The authors describe an open-source, 3D-printed vacuum manifold designed to enable automated spin-column DNA isolation on Opentrons liquid-handling robots (Flex and OT-2). The manifold adapts traditional spin-column chemistry—commonly reliant on centrifugation or bench vacuum—to an automated format compatible with widely available columns and standard laboratory reagents. The stated aim is to lower the entry cost for laboratory automation and to increase throughput, reproducibility, and integration with computational workflows in academic settings.
The manifold is produced by fused-deposition 3D printing using standard ABS filament. According to the source, manufacturing cost is low—approximately $2 per manifold—making it affordable for research groups that do not require continuous high-throughput extraction. The design is compatible with commonly available spin-columns and does not require specialist consumables or proprietary kits. This compatibility is highlighted as a deliberate alternative to automation approaches that rely on magnetic separation modules and specialized reagents.
When mounted on an Opentrons Flex or OT-2 platform, a single manifold accommodates automated processing of up to 24 samples per run. The design can be scaled by placing up to four manifolds in series to process 96 samples in a single automated sequence. The authors provide Opentrons protocols and labware definitions to integrate the manifold into a hands-off workflow on supported liquid-handling robots.
Using the automated manifold and protocols for plasmid minipreps, the authors report a substantial reduction in user involvement: hands-on time for 24 minipreps fell by 80% compared with manual centrifugation and vacuum procedures. In performance metrics, the automated workflow produced comparable or greater plasmid yields than manual methods and reportedly eliminated failed recoveries that were observed with manual protocols. These reported outcomes underscore the potential of the device to improve both efficiency and consistency for routine DNA purifications in academic labs.
All design files, labware definitions, and Opentrons protocols associated with the manifold have been released openly. The authors used permissive licensing: materials are available under the CERN Open Hardware Licence or the MIT License. A Zenodo deposition is cited (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21674775) as an associated digital record. The preprint was posted to bioRxiv on September 21, 2026, with DOI https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.16.746974.
The presented manifold addresses a practical gap for laboratories that perform DNA extractions intermittently and cannot justify investment in expensive magnetic separation modules or specialist automation kits. By enabling automated spin-column protocols on relatively low-cost robots and using inexpensive, 3D-printed hardware, the device aims to democratize access to automated DNA purification and improve reproducibility.
Limitations and contextual notes reported in the source: the manuscript is a preprint and the described device and protocols are presented as an open-source contribution; the report does not state comprehensive validation across all sample types or exhaustive comparisons to all automated alternatives. The source lists the authors’ affiliations with the University of Oxford and acknowledges funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/Y034791/1). The authors declared no competing interests.
An inexpensive, 3D-printed vacuum manifold can be integrated with Opentrons Flex and OT-2 robots to automate spin-column DNA isolation.
Single-manifold runs process 24 samples; four manifolds in series enable 96-sample runs.
Manufacturing cost is low (~$2), and the system uses standard spin-columns without specialist reagents.
Reported benefits include an 80% reduction in hands-on time, comparable or improved plasmid yields, and elimination of failed recoveries compared with manual methods.
All design assets and protocols are openly licensed to facilitate adoption and further development by academic laboratories.