Sartorius Picus 2 pipette by Sartorius Stedim Biotech - electronic precision for lab routines

The Sartorius Picus 2 pipette sits light and cool in the hand, its slim white handle and dark display glowing softly under the lab hood while a technician clicks through modes with a thumb instead of twisting a knob.

Electronic pipette for daily work

Picus 2 is an electronic single and multichannel pipette line from Sartorius Stedim Biotech designed for volumes between 0.2 µl and 1200 µl. Product manager Markus Hiltunen describes it as a tool for labs that pipette thousands of wells a day in 96 and 384 plate formats.

With a motorized piston, Picus 2 automates aspiration and dispensing, providing repeatable strokes and reducing hand strain compared with manual pipettes. A compact design keeps weight low around 100 g for single-channel models, making it comfortable for long series of transfers.

Modes, memory and connectivity

The Picus 2 interface offers guided modes for forward pipetting, reverse pipetting, multi-dispensing, dilution and mixing via a color display and cursor keys. Users can define and save protocols, allowing repeat runs of complex plate filling routines without re-programming.

Picus 2 connects via Bluetooth to the Sartorius Pipetting app and selected software so method parameters and audit trails can be stored externally, an aspect aimed at quality-controlled environments. In addition, firmware updates can be loaded, which Sartorius highlights for compliance maintenance over device lifetimes.

Ergonomics and compliance

The pipette includes an electronic tip ejection mechanism, operated by a finger-friendly lever, reducing repetitive strain compared with harder mechanical push-buttons. Under the thumb, the surface feels slightly textured rather than glossy, helping grip even with nitrile gloves slightly wet from disinfectant.

Sartorius states that Picus 2 conforms to ISO 8655, the international standard for piston-operated volumetric apparatus, and supports calibration reminders through the interface. The company positions it for use in regulated labs such as pharma QC and clinical research where traceability and consistent performance are mandatory.

Variants and target segments

The Picus 2 family includes single-channel pipettes covering 0.2-10 µl, 1-20 µl, 5-120 µl, 10-300 µl and 50-1200 µl ranges, plus multichannel options for 96 and 384 microplates. Labs can mix and match units according to assay format, which head of lab solutions Ansgar Nüsse has pointed to as a sales driver.

In addition to standard Picus 2, Sartorius offers Picus 2 LH variants targeted at labs with specific liquid handling requirements. These versions aim at molecular biology and cell culture work, especially in workflows where precise low-volume handling of master mixes and reagents is critical.

Pricing and availability

On the Sartorius pipetting product page, Picus 2 is listed alongside manual Tacta pipettes and tips as part of the broader pipetting portfolio, indicating a mid-to-high price bracket in professional lab equipment. Distributor listings for single-channel Picus 2 devices show euro prices typically in the several hundred euro range per unit, depending on channel count and volume range.

Picus 2 is available globally through Sartorius and lab supply distributors, including major European and North American channels. Sartorius runs training and support offerings around electronic pipettes, including online materials that explain how to program sequences and maintain calibration.

Context and Sartorius Stedim Biotech stock

For Sartorius Stedim Biotech, pipettes like Picus 2 are a comparatively small-ticket item in a catalog dominated by bioreactors and filtration hardware, yet they anchor daily interaction with lab staff and keep the Sartorius brand close to routine bench work. In the market, this segment supports the price of Sartorius Stedim Biotech stock (ISIN FR0013154002).