Installation Requirements

Before setting up Opentrons Flex, make sure that your installation site meets all of the requirements in this section. And follow all of the safety guidance here and throughout the installation instructions.

Where to place Opentrons Flex

Space is a valuable commodity in almost every lab. Your Flex is going to need some—but not too much, as it's designed to fit on half of a standard lab bench. Make sure that you have a space that meets the following criteria.

• Bench surface: Stationary, sturdy, level, water-resistant surface. Tables or benches with wheels (even locking wheels) are not recommended. Flex moves quickly and has a lot of mass, which can shake or imbalance lightweight or movable tables.

• Weight bearing: The robot alone weighs 88.5 kg (195 lb) and should only be lifted by two people working together. Place the robot on a surface that can readily support its weight plus the weight of any modules, labware, liquids, or other lab equipment to be used in your applications.

• Operating space: The robot's base dimensions are 87 cm W x 69 cm D x 84 cm H (about 34" x 27" x 33"). Flex needs 20 cm (8") of side and back clearance for cables, USB connections, and to dissipate exhaust from modules that heat and cool.

Warning

Do not position the sides or back of the Flex flush against a wall.

Opentrons Flex base dimensions.

Top view of Opentrons Flex, showing minimum side and back clearance.

Power consumption

Opentrons Flex should be connected to a wall outlet at or near the bench location where you install it. Only connect Flex to circuits that can accommodate its peak power draw:

• Input power: 36 VDC, 6.1 A

• Idle consumption: 30–40 W

• Typical consumption: 40–120 W

• Peak consumption: Up to 250 W

Power Consumption Type	Description
Idle	The amount of power the robot uses while on and inactive (not running a protocol). Flex does not have a low-power sleep or standby mode.
Typical	The average power the robot and attached instruments use when running a protocol. Different protocols and instruments can cause variations within the typical power consumption range. This range does not account for separately powered modules used in protocols.
Peak	The highest instantaneous power draw. For example, during fast gantry acceleration, or other high-energy movements, the robot can draw more power and exceed typical power consumption values. The peak consumption value may also be useful for estimating current handling capacity (and circuit breaker selection) for an AC circuit that powers multiple robots.

Along with the conditions described above, total power consumption also depends on:

• The amount and type of movement executed during a protocol.

• The amount of time the robot spends idle.

• The status lights of the robot.

• How many instruments are attached.

Note

Always account for other electronics that consume power on the same circuit, including Flex modules with their own power supplies. For example, the Thermocycler Module has a peak power consumption (630 W) that is much greater than the Flex robot itself. If necessary, consult the manager of your facility to make sure it meets your equipment's peak power requirements.

Environmental conditions

Environmental conditions for recommended use, acceptable use, and storage vary:

	Recommended for system operation	Acceptable for system operation	Storage and transportation
Ambient temperature	+20 to +25 °C	+2 to +40 °C	−10 to +60 °C
Relative humidity	40–60%, non-condensing	30–80%, non-condensing (below 30 °C)	10–85%, non-condensing (below 30 °C)
Altitude	Approximately 500 m above sea level	Up to 2000 m above sea level	Up to 2000 m above sea level

Opentrons has validated the performance of Opentrons Flex in the conditions recommended for system operation, and operation in those conditions should provide optimal results. Flex is safe to use in conditions acceptable for system operation, but results may vary. Do not power on or use Flex in conditions outside of those bounds. The storage and transportation conditions only apply when the robot is completely disconnected from power and other equipment.

Network ports

Flex requires an internet connection for initial setup. After setup, it's possible to run Flex without a network connection, although some features of Flex and the Opentrons App expect local area network access over certain ports.

Network ports are software-defined connections between devices on a network. Each numbered port handles data for a specific network protocol or service. Flex uses these ports for services like software updates, file transfers, or to accept command-line instructions from a terminal.

The following table lists the network ports used by Flex, along with their function. All listed ports use TCP, except for port 5353, which uses UDP.

Port number	Description
22	Used to make a Secure Shell (SSH) connection. See Command-line operation over SSH.
443	Used for HTTPS traffic. The Opentrons App uses this port to check for and download software updates.
1883	Used for MQTT messages. Flex sends realtime notifications to the Opentrons App using MQTT. This reduces network traffic and shortens delays within the app, compared to polling.
5353	Used for Multicast DNS (mDNS or zero-configuration networking). The Opentrons App relies on mDNS to find Flex robots on a network.
31950	Used by the robot server for HTTP API commands.
48888	Used for the built-in Jupyter Notebook server, which you can connect to with your web browser.

If you're having trouble with these services, consult your facility's IT documentation or contact your IT manager for assistance with your network setup.