloured surface to provide better contrast and tracking when placing an AutoGrid ring and picking up a clipped grid with AutoGrid tweezers. Clipping Hub Features: Easy to use ‘Seesaw’ mechanism  4 built-in grid box pockets 4 "on-deck" positions for clipping tools High contrast AutoGrid ring cavity Grooves for inspection of clipped grids and cryo-ET/FIBSEM ring notch orientation

NanoSoft Clipping Tools

NanoSoft’s Clipping Tool is compatible with the Thermo Fisher clipping station ans is loaded with C-clips and clips grids using the same method. The main difference is that the C-clip is ejected by pressing the tool with a pair of tweezers. This has the advantage of a compact design so that when placed in LN₂ in the clipping station, the entire body is deep enough inside the station that they are untouched by any frost from environmental moisture. This includes when left in the station at cryogenic temperature for long periods of time. This allows you to fully pre-load the tools with C-clips and cool them all down at the same time and without the added hassle of ice contamination - no need to warm, re-load and re-cool clipping tools.

Loaded Clipping Tools with C-clips are placed into the Clipping Tool Rack, and then straight into a clipping station for cooling. Any type of tweezer can be used to grab the back end of the Clipping Tool (square profile of the plunger/back end enables simple and comfortable grasping with tweezer tips). Small protuberances provide extra support to keep the Clipping Tool from twisting when transferring from the rack to the grid. Autogrid Tweezers are recommended so the Clipping Tools remains securely in position during the transfer. Place the Clipping Tool into position for clipping and release the tool then press down on the top of the Clipping Tool to eject the C-clip and clip the grid (, i.e. not while grasping the sides of the plunger with the tweezers. The shorter body of the Clipping Tool enables you to keep the tool straighter while clipping than competitors clipping tools, giving a proper seat of the C-clip into the AutoGrid ring.

The C-clip Bottoming Tool provides an easier and more efficient way to "bottom" the C-clip at the tip of the barrel of a clipping tool prior to clipping. The cylinder of the Bottoming Tool ensures that the barrel of the clipping tool is straight, so upon pressing of the plunger to push the C-clip to the tip you are much less likely to "mis-bottom" the C-clip. Often when pressing the tip against a tabletop or other flat surface, you are not able to hold the barrel exactly straight against the surface and the c-clip can fly out of the tool and is lost.

NanoSoft Clipping Station, Clipping Tools and Accessories:

AutoGrid Rings & C-clips	Cryo Grid Boxes and Tools	NanoSoft Clipping Tools
AutoGrid Tweezers	AutoGrid Inspection Tool	NanoSoft Clipping Station