Apparatus and methods are disclosed for cutting a sheet of material into
single supports where each of the single supports has an array area to
which is bound an array of chemical compounds. The sheet comprises a
plurality of score lines. The apparatus comprises an input conveyor, an
output conveyor, a driver for moving the sheet from the input conveyor to
the output conveyor and a breaking mechanism for breaking the sheet into
single supports. The input conveyor, the output conveyor and the driver
are each adapted to move the sheet without contacting the array area and
an area on a surface of the support opposite the array area. Likewise,
the breaking mechanism breaks the sheet into the single supports along
the score lines without contacting the array area and an area on a
surface of the support opposite the array area.