background image

 

F

LEXCELL

®

 

I

NTERNATIONAL 

C

ORPORATION

 

 

 

12 

 

 

Figure 11.

  Assigning regimens for 

downloading to the Flex Jr.

 Tension FlexLink

®

 

3.8

 

 S

TARTING 

R

EGIMENS

 

 
To run an assigned regimen, click on 

Start

 in 

the  main  display  window  (Fig.  8)  after  the 
regimen  has  finished  downloading.  Be  sure 
that  the  vacuum  pump  is  ON  and  all  other 
connections are made. The membranes should 
begin  flexing,  and the assigned  regimen will 
be in progress. 
 
The progress of the regimen for the currently 
selected  FlexLink

®

  will  be  monitored 

continuously.  The  displays  for  Run  Time, 
Step #, Cycle #, Jump #, and Min and Max % 
will update, as will the 

actual waveform data

 

returned  by  the  FlexLink

®

.  Additionally,  a 

progress bar below the graph will display the 
percentage  of  the  regimen  that  has  been 
completed. 
 

3.9  S

IMULATING 

R

EGIMENS

 

 
The 

Simulate

  button  is  used  to  simulate  a 

regimen graphically without actually running 
it. Simulating a regimen will give the user an 
idea  of  the  waveform  output  before  actually 
running  the  regimen.  To  start  a  simulation, 
click  on 

Simulate

  in  the  main  display 

window.  A  waveform  will  begin  moving 
across  the  graphic  display.  This  waveform 
corresponds  to  the  ideal  waveform  as 
generated by the Flex Jr.

 software, and is the 

actual waveform pattern sent to the FlexLink

®

 

during  the  download  process.  For  certain 

waveforms (e.g. square waves), the idealized 
pattern  may  appear  to  have  some  unusual 
elements  (e.g.  rounded  corners).  The 
purpose  of  these  unusual  elements  is  to 
accommodate for the lag time during sudden 
changes in pressure (e.g. rising/falling edge 
of  a  square  wave).  Without  these  unusual 
elements, the valve controllers may oscillate 
for  a  period  of  time  (e.g.  dampened  sine 
wave during beginning of plateau in a square 
waveform). 
 

3.10

 

 P

AUSING 

R

EGIMENS

 

 
To  pause  a  simulated  or  running  regimen, 
click on 

Pause

 in the main display window. 

Click  on 

Yes

  when  the  program  asks  for 

confirmation. Pausing will cause the current 
simulation or actual running of the regimen 
to  stop  at  the  next  cycle  of  the  current 
regimen  step.  Pausing  is  different  from 
stopping, in that pausing leaves the regimen 
at  its  current  position,  whereas  stopping 
causes the regimen position to be set to the 
beginning of the first regimen step. 
 

3.11

 

 R

ESUMING 

R

EGIMENS

 

 
To  resume  a  paused  regimen,  click  on 

Resume

  in  the  main  display  window.  This 

function is available only when a simulated 
or  running  regimen  has  been  paused.  The 
regimen  will  restart  its  prior  activity 
(simulation or actual run) from its last point. 
 

3.12

 

 S

TOPPING 

R

EGIMENS

 

 
To  stop  a  simulated  or  running  regimen, 
click  on 

Stop

  in  the  main  display  window. 

Click  on 

Yes

  when  the  program  asks  for 

confirmation.  Stopping  causes  the  current 
activity  to  cease  immediately,  and  sets  the 
regimen  position  back  to  the  beginning  of 
the first  regimen step. Stopping is different 
from  pausing,  in  that  pausing  leaves  the 

Summary of Contents for Flex Jr.

Page 1: ...sion 13 1 Culturing Cells in a Mechanically Active Environment Flexcell International Corporation 2730 Tucker Street Suite 200 Burlington NC 27215 800 728 3714 919 732 1591 FAX 919 732 5196 www flexce...

Page 2: ...k 5 2 8 Using Additional Flex Jr Tension FlexLinks 5 3 Operation Instructions 6 3 1 Starting the Flex Jr Program 6 3 2 Using the Flex Jr Tutorial 6 3 3 Main Display Window 7 3 4 Configuring Users 8 3...

Page 3: ...than our factory or distributor Breaking the seal and opening the unit case or violating unit components will void the warranty Failure to run the drying regimen as recommended in this manual will vo...

Page 4: ...ument case Doing so will void the warranty provided through Flexcell International Corporation The Acer Aspire Laptop that is provided with the Flexcell Dynamic Culture System Flex Jr Tension system c...

Page 5: ...to a properly grounded power outlet and used with the power cord supplied with the unit s unmodified 3 The unit must be operated with the factory installed cover in place 4 No modifications of the equ...

Page 6: ...ngth of 9 5 mm tubing to the baseplate labeled BPLT side of the water trap c Cut the tubing to a length that will reach the baseplate in the incubator and attach the provided quick disconnect to the o...

Page 7: ...The plate should begin flexing Make a visual check to verify membrane movement 19 To pause or stop the regimen click on Pause or Stop at any time Otherwise the program will stop when the regimen is c...

Page 8: ...computer and monitor 15 Surge protected outlet strip 16 Water Trap 17 Vacuum source optional 2 SETUP OF THE FLEXCELL FLEX JR TENSION SYSTEM Do not power up the Flexcell Flex Jr Tension system until al...

Page 9: ...of the system is 16 4 lbs 7 44 kg Figure 3 A Acer Aspire laptop right side view B Acer Aspire laptop left side view C Connected Ethernet cable 2 3 SETUP OF THE COMPUTER AND THE FLEX JR TENSION FLEXLIN...

Page 10: ...d securing clips Connect the system tubing as follows Fig 1 4 1 Connect the 9 5 mm O D green tubing from the pressure reservoir or vacuum source to the SYSTEM port on the back of the FlexLink 2 Attach...

Page 11: ...lex Jr tubing adapter 2 5 CONNECTING THE SYSTEM VACUUM LINES Connect the blue 9 5 mm vacuum inlet tubing to a vacuum source A vacuum pump capable of producing a maximum vacuum of 100 kPa and a flow ra...

Page 12: ...downloaded again It is recommended that the monitor be put in sleep mode when not in use and that the computer be allowed to run at full power during an experiment 2 7 LCD DISPLAY ON THE FLEX JR TENS...

Page 13: ...Jr System including limits of maximum elongation in the silicone elastomer membrane rebound of the membrane friction and frequency all waveforms cannot be reproduced accurately at every frequency and...

Page 14: ...beled Smoothing One expects data patterns to represent normal distributions of a function describing a straight line sinusoidal curve etc Therefore the plotted points of a mathematical function should...

Page 15: ...the FlexLink during regimen activity When using a platform configuration that uses vacuum to generate a downward stretching of the membrane elongation the vertical scale represents increasing elongati...

Page 16: ...sequence of steps below 1 Type a regimen name in the box labeled Regimen Name 2 Choose the desired waveform shape under Shape by clicking on the downward arrow and selecting an entry from the drop do...

Page 17: ...ick on the step in the window labeled Regimen Steps which contains the list of steps This will cause the step to be highlighted Then click on Remove Step at the bottom of the window Confirm the deleti...

Page 18: ...erall duration of the regimen will be calculated and displayed in the box labeled Duration next to the Step number box If the total duration exceeds the maximum allowable duration this value will be M...

Page 19: ...s the idealized pattern may appear to have some unusual elements e g rounded corners The purpose of these unusual elements is to accommodate for the lag time during sudden changes in pressure e g risi...

Page 20: ...form the user the regimen name and a sequence number If a tension regimen is run three times on FlexLink 1 then there will be three data files on the hard drive with numbers 000 001 and 002 respective...

Page 21: ...ta 3 16 SHUTTING DOWN THE SYSTEM A system drying filter Fig 13 has been supplied with the Flex Jr This device must be used whenever the system has been operated for more than one day and will not be o...

Page 22: ...n the drying filter turn pink the filter is saturated and the beads needs to be regenerated See Tech Report 200 Use of Water Trap and Drying Filter with the Flexcell Tension Systems for instructions o...

Page 23: ...hen the Water Trap becomes half full On the first trial monitor the Water Trap every 15 minutes for the first two hours to be sure that a significant amount of water is not accumulating If so there ma...

Page 24: ...he line Check the VENT port at the back of the FlexLink when the system is running to see if air is moving in or out If not it is possible that the valves are locked due to residue buildup Try applyin...

Page 25: ...ate See the solution to Problem 1 to correct this Be sure to empty the Water Trap frequently if this problem occurs Water accumulation in the FlexLink can damage the valves Problem 6 Cells are not att...

Page 26: ...x with a quick transition at the min Sine Wave This waveform provides a smooth physiological variation in pressure from min to max Triangle Wave This waveform provides a linear ramped rise to the max...

Page 27: ...ongation Applies a defined controlled static or cyclic deformation to cells in vitro Housed valving mechanism automatically regulates and maintains pressure to provide the specified strain regimen Cap...

Page 28: ...tion User manual Vacuum Source Connection User Manual Water Trap and Drying Filter Tech Report and other ancillary manuals for computer Surge protected power outlet strip FLEX JR TENSION COMPUTER SPEC...

Page 29: ...1 9 Maximum achievable elongation with the Flex Jr 13 4 StageFlexer 31mm Diameter Loading Stations equibiaxial strain Minimum achievable elongation with the Flex Jr 2 1 Maximum achievable elongation...

Page 30: ...n off the baseplate see 6 Application Notes 4 Open the water trap drain to remove any accumulated moisture and then close the water trap drain 5 Connect drying filter and run the 4 hour drying regimen...

Page 31: ...ect gmail com Australia New Zealand Cell Systems Biology enquiries cellsystemsbiology com www cellsystemsbiology com Taiwan Nature Opera Biotechnology Inc sales naturebiotech com tw www naturebiotech...

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