Microplate Layout Generator

Generate randomized 96‑well microplate layouts for biological assays. Suitable for ELISA, cell‑based assays, and any plate‑based experiment that requires random placement of samples, standards, controls, and blanks.

Features

• Randomized layout with a reproducible random seed (--seed)
• Supports samples with user‑specified replicates
• Supports standards (calibrators) at multiple concentrations with separate replicate counts
• Additional controls and blanks can be added
• Exports layout as CSV or ASCII table
• Full 96‑well capacity check – error if the requested wells exceed the plate
• GMP‑ready: deterministic output for the same seed, clear error messages, and easy integration into documentation

Installation

Requires Python 3.7+ (no external dependencies). Clone the repository and run the script directly:

git clone https://github.com/youruser/microplate-layout-generator.git
cd microplate-layout-generator

Usage

Run main.py with command‑line arguments. The tool prints the layout to stdout or writes to a file if --output is specified.

python main.py \
  --samples 10 \
  --sample-replicates 2 \
  --standards "0,0.1,1,10,100" \
  --standard-replicates 2 \
  --blanks 2 \
  --seed 42 \
  --format ascii

Options

Flag	Description	Default
--samples	Number of unique samples	(required)
--sample-replicates	Replicates per sample	1
--standards	Comma‑separated list of standard concentrations	None
--standard-replicates	Replicates for each standard	1
--controls	Number of extra control wells (e.g., positive control)	0
--blanks	Number of blank wells	0
--seed	Integer seed for reproducible randomization	(system‑random)
--format	Output format: csv or ascii	csv
--output	File to write (default: stdout)	None

CSV output example

Well,Content,Value
A1,Empty,
A2,Sample,3
A3,Sample,1
A4,Standard,0.1
A5,Blank,
...

ASCII output example

     1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11  12
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 A | S1|ST2|BLK|BLK| S3| ...
 B |ST0| S5|ST1| ...
 ...

The tool returns a deterministic layout when a seed is provided, making it traceable and GMP compliant.