Thermo Scientific Robot Stainer Microm HMS 740
Microm International GmbH
part of Thermo Fisher Scientific
Otto-Hahn-Str. 1A
69190 Walldorf / Germany
387801 - English
52
4-3
FUNCTION
When starting a protocol, a sensor checks
whether there is a basket in the entry station.
Then the robotic arm moves to the entry station
and lifts the basket by means of a lifting
mechanism on the Z-axis out of the station and
drops the specimen basket off via rhythmic up and
downward movements to minimize reagent
carryover.
Now the cover, which is put on the CP module, is
swiveled downwards and placed onto the empty
station. Simultaneously, a drip collector
(mentioned below as CP) is swiveled under the
specimen basket, to avoid dripping of reagents
during the basket transportation. Afterwards, the
specimen basket is placed onto the drip collector
and remaining drops are absorbed by the drip
collector.
The liquid which is absorbed by the drip collector
then flows into a reservoir. This reservoir is
emptied via a drain faucet into a rinsing or waste
station at regular intervals. This avoids the spilling
of liquids. The emptied liquids are then washed
out of the respective rinsing station. (When using
a defined waste station, it must be emptied at
regular intervals.).
This drain is always carried out after a protocol
has been finished.
The transportation arm moves in X- and Y-
direction to the destination station and inserts the
specimen basket into this station. Before,
however, the CP module is swiveled away to the
side via the Z-drive. All transportation movements
are repeated in the same way. After having
inserted the specimen basket into a station, the
robotic arm can carry out further transportations
for staining protocols which are running at the
same time. The specimen agitation is independent
from the transportation arm and can be adjusted.
The software allows to interlace several different
staining protocols.
Before another protocol can start, the computer
calculates the optimal interlace.
Protocols are interlaced on the basis of their
flexible times with already running protocols.
At the end of the protocol, the specimen basket is
placed into a vacant exit station.
