Sciclone ALH 3000 - Stanford Medicine

© Copyright 2002-2006 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved.P/N 116381 Rev. 0

Hardware Manual

Sciclone ALH 3000

Important Safety Information - Please Read 2

P/N 116381 Rev. 0 Sciclone ALH 3000 Hardware Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

Important Safety Information - Please ReadDuring normal operation of the Sciclone, an operator may require access to the deck while the instrument's power is turned on. Depending on how your unit is configured in your laboratory, you may require access to the deck from any or all of the four sides of the Sciclone. Please note that each of these four access points to the deck represents an inherent hazard. At no time should an operator reach inside the Sciclone's work area while a method is running. Always keep body parts, hair, jewelry, and clothing away from the Sciclone because the unit may move unexpectedly at high speeds.

In addition, use caution when reaching into the Sciclone's work area even when not running a method. Certain deck accessories (such as heated plate locators) also represent inherent safety hazards, even when the instrument is not running a method. It is important that the operator always be aware of these hazards and heed all warning labels.

To comply with European Community safety regulations EN61010 (Safety Test Program), the Sciclone is provided with two emergency off buttons, one for the front of the unit and one for the rear of the unit. The positioning of the buttons can be adjusted to the left or right side of the Sciclone unit to maximize accessibility based on the way the Sciclone is configured in the laboratory, and whether the Sciclone is used as a standalone unit or part of a system. Pressing one of these buttons stops all motion of the hardware and stops execution of the software.

WARNING

When using this unit with flammable liquids, follow your local SOP to avoid any safety hazards or damages.

AVERTISSEMENT

Si cet appareil est utilisé avec des liquides inflammables, suivre la procédure d'utilisation normalisée locale pour éviter tout danger ou dommage.

Preface 3

PrefaceCopyright

This manual is published by Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., 68 Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748 USA. Copyright 2002-2006, Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means or in any form of this manual or the products it describes is prohibited.

TrademarksAutomation Certified, Caliper, CLARA, LabChip, and Z-8 are registered trademarks of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. The Caliper Life Sciences logo, EZ-Swap, iLink, and inL10 are trademarks of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

ContentsThe information in this manual may contain typographical errors or technical inaccuracies and is subject to change without notice. Modifications may also be made to the product described in this manual at any time.

Proper Equipment OperationWARNINGS

• To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover. No user serviceable parts are inside. Refer to qualified service personnel if help is required.

• Use this product only in the manner described in this manual. If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by the equipment may be impaired.

AVERTISSEMENTS

• Pour réduire le risque de choc électrique, ne pas retirer le couvercle. Le Sciclone ne contient aucune pièce pouvant être réparée par l’utilisateur. Au besoin, confier l’appareil à un réparateur qualifié.

• Ce produit ne doit être utilisé que comme décrit dans ce manuel. Si cet appareil est utilisé d’une manière autre que celle spécifiée par le fabricant, la protection fournie par l’appareil peut être entravée.

Contact UsIf you have a question about a product that is not answered in this manual or online Help, or if you need assistance regarding this product, please contact the Caliper Technical Support Center from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday:

Phone: (508) 435-9761 Fax: (508) 435-0950Email: [email protected]: www.caliperLS.com


http://www.caliperLS.com

Preface 4

For support in Europe contact Caliper Life Sciences LTD, Runcorn, UK +44-1928-711448 or fax +44-1928-791228. For more information contact your local Caliper representative.

Before you call, you should have the following information available for the technical representative:• Product serial number• Software version (found by choosing About from the main Help menu)• If applicable, the error code reference number shown on the product’s LCD

display or from the database event log.

Product Service and Customer Support PlansCaliper offers a full range of services to ensure your success. From our original factory warranty through a comprehensive line of customer support plans, Caliper offers you Field Service Engineers and in-house Specialists who are dedicated to supporting your hardware, software and application development needs.

Call: (508) 435-9761Fax: (508) 435-0950Email: [email protected]

Our programs can include such useful services as:• Preventive maintenance• Diagnostic servicing performed on-site by Caliper field service engineers or

remotely via Technical Support• Validation performed on-site by Caliper field service engineers• Extended use of the Caliper Technical Support Center• Software updates• Parts, labor, and travel expense coverage• Other customized services upon request

Training For Your ProductContact the Caliper Center for Training and Development for information about the availability of training courses for your product:

Call: (508) 497-2634Fax: (508) 435-3439

FCCThis device complies with part 15 of the FCC (United States Federal Communications Commission) Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:• This device may not cause harmful interference, and• This device must accept any interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.


Preface 5

CEThis device complies with all CE rules and requirements.

NOTE

Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

REMARQUE

Tout changement ou modification apporté à cet instrument non expressément approuvé par l’entité responsable de la conformité peut annuler l’autorisation d’opérer l’appareil accordée à l’utilisateur.

Table of SymbolsTable 1 contains symbols that identify particularly important information and alert you to the presence of hazards. These symbols may appear in this manual and/or on the product it describes.

Table 1. Important Symbols

SymbolSymbole

DescriptionDescription

WARNING: Caution, risk of danger. Refer to the User’s documentation.AVERTISSEMENT : Attention, danger potentiel. Se reporter à la documentation de l’utilisateur.

NOTE: A cautionary statement; an operating tip or maintenance suggestion; may result in instrument damage if not followed.REMARQUE : Énoncé indiquant une précaution à prendre, un conseil de fonctionnement ou une suggestion d’entretien; son non-respect peut provoquer des dommages à l’instrument.

Hazardous voltage; risk of shock injury.Tension dangereuse; risque de blessure par électrocution.

Crush hazard. Risk of body parts, hair, jewelry, or clothing getting caught in a moving part.Danger d’écrasement. Faire attention que les parties corporelles, les cheveux, les bijoux ou les vêtements ne soient pas pris dans une pièce mobile.

Risk of puncture injury.Risque de blessure par piqûre.

Risk of eye injury; wear safety glasses.Risque de lésion oculaire; porter des lunettes de sécurité.


Preface 6

Risk of fire.Risque d’incendie.

Risk of poison.Risque d’empoisonnement.

Laser light; avoid exposure. Risk of eye injury.Rayonnement laser; éviter toute exposition. Risque de lésion oculaire.

Lifting hazard. May result in injury.Levage dangereux. Peut entraîner des blessures.

Protective ground symbol.Symbole de terre de protection.

Ground symbol.Symbole de terre.

Fuse.Fusible.

Alternating current.Courant alternatif.

On (supply).Marche (alimentation).

Off (supply).Arrêt (alimentation).

CE compliance mark.Marque de conformité CE.

Signifies that the unit has passed safety tests for grounding, power line transience, and current leakage.Signifie que l’appareil a réussi les tests de sécurité pour la mise à la terre, le courant transitoire de ligne d’alimentation et la perte de courant.

Equipment labels are color coded:

Les étiquettes de l’appareil sont codées couleur:

Yellow Caution, risk of danger Red StopBlue Mandatory action Green Safe condition or informationJaune Attention, danger potentielRouge ArrêterBleu Intervention obligatoireVert Condition sûre ou informations de sécurité

Table 1. Important Symbols (Continued)

SymbolSymbole



Preface 7

Helpful hints, additional informationConseils utiles, informations supplémentaires

Table 1. Important Symbols (Continued)

SymbolSymbole



Table of Contents 8

Table of ContentsImportant Safety Information - Please Read.......................................................... 2Preface .................................................................................................................... 3Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty ..................................................... 10Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement ................................... 12Introduction........................................................................................................... 14

Overview ........................................................................................................... 14Intended Audience ............................................................................................ 15Sciclone Hardware ............................................................................................ 16

Hardware Components - Front View ............................................................ 16Hardware Components - Side View ............................................................. 18Hardware Components - Rear View ............................................................. 19Hardware Components - Top View .............................................................. 20Sciclone Hardware Details ........................................................................... 21

Optional Sciclone Head Accessories ................................................................. 24Z-8 Pipettor.................................................................................................. 24Bulk Reagent Dispensers............................................................................. 25Gripper ........................................................................................................ 25Positive Pressure Filtration Station .............................................................. 26

Pressure Controller ........................................................................................... 26Barcode Reader Accessory ............................................................................... 27Maestro Software .............................................................................................. 27384-Well and 1536-Well Plates ......................................................................... 28

Installation ............................................................................................................ 29Overview ........................................................................................................... 29Parts List ........................................................................................................... 29Unpacking ......................................................................................................... 29Hardware Installation ........................................................................................ 30Turning On the Sciclone .................................................................................... 32Turning Off the Sciclone .................................................................................... 32

Maintenance .......................................................................................................... 33Preventive Maintenance .................................................................................... 34Weekly Maintenance ......................................................................................... 35

Reagent Dispenser Cleaning ....................................................................... 35Annual Maintenance.......................................................................................... 36Cleaning the Sciclone........................................................................................ 36Cleaning the Array ............................................................................................ 37Storing the Array ............................................................................................... 37Replacing Reagent Dispenser Cannulas ........................................................... 38Replacing Reagent Dispenser Tubing ............................................................... 38Replacing Reagent Dispenser Syringes ............................................................ 42Replacing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head ............................................................. 44

Removing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head........................................................ 44Installing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head ......................................................... 46Storing the EZ-Swap Head in the Storage Box............................................. 48


Table of Contents 9

Changing the Maestro Software Settings for the EZ-Swap Head.................. 49Lubricating the Tip Adapter O-Rings.................................................................. 50Lubricating the Tip Adapter O-Rings on the Z-8................................................. 51Replacing the Cannula Array O-Rings ............................................................... 52Changing the Fuses .......................................................................................... 53

Troubleshooting ................................................................................................... 55Liquid Handling Problems.................................................................................. 55Barcode Reader Problems ................................................................................ 56Reagent Dispenser Problems ............................................................................ 56

Appendix A:Specifications................................................................................... 59General Specifications ...................................................................................... 59Environmental ................................................................................................... 60Electrical ........................................................................................................... 60Physical Performance ....................................................................................... 60Gripper .............................................................................................................. 61Bulk Reagent Dispenser 10 mL Syringe Controller ............................................ 61Bulk Reagent Dispenser 10 mL Syringe Pump .................................................. 61Bulk Reagent Dispenser 2.5 mL Syringe Controller ........................................... 61Bulk Reagent Dispenser 2.5 mL Eight Syringe Pump ........................................ 62Barcode Reader ................................................................................................ 62Positive Pressure Filtration System ................................................................... 62

Appendix B:How Deck Awareness Works ........................................................... 63Introduction ....................................................................................................... 63Movement Basics .............................................................................................. 63

Low-Level Move Instructions and Deck Awareness...................................... 63High-Level Instructions and Deck Awareness .............................................. 64Movement #2: X-Axis and Y-Axis Deck Awareness Algorithm ...................... 65Movement #3: Deck Awareness (V3.4 and higher only) ............................... 67

Appendix C:Robot Kinematics & Positioning ..................................................... 72Sciclone Moving Components ........................................................................... 72Manipulator Kinematics and Equations .............................................................. 76

Positioning with Low-Level Instructions, Absolute and Relative Moves ........ 76Positioning with High-Level Instructions ....................................................... 76Variables ..................................................................................................... 77Governing Equations ................................................................................... 78

Axis-Specific Motion .......................................................................................... 79Z-Axis .......................................................................................................... 79X-Y Axis ...................................................................................................... 80

Moving Materials with the Gripper ..................................................................... 82Tying It All Together - Teaching ........................................................................ 82Head Alignment and Swapping ......................................................................... 84

Appendix D:Automation Certified Pipet Tips ...................................................... 86About Automation Certified Pipet Tips ............................................................... 86Automation Certified Pipet Tips ......................................................................... 86

Index ...................................................................................................................... 88


Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty 10

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product WarrantyI. INSTRUMENTSCaliper® Life Sciences, Inc. (“Caliper”) warrants your Caliper-manufactured instrument’s hardware and firmware against defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment, subject to the exclusions set forth below and: (i) the warranty for TurboVap products shall be ninety (90) days from the date of shipment, (ii) the warranty for Limited-Life Parts (as defined below) shall be thirty (30) days from the date of installation, and (iii) the warranty for cosmetic surfaces shall be thirty (30) days from the date of installation (each, a “Warranty Period”). Ongoing service support after the Warranty Period may be available at an additional expense.

A. What is Included during the Warranty Period:• unlimited emergency on-site repair services1, parts and software updates that affect original functional design specifications, their

associated labor and travel expenses. • unlimited access to Caliper’s Technical Support Center, which provides troubleshooting, repair instruction, service dispatching (other than

for TurboVap and Twister I), replacement part information and shipment. • one pre-scheduled, on-site Preventive Maintenance and Diagnostic Servicing (PM) performed by a Caliper Field Service Engineer1. A PM

visit includes the replacement of a pre-defined list of Limited-Life Parts exposed to fluidics, such as syringes, valves, seals and fittings. The Caliper Field Service Engineer will perform comprehensive analysis and testing to confirm that the equipment is left operating to factory specifications. Scheduling of the PM within the Warranty Period is flexible and determined by the customer after notification by the Caliper Field Service Engineer. The servicing is typically scheduled six months after the equipment installation, but equipment usage rate and availability may cause the date to vary.

• A completed Caliper Field Service Report provides thorough documentation of all maintenance and service work performed by the Caliper Field Service Engineer during an on-site visit. Documentation is not provided when Caliper provides service via telephone, fax or email.

Any failure of a product to conform to this Warranty shall be corrected by replacing or repairing the affected product or refunding the purchase price (as described below), in each case at Caliper’s option. Parts replaced during the Warranty Period will be covered for the remaining term of the original Warranty Period, or for thirty (30) days from time of replacement, whichever is longer. Such replacement parts may, at Caliper’s option, be new or remanufactured. All parts removed from warranted equipment become the property of Caliper. Caliper reserves the right to satisfy its warranty obligations in full by refunding the purchase price of any non-conforming product, minus any service, validation, or travel charges.

B. Customer ResponsibilitiesIn order for a product to be covered under this Warranty, Customer must comply with the following terms:• The equipment must be used under normal installation and application conditions as described in the product’s User Manual.• The equipment must be maintained as described in the User Manual.• Only water or DMSO at a maximum concentration of 65% may be used as a system fluid in the Sciclone inL10. Any other system fluid must

be approved by Caliper before use in the inL10.• Customer is responsible for making the equipment available for a PM visit during the Warranty Period. Caliper will not be held liable for a

missed PM visit due to restricted access to the equipment during the Warranty Period.• When Caliper provides telephone, fax, or email support, Customer is responsible for completing any necessary documentation of the

service.• If Customer maintains a change control/validation logbook as a permanent record, then Customer is responsible for entering all service

documentation into such logbook.• Customer must perform the appropriate level of revalidation required as a result of the maintenance or service provided.

C. Exclusions• Failure to comply with any of the Customer Responsibilities listed above will void this Warranty.• Any alteration of hardware or software on products covered under this Warranty that are not performed by Caliper or an approved Caliper

vendor will void this Warranty.• A product that has been subject to misuse, accident, negligence or improper transportation, handling, installation, storage, use, or

maintenance is not covered under this Warranty.• Many Caliper products require the use of Caliper Automation Certified Disposables for proper operation. These may include, but are not

limited to: pipet tips, seals, labels and filters. Use of a Caliper product with any disposables other than the specified Caliper Automation Certified Disposables will void this Warranty.

• This Warranty covers equipment manufactured by Caliper. Equipment purchased from other vendors is not covered by this Warranty.• Damage to Limited-Life Parts caused by insufficient maintenance or cleaning practices or unauthorized applications are not covered under

this Warranty. • This Warranty applies only to the original buyer and delivery location. It is not transferable to other buyers or locations without Caliper’s prior

written approval.

1. TurboVap and Twister I are not eligible for on-site service or a PM visit, and must be returned to Caliper’s Repair Depot for warranty service pursuant to the process set forth in Section E below.

P/N 113642 Rev. 1 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty 11

• The Sciclone 384-channel low-volume head is warranted for one (1) year or 750,000 aspirate or dispense movements, whichever comes first.

• The Sciclone 100nL head is warranted for one (1) year or 600,000 aspirate or dispense movements, whichever comes first.• The laser component of the LabChip 3000 is warranted for the earlier of one (1) year from the date of installation or 8,000 hours of use.• The use in a Sciclone inL10 of DMSO above 65% concentration, or any other system fluid not sanctioned for use by Caliper, will invalidate

this warranty as it relates to the pipetting head assembly.

If Caliper performs service on equipment and determines that any of the exclusions set forth in this Warranty apply, then Caliper shall charge Customer its then-current current list prices for parts, labor and travel.

D. Limited-Life PartsLimited-Life Parts are any parts that are exposed to solvents, reagents, or samples. Such parts include, but are not limited to syringes, valves, seals and fittings. A pre-defined list of Limited-Life Parts are routinely replaced by Caliper Field Service Engineers during a PM visit or during Caliper Repair Depot servicing. Otherwise, these parts are available from Caliper at current list prices and are designed for replacement by Customer.

E. Equipment Return PolicyIn servicing situations requiring the return of equipment to Caliper, equipment must be returned to Hopkinton, MA, USA, or another facility designated by Caliper. Customer shall prepay shipping charges for equipment returned to Caliper, and Caliper will pay for return shipment to Customer.

A Returned Material Authorization (RMA) must be obtained for any equipment being returned to Caliper. Contact the Caliper Technical Support Center by telephone at (508)-435-9761, or via the Internet at [email protected] or by fax at (508)-435-0950 before returning any equipment to Caliper. Customer must complete a Caliper Chemical Questionnaire prior to the issuance of an RMA. All equipment returned to Caliper must first be decontaminated to meet Caliper and United States Department of Transportation procedures and standards for the safety of Caliper personnel.

F. Hazardous Limitation StatementAt no time will Caliper personnel perform service on unsafe equipment, perform service in unsafe environments or decontaminate equipment to make it safe.

Prior to performing any service work, Caliper personnel will evaluate the condition of the equipment and the environment in which the equipment is located. If Caliper determines that the equipment and/or the environment could be hazardous to Caliper personnel, Caliper reserves the right to refuse to service the equipment.

II. MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSCaliper warrants that microfluidic chips (each, a “Chip”) purchased from Caliper by Customer will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of sixty (60) days from the date of shipment (the “Warranty Period”). A “defect” for purposes of this Warranty is defined as any failure that occurs during analysis of the first one hundred (100) samples being run on a Chip. During the Warranty Period, if the Chip fails to comply with this Warranty, Caliper will repair or replace the Chip at its option and expense. If a Chip becomes damaged or its performance otherwise deteriorates due to solvents and or reagents other than those supplied or expressly recommended by Caliper, Caliper will replace the Chip at Customer’s request and expense. No such replacement will extend the original Warranty Period. This Warranty does not extend to any Chip which has been (a) the subject of an accident, misuse, or neglect, (b) modified by a party other than Caliper, (c) used in a manner not in accordance with the instructions contained in the product User’s Manual, or (d) used for an assay or application which has not been approved by Caliper. All claims under this Warranty must be made within thirty (30) days of the discovery of the defect. Caliper’s obligations under this Warranty are limited to replacement as Caliper deems necessary to correct those failures of the Chip to comply with this Warranty of which Caliper is notified prior to expiration of the Warranty Period.

III. GENERALCALIPER SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL OTHER PROMISES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE PRODUCT’S CONDITION, ITS CONFORMITY TO ANY DESCRIPTION OR REPRESENTATION, THE EXISTENCE OF ANY LATENT OR PATENT DEFECTS, AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT WILL CALIPER BE LIABLE, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER AND IN NO EVENT SHALL CALIPER’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE PRODUCT. THERE ARE NO ORAL STATEMENTS, PROMISES, REPRESENTATIONS OR OTHER WARRANTIES COLLATERAL TO OR AFFECTING THIS WARRANTY. THIS WARRANTY EXTENDS TO BUYER ONLY AND NOT TO PURCHASERS OR USERS OF BUYER’S PRODUCTS.

No agent, employee, or representative of Caliper has any authority to bind Caliper to any affirmation, representation, or warranty concerning a Caliper product that is not contained in Caliper’s printed product literature or this Warranty. Any such affirmation, representation, or warranty made by any agent, employee, or representative of Caliper will not be binding on Caliper.


Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement 12

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License AgreementThank you for purchasing our products. PLEASE READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE OPENING THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THE SOFTWARE MEDIA, THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE CONTAINED THEREIN, AND THE ACCOMPANYING USER DOCUMENTATION (COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO HEREIN AS THE "PROGRAM"). THE PROGRAM IS COPYRIGHTED AND LICENSED, NOT SOLD. BY OPENING THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THE PROGRAM, YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT, YOU SHOULD PROMPTLY RETURN THE PROGRAM IN UNOPENED FORM, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A REFUND. THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE PROGRAM BETWEEN YOU AND CALIPER® LIFE SCIENCES, INC. (REFERRED TO AS "LICENSOR"), AND IT SUPERSEDES ANY PRIOR PROPOSAL, REPRESENTATION, OR UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN YOU AND LICENSOR.

1 License Grant. Licensor hereby grants to you, and you accept, a nonexclusive license to use the Program only as authorized in this License Agreement. The software included in the Program (the "Software") may be used only on a single computer owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by you; or, in the event of the inoperability of that computer, on a backup computer selected by you. If the Software is an applications package, you may use it on a single, local system controller. Neither concurrent use on two or more computers nor use in a local area network or other network is permitted without written authorization from licensor and the payment of additional license fees. You agree that you will not assign, sublicense, transfer, pledge, lease, rent, or share your rights under this License Agreement, except that you may permanently transfer all of your rights under this License Agreement, provided that you retain no copies, you transfer all of the Program, and the transferee agrees to the terms of this License Agreement. You agree that you may not reverse assemble, reverse compile, or otherwise translate the Software.Upon loading the Software into your computer, you may retain the Software media for backup purposes. In addition, you may make one copy of the Software on a second medium for the purpose of backup in the event the Software media is damaged or destroyed. Any such copies of the Software shall include Licensor's copyright and other proprietary notices. Except as authorized under this paragraph, no copies of the Program or any portions thereof may be made by you or any person under your authority or control.

2 Licensor’s Rights.Licensor has invested significant time and money in developing the products purchased with the Program. The Program contains Licensor's trade secrets, which must be used in confidence. You acknowledge and agree that the program is proprietary to Licensor and protected under U.S. copyright law. You further acknowledge and agree that all right, title, and interest in and to the Program, including associated intellectual property rights, are and shall remain with Licensor. This License Agreement does not convey to you an interest in or to the Program, but only a limited right to use it, revocable in accordance with the terms of this License Agreement. In the event of a breach, the Licensor reserves the right to seek equitable relief.

3 License Fees.The license fees paid by you in connection with the purchase of the associated product(s) are paid in consideration of the licenses granted under this License Agreement.

4 Term.This License Agreement is effective upon your opening of this package and shall continue until terminated. You may terminate this License Agreement at any time by returning the Program, and all copies thereof and extracts therefrom to Licensor. Licensor may terminate this License Agreement upon the breach by you of any term hereof. Upon such termination by Licensor, you agree to return to Licensor the Program and all copies and portions thereof.

5 Limited Warranty.Licensor warrants, for your benefit alone, for a period of 90 days from the date of the commencement of this License Agreement (referred to as the "Warranty Period") that the Software Media in which the Software is contained are free from defects in material and workmanship. If, during the Warranty Period, a defect in the Software Media arises, you may return the Program to Licensor for either replacement or, if so elected by Licensor, refund of amounts paid by you under this License Agreement. You agree that the foregoing constitutes your sole and exclusive remedy for breach by Licensor of any warranties made under this License Agreement. EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH ABOVE, THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED "AS IS," AND THE LICENSOR DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

6 Limitation of Liability.Licensor's cumulative liability to you or any other party for any loss or damages resulting from any claims, demands, or actions arising out of or relating to this License Agreement shall not exceed the license fee paid to Licensor for the use of the Program. In no event shall Licensor be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages or lost profits, even if Licensor has been advised of the possibility of such damages. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.


Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement 13

7 Software Updates.Licensor periodically creates Software updates which will be made available to you at no charge. Thereafter, Licensor shall not be responsible for your use of, and shall not warrant or repair, superseded or outdated versions of Software.

8 Governing Law. This License Agreement shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Any dispute will be resolved in the state and federal courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

9 Severability.Should any term of this License Agreement be declared void or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration shall have no effect on the remaining terms hereof.

10 No Waiver.The failure of either party to enforce any rights granted hereunder or to take action against the other party in the event of any breach hereunder shall not be deemed a waiver by that party as to subsequent enforcement of rights or subsequent actions in the event of future breaches.


Introduction 14

Introduction

OverviewThe Caliper® Life Sciences, Inc.’s Sciclone ALH 3000 Liquid Handler Workstation is a high-density pipettor designed to perform rapid, high-precision liquid transfers between 96-well, 384-well, and 1536-well microplates1. The Sciclone Workstation is designed to work with multiple plate formats, reagent reservoirs, pipet tips, and many other microplate accessories. The Sciclone Workstation’s flexibility allows you to automate many types of genomic, proteomic, and drug screening applications, including:• Compound Plate Replication & Reformatting• Various Screening Assays• Immunoassays• Serial Dilutions• Hit Picking• Nucleic Acid Purification• PCR set up and clean up• Protein digestion and Maldi spotting• and much more...

The Sciclone Workstation is equipped with an EZ-Swap™ head, allowing you to change the Sciclone dispensing head in less than 30 minutes. The tools required for removing or installing an EZ-Swap head are included with the Sciclone.

The Sciclone Workstation is available with the following EZ-Swap heads:• 96-Channel High Volume with a fixed array of tip adapters• 384-Channel Low Volume with interchangeable arrays• 100nL with interchangeable arrays

When using the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head with the Sciclone Workstation, the type of head is automatically detected and the appropriate head parameters are set in the Maestro software. When switching between different types of heads, the EZ-Swap head maintains its alignment with the deck. It is not necessary to re-align the head or re-teach positions when you switch between Caliper’s EZ-Swap heads.

1. All microplates and deepwells used should conform to the Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) standard.


Introduction 15

Overview (Continued)The Sciclone ALH 3000 has 20 positions on the deck. It is available as either a standard unit as shown in Figure 1, a 9-position Presto® AutoStack-compatible unit, or a 12-position Presto AutoStack-compatible unit.

The Sciclone can be used as a standalone workstation or as part of an integrated system. When used as part of an integrated system, the robot-friendly design of the Sciclone allows robotic access to any position on the deck.

Figure 1. Sciclone Workstation

Intended AudienceThis Sciclone ALH 3000 Hardware Manual is intended for users of the Sciclone workstation. It provides instructions for:• Troubleshooting the Sciclone• Maintaining the Sciclone

This manual includes installation procedures for reference purposes. Only trained, qualified Caliper service representatives should complete the installation procedures.

This manual assumes that users are familiar with Microsoft® Windows® software conventions. If you do not have much experience with Windows, you should view Windows Help information before attempting to run the Sciclone. To access Windows Help, from the Start menu select Help and Support. Review the Help topics “Introducing Windows” and “How to”.


Introduction 16

Sciclone HardwareThe two main components of your Sciclone system are:• Sciclone workstation, including (if applicable) the Z-8® Pipettor,

Bulk Reagent Dispenser(s), Gripper, and Barcode Reader• Computer used to operate the Sciclone workstation

The computer sends and receives signals to operate the Sciclone hardware using the Maestro software. Methods are created, modified, and run from the Windows-based user interface. The computer communicates with the Sciclone hardware through a serial cable.

WARNING

Appliance inlet is disconnecting device. Place device or equipment in a manner so that disconnecting device is accessible all the time.

WARNING

No user serviceable parts are inside the Sciclone. Refer to qualified service personnel if help is required.

Hardware Components - Front View

Refer to Figure 2.

Figure 2. Front View of the Sciclone

Head

Deck


Introduction 17

WARNING

Always keep body parts, hair, jewelry, and clothing away from the Sciclone. The Sciclone may move unexpectedly at high speeds.

WARNING

• Liquids used in microplating activities may be corrosive, radioactive, flammable and toxic. Refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for detailed information.

• Avoid direct contact with liquids.• Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.• Dispose of liquids, contaminated pipet tips and microplates

properly.• Make sure that the waste receptacle is large enough to hold all

of the waste generated.

Table 2. Sciclone Parts and Functions

Part FunctionHead Contains 96 or 384 pistons to perform

precision liquid transfers to either 96 or 384 microplate wells simultaneously, depending on the type of head and array.

Deck 20 positions to hold microplates, pipet tip boxes, deepwells, and reservoirs.

Locators Position the consumables on the deck. There are two types of locators: one for plates, and one for tip boxes.

Light Tower (Not shown) Displays steady green light when the system is operating properly. Flashes yellow when operator assistance is required.

Emergency Off buttons

(Not shown) Two Emergency Off buttons are provided: one for the front of the unit and one for the rear of the unit. Pressing one of these buttons directly cuts the main power, immediately stops all motion of the hardware, and stops execution of the Maestro software.

Presto AutoStack Shuttle (Optional)

(Not shown) Shuttle for moving trays of consumables between the Sciclone and the AutoStack.


Introduction 18

Hardware Components - Side View

Refer to Figure 3.

Figure 3. Left Side of the Sciclone

Table 3. Sciclone Side Panel Parts and Functions

Part FunctionAC Power Entry Port

Plug the power cord into this connector and a power outlet.

WARNING

Appliance inlet is disconnecting device. Place device or equipment in a manner so that disconnecting device is accessible all the time.

AC Power Switch Located on the left side of the Sciclone, this switch turns the AC power on and off.

I/O Connector Connects the Sciclone I/O Interface Unit to the Sciclone.

Comm Port Connects the communication cable from the Sciclone to the computer.

Accessory Port Connects to an accessory on the top of the Sciclone unit.

Air Inlet Provides air pressure to operate the Bulk Reagent Dispenser accessories, the Z-8, the Presto AutoStack shuttle, or the press station. 65 psi max.

Fuse Cover Contains the appropriate fuses. For more information, see “Changing the Fuses” on page 53.

I/O Connector

Air Inlet

CommPort

FuseCover

AC PowerSwitch

AC PowerEntry Port

AccessoryPort


Introduction 19

WARNINGS

• Only plug the power cord into a properly grounded outlet. Use only a standard IEC 320-style power cord appropriate for your country.

• To avoid electric shock, turn off the power and unplug the power cord before replacing the fuses.

• To avoid risk of fire, replace fuses with the exact part number needed (10A: P/N 107929; 6.3A: P/N 51713).

Hardware Components - Rear View

Refer to Figure 4.

Figure 4. Rear View of the Sciclone

Table 4. Sciclone Rear Panel Parts and Functions

Part FunctionGas Supply (Optional) Connects to the Gas connector on

the top of the Sciclone. 35 psi max.Air Supply (Optional) Connects to the Air connector on the

top of the Sciclone. 35 psi max.

Gas Supplyor Air Supply connectors


Introduction 20

Hardware Components - Top View

Refer to Figure 5.

NOTE

You must provide space above the Sciclone for easy access to the top electrical connectors for connecting and disconnecting.

Figure 5. Top View of the Sciclone

Table 5. Sciclone Top Panel Parts and Functions

Part FunctionPower Entry Port Supplies power for an accessory. Power on/off

is controlled by the Sciclone’s power switch. Plug an accessory’s power cord into this connector and to the power entry port on the accessory.

Comm Port (9-pin)

Connects the communication cable from the Sciclone to the communication port on the accessory.

25-Pin RS485 For future useGas Supply (Optional) Connects to the Gas connector on

the back of the Sciclone. 35 psi max.Air Supply (Optional) Connects to the Air connector on the

back of the Sciclone. 35 psi max.

Comm Portfor accessory

Power Entry Portfor accessory

Gas or Air Supply connectors


Introduction 21

Sciclone Hardware Details

The Sciclone hardware components most directly involved in liquid transfer operations are:• Head• Pistons• Deck

HeadThe Sciclone head moves on three axes to access all of the positions on the deck. The head moves forward/backward (X axis) and left/right (Y axis) to move the tips or cannulas over the correct deck position. The head moves up/down (Z axis) to transfer liquids and attach and remove tips. The head houses 96 or 384 pistons to aspirate and dispense liquids.

The EZ-Swap head has two locking screws and a quick-release latch to enable you to remove or install the head quickly and easily. The alignment of the head with the deck is maintained when swapping heads on the Sciclone so that you do not have to re-align the head each time you change it.

NOTE

Disassembly of the Sciclone head voids the Caliper warranty. Perform only the maintenance procedures described in “Maintenance” on page 33. For additional assistance, contact the Caliper Technical Support Center (see “Contact Us” on page 3).

PistonsThe pistons are completely contained inside the head and are used to aspirate and dispense liquid into the pipet tips or cannulas. The pistons are not adjustable or accessible to the operator. Only trained Caliper personnel should access the pistons.

NOTE

Never aspirate liquid into the pistons. Liquids should remain in the pipet tips or cannulas. Never aspirate volumes higher than the volume of the pipet tips or cannulas.


Introduction 22

Sciclone Hardware Details (Continued)

DeckThe deck holds 20 microplates, deepwell plates, reservoirs, tip boxes, and/or accessories (such as a Temperature Controlled Locator or Parking Station). The front-to-back and side-to-side motion of the head can position the head over any of the microplate positions. Using the Gripper accessory to stack consumables on the deck increases the deck capacity. Consumables can be stacked up to 60 mm high on the deck (up to 4 standard SBS plates per stack).

Three sizes of plate locators are provided with the Sciclone:• Microplate locator for use with 96-well and 384-well microplates

or deepwells (quantity=20)• Tip box locator for use with tip boxes (quantity=2)• Optional microplate locator for use with 1536-well microplates

Each 96-well and 384-well microplate locator has a spring assembly in one corner. This spring assembly presses the plate into the opposite corner of the locator to ensure proper positioning of the consumable.

Each 1536-well microplate locator has springs along two of its sides to press the plate towards the A1 corner of the locator.

NOTE

The 1536-well microplate locator is thicker than the standard 96-well and 384-well microplate locator. If you place a 1536-well microplate locator onto the deck after the Sciclone deck positions have been taught, you must re-teach the 1536-well microplate locator position.


Introduction 23

Sciclone Hardware Details (Continued)

The locators are designed to fit only one way in the locations on the deck. If the locator does not fit, turn the locator 180 degrees. The locators can be unscrewed and repositioned to change the configuration of the deck. See “Replacing a Deck Locator” below for instructions on placing the locators. All locators must be installed in landscape orientation with the long edge of the plate toward the front of the Sciclone.

Replacing a Deck Locator

Plate locators (microplate and tip box) on the deck are used to position the consumables and accessories properly. Since a tip box is slightly smaller than a microplate or deepwell plate, the tip box locator is smaller than the microplate locator to ensure that the tip box is properly positioned under the head. Placing a tip box in a microplate locator will cause alignment problems and may damage the Sciclone or the tips.

To reconfigure the deck positions:

1 Remove the desired locators by removing the two knurled screws at the back and front of the locator.

2 Replace with the proper locator and replace the knurled screws. Make sure to fully tighten the screws. The locators are designed to fit only one way in the locations on the deck. If the locator does not fit, turn the locator 180 degrees. All locators must be installed in landscape orientation with the long edge of the plate toward the front of the Sciclone.


Introduction 24

Optional Sciclone Head AccessoriesAccessories to the head of the Sciclone Workstation are:• Z-8 Pipettor for liquid handling operations• Bulk Reagent Dispensers for liquid handling operations• Gripper for transporting consumables• Positive Pressure Filtration Station for sample preparation

Z-8 Pipettor

The Z-8 Pipettor (see Figure 6) is an eight-channel independently controlled pipettor that uses either pipet tips or fixed cannulas. Since the channels are independent, you can raise or lower any combination of the channels, allowing easy access to specific columns of a 96-well or 384-well microplate. The pipet tip adapters on the Z-8 are removable and can be replaced with teflon coated fixed cannulas.

Figure 6. Z-8 Pipettor with Pipet Tips

For further information on the Z-8 Pipettor, see the Maestro online Help.

Z-8 Pipettor

Sciclone Head


Introduction 25

Bulk Reagent Dispensers

The Bulk Reagent Dispensers (Figure 7 shows a Syringe dispenser) enable convenient addition of reagents across 96-well and 384-well plates. Bulk Reagent Dispensers come in Syringe and Peristaltic Pump versions, each of which can transfer different volumes of reagents.

Figure 7. Syringe Bulk Reagent Dispenser

For information on operating a Bulk Reagent Dispenser, see the Maestro online Help.

Gripper

The Gripper (Figure 8 shows a Right Gripper) is designed to transport consumables on the deck from one position to another and to stack consumables on the deck. A stack of consumables on the deck can be up to 60 mm high. The Gripper can transport microplates, half-height deepwell microplates, deepwell microplates, nested high-volume or low-volume tip boxes, microplate lids, and other SBS microplate format consumables. The Gripper can be mounted on either the left or right side of the head.

Figure 8. Gripper

For information on operating the Gripper, see the Maestro online Help.

GripperFingers

Gripper


Introduction 26

Positive Pressure Filtration Station

Filter plates are used for sample preparation, genomics, proteomics, and solid phase extraction. The Positive Pressure Filtration System pushes media (using a regulated supply of air pressure) from inside a filter plate through a filter plate membrane. The media is then either routed by tubing to the Filter-to-Waste waste receptacle or collected in a collection plate.

For information on operating the Positive Pressure Filtration System, see the Maestro online Help.

Pressure ControllerThe Pressure Controller regulates the pressure of the air supplied to the Positive Pressure Filtration Station. Figure 9 shows the connectors on the pressure controller.

Figure 9. Pressure Controller

Part FunctionPower and Communication Port

Supplies power to the pressure controller and enables the Maestro software to control the pressure. Connect the power cord to any available 120V~ power source. Connect the communication cable to an RS232 port on the computer or an EdgePort Expansion box.Always use the cord supplied with the pressure controller.

Air In Connect to a regulated clean compressed air source (65 psi).

Air Out Connect to the Plate Filtration Manifold.

Power andCommunicationPort

Air Out

Air In


Introduction 27

Barcode Reader AccessoryUse the Barcode Reader accessory to scan barcode labels on microplates. Barcode labels can be placed on any of the four sides of the microplate.

The Barcode Reader accessory can be placed in one of six locations, three on either side of the deck. Which location is used depends on whether a Left Gripper or Right Gripper is installed. When a Left Gripper is installed, three locations on the left side of the deck are available. When a Right Gripper is installed, three locations on the right side of the deck are available.

The instructions included with the Barcode Reader accessory explain how to install the barcode reader and bracket.

NOTE

You must provide the barcode label software for making barcode labels and choose the barcode format applicable for your company. You must also ensure that the software and the Barcode Reader function as needed for the laboratory environment.

See the Maestro online Help for barcode formats supported by the Barcode Reader accessory.

Maestro SoftwareThe Maestro software provides a powerful yet easy-to-use interface for all of your pipetting methods. For full details of the Maestro software, refer to the Maestro online Help.


Introduction 28

384-Well and 1536-Well PlatesThe Sciclone can access 96-well and 384-well plates with a 96-channel head, and can access 384-well and 1536-well plates with a 384-channel head. The Sciclone accesses all of the wells of the plates by dividing the plate into four “quadrants”. Each quadrant of a 384-well plate provides access to 96 wells, each quadrant of a 1536-well plate provides access to 384 wells. The Sciclone incorporates the following design features and characteristics:• A single 384-well plate is the equivalent of four 96-well plates. A

single 1536-well plate is the equivalent of four 384-well plates.• Each grouping of four wells on a 384-well plate is equivalent to

the size of one well on a 96-well plate. Each grouping of four wells on a 1536-well plate is equivalent to the size of one well on a 384-well plate.

• With a plate in the landscape orientation (Sciclone processes all plates in landscape orientation) the quadrants are identified by the number of the first well, where quadrant A1 is the quadrant at the upper left corner of the four-well grouping. The quadrants are illustrated in Figure 10 and Figure 11.

Figure 10. 96-Well to 384-Well Microplate Mapping

Figure 11. 384-Well to 1536-Well Microplate Mapping

96-Well

384-Well,four quadrants

384-Well

1536-Well,four quadrants


Installation 29

Installation

OverviewThis section describes how to install the Sciclone Workstation, including a parts list, an unpacking procedure, hardware installation steps, and how to turn on and turn off the Sciclone.

NOTES

• Only trained, qualified Caliper service representatives should complete the installation procedures.

• Before attempting to install and configure the Sciclone, please thoroughly review all of the information presented in the pages that follow.

• An ESD static strap must be worn when working on exposed electronics that incorporate PCBs.

Parts ListThe Sciclone shipping carton includes the following parts:• Sciclone Workstation• O-ring lubricator and silicone oil (for 96-channel Sciclone only)• Accessories Box containing the following:

— Spare Fuses— Maestro Software CD— One AC Power Cord— One 9-pin Interface Cable (15 feet long)

UnpackingCarefully unpack the Sciclone and make sure you have all parts. See the Parts List above for standard parts. See the Packing List on the shipping carton for a precise list of all parts shipped with your workstation. If any parts are missing, contact the Caliper Technical Support Center (see “Contact Us” on page 3).

1 Cut and remove the strapping around the shipping carton.

2 Remove the packing material from inside the top of the shipping carton.

3 Lift off the top of the shipping carton.


Installation 30

Unpacking (Continued)4 Remove the packing material around the Sciclone.

5 Remove the accessories box and all other materials (such as reservoirs, documentation, and cables).

WARNING

Use either a mechanical device (such as a forklift) or four people to lift the Sciclone. The Sciclone weighs 350 lbs (159 kg). When lifting, grasp only the bottom of the Sciclone. Do not lift the Sciclone by the top.

6 Lift the Sciclone onto the bench and position the Sciclone according to the instructions found in the Sciclone Site Preparation Guide.

7 Remove all packing material on the Sciclone deck and cut and remove any strapping on the Sciclone.

8 Level the Sciclone by turning the Sciclone feet up or down until the Sciclone is level front-to-back and side-to-side.

Hardware Installation Follow these steps to install the Sciclone hardware (see Figure 12):

1 Unpack and set up the computer, if provided by Caliper.

2 Connect the plug end of the 9-pin interface cable to the 9-pin D-connector labeled RS232 located on the left side of the Sciclone.

Figure 12. RS232 Connector

RS232Connector

AC PowerConnector


Installation 31

Hardware Installation (Continued)3 Connect the receptacle end of the 9-pin communication cable to

a COM port on the computer. A 9-to-25-pin adapter may be necessary.

WARNING

Make sure all AC power switches are off.

4 Connect the receptacle end of the AC power cord to the connector on the Sciclone and the plug end to a filtered AC power strip or outlet.

WARNING

• Use a standard IEC 320-style power cord appropriate for your country.

• Verify the voltage stated on the left side of the Sciclone matches the voltage for your country. If the voltage is not correct, contact the Caliper Technical Support Center.

• Only plug the power cord into a properly grounded outlet supplying the correct voltage. Insert the three-pronged, grounded plug fully.


Installation 32

Turning On the Sciclone1 With the Sciclone instrument turned off, turn on the computer.

2 Turn on the Sciclone by pressing the power button (see Figure 13) on the left side of the Sciclone to the on (1) position.

Figure 13. Sciclone Power Button

3 If there are other instruments in the system, such as a Twister II robot or an incubator, or other accessories, turn on the other instruments and accessories.

NOTE

When shutting down, first power off the Sciclone and other instruments, then power off the computer.

Turning Off the Sciclone1 Turn the Sciclone power off by pressing the AC power button on

the left side of the Sciclone to the off (O) position.

2 Turn off any accessories.

3 Turn off any other instruments in the system.

4 Turn off the computer.

5 Clean the Sciclone using a damp cloth if necessary.

WARNING

• Liquids may be corrosive, radioactive, flammable and/or toxic. Refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for detailed information.

• Avoid direct contact with spilled liquid.• Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.• Dispose of liquid, containers and tips properly.


Maintenance 33

MaintenanceWARNING

Reagents used in processing activities with the Sciclone Workstation may be corrosive, radioactive, flammable, and/or toxic. Refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for detailed information. • Avoid direct contact with spilled liquid.• Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.• Dispose of liquid, containers, and tips properly.• Make sure that the waste container is large enough to hold all of

the waste generated.

Bulk Reagent Dispenser (Syringe and Peristaltic Pump) preventive maintenance consists of procedures done regularly to maintain equipment in top condition. During normal operation, salt crystals can build up and clog the valves and reagent lines. Regular maintenance reduces this problem, maximizes running time, and extends the life of the instrument. A regular maintenance schedule consists of the preventive maintenance tasks described in this section.

NOTE

Disassembly of the Sciclone head voids the Caliper warranty. Perform only the maintenance procedures described in this section. For additional assistance, contact the Caliper Technical Support Center (see “Contact Us” on page 3).


Maintenance 34

Preventive MaintenanceInspect the Sciclone before and after each use to ensure that there is no debris (liquid, dirt, or plastic items) on or near the deck.

Clean the Sciclone after each use (see page 36).

96-Channel High Volume head• Lubricate the Tip Adapter O-rings after approximately 40 to 50

tip attachments (see page 50).

384-Channel Low Volume or 100nL head• Periodically clean the cannula array using an ultrasonic cleaner

(see page 37). • Replace the O-rings on the cannula array (see page 52) after

every 6,200 lock/unlock cycles. Replace the O-rings whenever an O-ring is damaged or performance degrades.

Z-8 with Tip Adapters• Lubricate the Tip Adapter O-rings on the Z-8 after approximately

20 to 30 tip attachments (see page 51).

Reagent Dispenser Cannulas

Clean the reagent dispenser cannulas daily and replace as needed (see “Replacing Reagent Dispenser Cannulas” on page 38). The following procedure describes how to inspect and clean the cannulas.

1 Make sure the system power is off.

2 Examine the Teflon® coating on the cannulas to ensure that it is not cracked or chipped. If the coating is damaged, replace the cannulas.

3 Clean the cannulas by wiping them gently with a lint-free cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol.

Syringe Pumps• Prime and purge the syringe pump with distilled or deionized

water after each use.• Do not allow the syringe pump to run dry for more than a few

cycles.• Inspect the syringe pump for leaks, and correct any problems

immediately.• Wipe up all spills around the syringe pump immediately.


Maintenance 35

Weekly MaintenanceReagent Dispenser Cleaning

Thoroughly clean the reagent path (syringe pump and tubing) using one or more of the following procedures.

Weak Detergent

1 Prime the syringe pump with a weak detergent solution (such as a 2% solution of CONTRAD® or flo-kleen).

2 Allow the detergent to sit in the syringe pump with the syringe plungers fully lowered for 30 minutes.

3 After 30 minutes, remove the tubing from the detergent and cycle all the reagent from the syringe and tubing into a waste container.

4 Prime the unit with a minimum of 10 cycles of distilled or deionized water. Leave the reagent pathway filled for storage.

Weak Base/Weak Acid

1 Prime the syringe pump with 0.1 N NaOH and allow the solution to sit in the syringe pump with the syringe plunger fully lowered for 10 minutes.

2 Flush the syringe pump with distilled or deionized water.

3 Prime the syringe pump with 0.1 HCl and allow the solution to sit in the syringe pump with the syringe plunger fully lowered for 10 minutes.

4 After 10 minutes, remove the tubing from 0.1 N HCl solution and cycle all the reagent from the syringe and tubing into a waste container.

5 Prime the syringe pump with a minimum of 10 cycles of distilled or deionized water. Leave the reagent pathway filled for storage.

10% Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)

1 Make a solution of 10% bleach by adding 1 part commercial bleach to 9 parts water.

2 Prime the syringe pump with the 10% bleach and allow the solution to sit in the syringe pump with the syringe plunger fully lowered for 30 min.


Maintenance 36

Reagent Dispenser Cleaning (Continued)

3 After 30 minutes, remove the tubing from the 10% bleach solution and cycle all the reagent from the syringe and tubing into a waste container.

4 Prime the syringe pump with a minimum of 10 cycles of distilled or deionized water. Leave the reagent pathway filled for storage.

Annual MaintenanceAnnual maintenance should include the lubrication of all appropriate internal components, and inspection / replacement of internal O-rings on pistons. Only trained Caliper service personnel should perform annual maintenance.

Contact the Technical Support Center (see “Contact Us” on page 3) to ask about our service contracts, or you can review available service options on our web site at www.caliperLS.com.

Cleaning the ScicloneAlways wipe up spills immediately. To keep the Sciclone clean, wipe the exterior surfaces with a damp cloth after each use.

WARNING

• Spills may be corrosive, radioactive, flammable, and/or toxic. Refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for detailed information.

• Avoid direct contact with spilled liquid.• Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.• Dispose of liquid, containers, and tips properly.


http://www.zymark.com



Maintenance 37

Cleaning the ArrayBefore using the cannula array, ensure the top of the array is free from dirt or debris. Debris on the top of the cannula array can cause damage to the O-rings or can cause the O-rings to dislodge from the cannulas.

To clean cannula or disposable tip arrays for the 384-Channel Low Volume head or 100nL head, place the array in a general purpose ultrasonic cleaner with plain water for approximately 1/2 hour. Position the array with the cannulas or mandrels facing up to prevent damage to the cannulas or mandrels.

NOTE

Ultrasonic cleaning does not sterilize the array.

Storing the ArrayKeep the array covered when not in use. Do not allow dirt, dust, or liquids to collect on the top of the array. Clean the array before storing. Handle the arrays carefully, since cannulas and mandrels can easily be damaged. If a storage box is provided for the array, store the array in the box with the cover closed.


Maintenance 38

Replacing Reagent Dispenser Cannulas1 Using an Allen wrench, loosen the cannula retaining set screw

(see Figure 14).

Figure 14. Cannula Replacement

2 While holding the cannula, slide the tubing off the cannula.

3 Slide the tubing onto the flange of the non-Teflon® coated end of the new cannula.

4 Replace the cannula retaining set screw.

Replacing Reagent Dispenser Tubing All tubing must be kept clean and free of kinks. Tubing that is dirty, blocked, or kinked can result in loss of accuracy and precision, stalled syringes, and valve damage. Tubing replacement depends on the duty cycle of the syringe pump, the types of reagents run in the system, and the maintenance of the unit.

Each cannula/valve uses two pieces of tubing. The shorter piece of tubing connects the system reagent container to one of the eight-channel valve input ports. The longer piece of tubing connects the cannula to one of the eight-channel valve output ports.

NOTES

• Before removing any tubing, follow its routing to be sure that you can install the new tubing correctly after you remove the old tubing.

• Remove and route one piece of tubing at a time. Be sure to remove the tubing from the output valves (numbered 1 to 8 from left to right) that corresponds with the tubing on the cannulas (numbered 1 to 8 from left to right).

• Each piece of tubing comes in a specific length, but may have to be trimmed to replace the piece removed.

Set Screw

Tubing


Maintenance 39

Replacing Reagent Dispenser Tubing (Continued)

1 Loosen the two knurled thumb screws on the valve clamp (see Figure 15).

Figure 15. Syringe Pump

2 Remove the valve clamp. This allows the valve to be moved forward for access to the fittings. See Figure 16 on page 40.

Knurled thumb screws

ValveClamp


Maintenance 40


Figure 16. Valve Clamp Removed

3 Use a 5/16-in wrench to loosen the fitting that attaches the tubing to the eight-channel valve input port (left side).

4 Unthread the fitting with your fingers and remove the fitting from the valve.

5 Pull the tubing out of the reagent container.

6 Remove the tubing between the eight-channel valve input port and the reagent container.

7 Route the new shorter tubing from the eight-channel valve input port (left side) to the reagent container (tubing end without a fitting).

8 Finger tighten the 5/16-in fitting that attaches the tubing to the eight-channel valve input port.

9 Use a 5/16-in wrench to loosen the fitting that attaches the tubing to the eight-channel valve output port (right side) that corresponds to the input valve fitting in step #1.

10 Unthread the fitting with your fingers and remove the fitting from the valve.

ValveInputPort

ValveOutput

Port


Maintenance 41


11 Loosen the screw that secures the tubing to the cannula manifold (one that matches the output valve position number).

12 Remove the tubing from the cannula manifold by holding the cannula manifold and pulling the tubing upward.

13 Remove the tubing between the cannula manifold and the corresponding eight-channel valve output port.

Install the new tubing

1 Route the new longer tubing from the eight-channel valve output port (right side) to the cannula manifold.

2 Finger tighten the 5/16-in fitting that attaches the tubing to the eight channel output valve (right side) fitting.

3 Install the tubing on the eight-channel cannula by holding the cannula and pushing the tubing downward so that it slides into the slot in the cannula manifold.

4 Tighten the screw that secures the tubing to the cannula manifold.

5 Install the valve clamp.

6 Tighten the two knurled thumb screws on the valve clamp to secure the eight valves.


Maintenance 42

Replacing Reagent Dispenser Syringes Syringes should be replaced or installed as needed.

1 Purge all reagent from the syringe and tubing connected to the syringe to be replaced.

2 Remove the plunger screw at the base of the syringe plunger.

3 Pull the valve and syringe assembly out of the bank. See Figure 17.

Figure 17. Valve and Syringe Assembly Removed

4 Carefully unscrew the syringe barrel from the Luer® lock fitting (about 1½ turns) while pushing down slightly. See Figure 17.

5 Check the new syringe for any dust or dirt. If any is visible, clean it from the plunger and syringe barrel with compressed air or wipe them with a lint-free cloth.

6 Wet the syringe plunger seal with distilled or deionized water.

7 To install a syringe, place the plunger over the syringe plunger mount, line up the barrel with the Luer lock fitting, and screw the barrel onto the fitting while pushing upward slightly.

Luer LockFittingLuer Lock

SyringeBarrel


Maintenance 43

Replacing Reagent Dispenser Syringes (Continued)

WARNING

While screwing the barrel onto the fitting, push upward on the Luer®

lock threads, otherwise they will become stripped.

8 Replace the plunger screw at the base of the syringe plunger and finger tighten the screw.

9 Using water, prime the unit and check for leaks.


Maintenance 44

Replacing the Sciclone EZ-Swap HeadThis section describes how to remove, install, and store the Sciclone EZ-Swap head, and how to change the Maestro software settings when you change the head. Before changing the head, thoroughly review these instructions.

WARNING

Failure to follow the instructions in this section may result in damage to the head or the Sciclone.

If you are unsure of any steps or would like assistance, please call Caliper Technical Support at (508) 435-9761, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Removing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head

To remove an EZ-Swap head from the Sciclone:

1 Remove the outer and inner head covers from the Sciclone head to expose the head.

2 If you are removing a 384-channel Low Volume or 384-channel 100nL EZ-Swap head, disconnect the air line tubing from the fitting at the top of the head. See Figure 18.

To disconnect the air line tubing, lift up on the coupling collar and then remove the coupling from the fitting.

Figure 18. Air Line Coupling and Collar

3 Disconnect the electrical connector shown in Figure 19 on page 45 that connects the head wiring to the main Sciclone wiring.

Coupling

Coupling Collar

Air Line Tubing


Maintenance 45

Removing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head (Continued)

Figure 19. Electrical Connector

4 Locate the four mounting screws shown in Figure 20 that secure the head to the back plate.

Figure 20. Four Mounting Screws

5 Using the screwdriver, fully loosen all four of the mounting screws. The screws are permanently attached to the head so they will not fall out.

6 Holding the head firmly so it doesn’t fall, press the Quick Release latch (shown on Figure 21) at the top right corner of the head to remove the head from the back plate.

Figure 21. Quick Release Latch

ElectricalConnector

(1)

(3)

(2)

(4)

Quick ReleaseLatch


Maintenance 46

Removing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head (Continued)

7 Store the head upright in the original shipping container. Do not lay the head flat to store. Handle the head carefully.

Installing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head

NOTE

Handle the head carefully.

To install an EZ-Swap head on the Sciclone:

1 Holding the head firmly, press and hold in the button on the Quick Release latch (shown in Figure 22) at the top right corner of the head, place the head into position on the back plate, and then release the button on the quick release latch. Make sure the head is locked in place by the quick release latch.

Figure 22. Quick Release Latch

2 Tighten all four of the mounting screws shown in Figure 23 on page 47. The screws are permanently attached to the head and cannot be removed. Torque the screws to 40-50 in-lbs using the supplied tool.

Quick ReleaseLatch


Maintenance 47

Installing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head (Continued)

Figure 23. Four Mounting Screws

3 Connect the electrical connector shown in Figure 24 that connects the head wiring to the main Sciclone wiring.

Figure 24. Electrical Connector

4 If you are installing a 384-channel Low Volume or 384-channel 100nL EZ-Swap head, connect the air line tubing to the air fitting at the top of the head (see Figure 25 on page 48).

To connect the fitting, lift up on the coupling collar, press the coupling onto the fitting, and then release the coupling collar.

(1)

(3)

(2)

(4)

ElectricalConnector


Maintenance 48

Installing the Sciclone EZ-Swap Head (Continued)

Figure 25. Air Line Coupling and Collar

5 Replace the outer and inner head covers on the Sciclone head.

Storing the EZ-Swap Head in the Storage Box

The EZ-Swap Replacement Head should be stored in the storage box. The storage box prevents damage to the head, protects the head from dirt and dust, and ensures the head is stored upright to prevent lubrication problems. To place the head in the storage box:

1 With the storage box standing upright with the carrying handle at the top, open the latch on the box and remove the foam insert at the top of the box.

2 Holding the head under the motor, place the head into the box. (Put the bottom of the head down into the box first, then slide the top into place.) Be careful not to damage the stripper pins, tip adapters, or the underside of the head.

3 Place the appropriate foam insert above the top of the head. Use the thicker block for the 96-Channel High Volume head or the thinner block for the 384-Channel Low volume head. Store the other foam block in the door of the box.

4 Place the screwdrivers into the box, close the storage box, and store the storage box upright in a safe place.

Coupling

Coupling Collar

Air Line Tubing


Maintenance 49

Changing the Maestro Software Settings for the EZ-Swap Head

When changing an EZ-Swap head on the Sciclone, the Maestro software automatically senses the type of head installed. By default, the first array listed in the Swappable Array list box on the Main Array tab in the Sciclone Setup window is set as the current array.

To change the array type if a different array is installed:

1 From the main menu, choose Tools→Setup to open the Sciclone Setup window.

2 Select the Main Array tab.

3 Select the tab for the type of head the Sciclone uses, either:• ALH-HV (High Volume Head)• ALH-LV (Low Volume Head)• ALH-NL100 (Nanoliter Head)

4 In the Supported Swappable Arrays section, select the type of array that is installed on the Sciclone.

5 Close and restart the Maestro software.

The Sciclone always uses the values from the last saved configuration file.


Maintenance 50

Lubricating the Tip Adapter O-RingsThe O-rings on the 96 cannula array for the 96-Channel High Volume head must be lubricated to seal properly with the disposable tips. Use the Caliper O-Ring Lubricator with Silicone Lubricant to lubricate the tip adapter O-rings after every 40 through 50 pipet tip attachments. The Caliper O-Ring Tip Adapter Lubricator Kit (P/N 100333) available from Caliper is for use only with the 96-Channel High Volume head.

WARNING

Always keep body parts, hair, jewelry, and clothing away from the Sciclone when it is in motion.

1 If tips are loaded on the Sciclone, eject the tips to an empty tip box or to waste.

2 Remove the cover from the lubricator box.

3 Refresh the oil on the foam pad by rubbing the open silicone oil tube around the outer edge of the foam and then vertically and horizontally between all the rows of holes.

4 Press the lubricator box up onto the pipet tip adapters so that the foam pad covers the O-rings.

5 Leave the lubricator box in position for a few seconds, then remove the box from the pipet tip adapters.

6 Replace the cover on the lubricator box.


Maintenance 51

Lubricating the Tip Adapter O-Rings on the Z-8NOTE

This procedure does not apply to the Z-8 with fixed cannulas.

When using the Z-8 with tip adapters and disposable tips, you should use the Caliper O-Ring Lubricator with Silicone Lubricant to lubricate the tip adapter O-rings on the Z-8 after every 20 to 30 pipet tip attachments. The Caliper O-Ring Tip Adapter Lubricator Kit (P/N 100333) is available from Caliper.

When lubricating the Z-8 tip adapter O-rings, use the same procedure as described above, and note the following:• Lower the Z-8 tip adapters to press the lubricator box onto the

tip adapters.• Use care not to bend, mis-align, or stress the pistons on the

Z-8.• Raise the Z-8 tip adapters when lubrication is complete.


Maintenance 52

Replacing the Cannula Array O-RingsThe Cannula Array O-Ring Replacement Kit includes the parts necessary to replace the O-rings on a 96-cannula or 384-cannula array for the 384-Channel Low Volume head. After approximately 6,200 lock/unlock cycles, the O-rings may need to be replaced. Replace the O-rings if an O-ring is damaged or performance degrades.

The O-Ring Replacement Kit (P/N 79193) includes:• 75 O-rings (size 002)• One O-ring Insertion Tool Arbor• One O-ring Insertion Tool Collar• Instructions

NOTE

Handle the array by the handle or sides to avoid damaging the cannulas or displacing the O-rings. The cannulas on the array cannot be replaced.

To replace an O-ring:

1 If the O-ring is still on the array, use the tapered end of the arbor to pry the O-ring off the top of the cannula.

2 Insert the tapered end of the arbor through a new O-ring and roll the O-ring along the arbor close to the notched end of the arbor.

3 Slide the collar onto the tapered end of the arbor, above the new O-ring.

4 Insert the notched end of the arbor into the top of the cannula.

5 Press down on the arbor while sliding the collar down to roll the O-ring into position on the top of the cannula.

6 Hold the arbor and collar down firmly while twisting the collar approximately 1/2 turn clockwise and then 1/2 turn counter-clockwise to evenly seat the O-ring.

7 Lift the collar and arbor off the O-ring.


Maintenance 53

Changing the FusesTwo fuses are located in the Power Entry Port on the left side of the Sciclone, as shipped from the factory. There are no replaceable fuses in the Sciclone other than these two fuses.

Input Voltage: 115 / 230 V ~Fuses: Two (2) 10 Amp, 50/60 Hz, 5 x 20 mm, 250V (for 115 V~ range), Time Delay (P/N 107929) OR Two 6.3A, 5 x 20 mm, 250V (for 230 V~ range) (P/N 51713)

NOTE

Before replacing any fuses, please contact Caliper Technical Support. See “Contact Us” on page 3.

To change the fuses:

1 Turn the AC power off (0 position).

2 Remove the AC power cord from the Power Entry Port.

WARNING

To avoid electric shock, turn off the power and unplug the power cord before replacing the fuses.

3 Use a small flat-blade screwdriver or similar tool to gently pry the fuse cover open on the end opposite the AC power cord connector.

4 Use the screwdriver to gently pry out the fuse block (see Figure 26).

Figure 26. Removing the Fuse Block

5 Remove the fuses from the fuse block.


Maintenance 54

Changing the Fuses (Continued)NOTE

Be careful not to break the fuses when removing from or inserting into the fuse holder.

6 Press the new fuses into the fuse holder until the fuses click into place. See Figure 27.

Figure 27. Replacing the Fuses

WARNING

For continued fire protection, replace the fuses only with fuses of the same type and rating.

7 Slide the fuse block back into the Power Entry Port until it clicks into place.

8 Close the fuse cover tightly until it clicks into place.

9 The correct voltage for your location should show through the window on the fuse cover. If it does not: remove the fuse block, rotate the fuse block 180°, and replace the fuse block.


Troubleshooting 55

TroubleshootingThis section describes Liquid Handling, Barcode Reader, and Bulk Reagent Dispenser problems, probable causes, and possible solutions for each problem.

For a list of all software error messages and for information on re-teaching the Sciclone’s EZ-Swap Head, see the Maestro online Help.

Liquid Handling ProblemsTable 6. Liquid Handling Problems

Symptom Probable Cause(s) Possible Solution(s)

Poor pipetting performance

Defective pipet tip. Check pipet tip for damage and replace if necessary.

Air leaking at seal. Check pipet tip for damage and replace if necessary.

Poor seal between the pipet tip and the adapter because of worn or damaged O-rings.

Replace O-rings. Contact Caliper Technical Support Center for more information. See “Contact Us” on page 3.

Pipet tips not prewetted.

Prewet pipet tips once using a Mix command.If this does not solve the problem, change number of mix cycles until maximum and constant delivery of reagent occurs.

Dispense speed too fast.

Reduce Dispense Speed in the Dispense window so the maximum amount of reagent is dispensed and pipet tip appears dry after dispense.


Troubleshooting 56

Barcode Reader Problems

Reagent Dispenser Problems

Table 7. Barcode Reader Problems

Symptom Possible Cause(s) Possible Solution(s)

Barcodes don’t scan

The scanner’s lens is dirty.

Clean the scanner’s lens according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

The barcode is not supported.

Refer to the Maestro online Help to verify that the barcode you are using is supported by the Barcode Reader.

Table 8. Reagent Dispenser Problems

Symptom(s) Possible Cause(s) Possible Solution(s)

No air gap or moving air gap. Instrument does not draw in fluid. No fluid is being dispensed.

Air cylinder is not tight. Tighten the air cylinder.

Air gap size is incorrect.

Check the air gap size as the dispense tubing is lifted overhead and below the knee. The air gap should not change size.

Fittings are not tight. Make certain all fittings are tight.

Syringe is not seated correctly in the valve luer.

Make sure that the syringe is tightly inserted within the valve luer.

Tubing is kinked, blocked or has holes in it.

Check the tubing, and replace if necessary.

Air gap breaks up when aspirating sample.

Tubing size is incorrect. Replace the tubing with the correct size.

Tip of the dispense tubing is frayed.

Trim a small section off the tip of the tubing by making a square cut with a razor blade.

Dispense tubing is dirty.

Clean or replace the tubing.

Sample aspiration is too fast.

Reduce the speed.


Troubleshooting 57

Bubbles in the syringe. Fittings not tight Make certain all fittings are tight.

Syringe is dirty Clean the syringe, and replace if necessary.

Tubing filters are clogged.

Clean tubing filters.

Fluid leaking from bottom of syringe.

Seals are worn. Replace seals.

Fluid is too cold. Allow the fluid to warm to room temperature.

Syringes are not aspirating or dispensing the programmed volumes.

Programming steps are incorrectly numbered for syringe size.

Review the programming, making sure the correct number of steps are programmed.


Clean the tubing filters.

The unit will not power up.

Power connections are loose.

Check the syringe pump connections.

Power supply output improper or inoperable.

Check the power supply for proper output.

Syringe stall Tubing or valve is blocked.

Inspect all tubing; visually inspect valve.

Syringe is not properly installed.

Check that the syringe is installed properly.

Different size syringes are not evenly loaded.

Evenly load the reagents in the syringes.

Dispense rates are too fast for syringe size.

Reduce the dispense rate.

Syringes are not evenly loaded with fluid.

Evenly load the fluids in the syringes.

Continual plunger over load error.

Contact Caliper Technical Support Center. See “Contact Us” on page 3.

Table 8. Reagent Dispenser Problems (Continued)



Troubleshooting 58

Syringe stall (Cont.) Tubing filters are clogged.


No communication with syringe Unit.

Syringe unit may be waiting for an Execute command.

Check the syringe unit status.

Syringe unit is incorrectly addressed.

Change the syringe pump address.

Voltage has dropped to an unacceptable level.

Check the voltages to the syringe unit.

Invalid command was sent.

Contact Caliper Technical Support Center. See “Contact Us” on page 3.

Poor accuracy and precision.

Seal worn. Replace the seal.

Tubing is kinked, dirty, or frayed.

Replace the tubing.



Table 8. Reagent Dispenser Problems (Continued)



Appendix A: Specifications 59

Appendix A: SpecificationsNOTE

Technical specifications are subject to change without notice.

General SpecificationsSize (H x W x D) 40 in. (1.02 m) x 47 in. (1.2 m) x 30 in. (0.77 m)

Weight 350 lbs. (159 kg)

Plate Capacity up to 20 plates/tip boxes, depending on the model

Plate Orientation Landscape

Consumables Supported

• 96-well, 384-well, and 1536-well SBS microplates (1536-well not supported on 100nL head)

• 96-well Deepwell plates• 96 and 384 Tip Boxes

NOTE

All microplates and deepwells used should conform to the Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) standard.

Housing Materials Aluminum

Ventilation/Cooling None Required

Solvent Compatibility For use with aqueous and DMSO samples

Air Supply Regulated 65 psi (4.48 bars)

Serial Tag Includes the manufactured year. For example, SS 04 14 N4963 : “04” = the year (2004) and “14” = the week (week 14) the unit was manufactured.



Environmental

Electrical

Physical Performance

Operating Temperature 59° to 95°F (15° to 35°C)

Operating Humidity 0% to 85% relative humidity, non-condensing

Storage Temperature 50° to 122°F (10° to 50°C)

Transient Overvoltages Installation Category II

Pollution Pollution Degree 2

Noise Level The A-weighted noise level is 72 dBA.

Altitude Up to 2000M

Indoor Use Only

Power Input 115V AC, 50/60 Hz, 1000 VA max. OR230V AC, 50/60 Hz, 1000 VA max.

Line Voltage 115/230 V ~

Line Frequency 50/60 Hz

Fuses Two 10 A, 5 x 20 mm, 250V, Time Delay for 115V (P/N 107929) ORTwo 6.3A, 5 x 20 mm, 250V, Time Delay for 230V (P/N 51713)

Grounding Through the power cord

Computer Interface RS-232 serial (double shielding required)

X Axis Stepper Motor 1000 P/R (0.36°/pulse)

Y Axis Stepper Motor 1000 P/R (0.36°/pulse)

Z Axis Stepper Motor 1000 P/R (0.36°/pulse)

P Axis Stepper Motor 1000 P/R (0.36°/pulse)

Home Positions Optical sensors for each of the four home (zero) positions

Bidirectional Repeatability X, Y, and Z axes: ± 20 microns



Gripper

Bulk Reagent Dispenser 10 mL Syringe Controller

Bulk Reagent Dispenser 10 mL Syringe Pump

Bulk Reagent Dispenser 2.5 mL Syringe Controller

Carrying Capacity up to 1.0 lb (0.45kg)

Reach 1.97 in (50 mm) from Up to Center position3.94 in (100 mm) from Up to Down position

Plate Orientation Landscape

Air Supply 65 psi (standard Sciclone air supply)

Height 11 in (28 cm)

Depth 7.5 in (20 cm)

Width 9 in (23 cm)



Width 3.75 in (10 cm)

Reagents Reagents are supplied by the user and under the user’s control.



Width 9 in (23 cm)



Bulk Reagent Dispenser 2.5 mL Eight Syringe Pump

Barcode Reader

Positive Pressure Filtration System


Depth 9 in (23 cm)

Width 8.5 in (22 cm)

Reagents Reagents are supplied by the user and under the user’s control.

Barcode Engine Keyence BL-600

Reading Distance 75 to 330 mm (Narrow bar width=1.0mm)

Reading bar widtha 0.19 to 1.0 mm

Maximum reading label widthb 250 mm (Reading distance=280 mm)

Scanning Count 500 scans/second

a. Indicates the range of readable narrow bar width when the bar code type is Code 39.

b. Includes the bar code margin.

Pressure Requirements 0 to 30 psi (0 to 2.07 bars)


Appendix B: How Deck Awareness Works 63

Appendix B: How Deck Awareness Works

IntroductionThe Sciclone workstation’s head, which contains pipetting devices, moves on a gantry robot. The head accesses consumables and other accessories on the 20-position deck. Because the Sciclone can interact in many ways with items on the deck, collisions between them are possible. To minimize the possibility of a collision, algorithms (referred to as deck awareness) are invoked each time a high-level command requiring movement is executed. These algorithms have existed since the software V3.0 release and were significantly enhanced in the V3.4 release.

Movement BasicsThe position of any point in the workspace of the Sciclone takes its reference from the Home position of the axes. The Home position of each axis is determined by the location of home sensor switches. The Sciclone X,Y, Z Home position (0,0,0) is in the front, right, top corner of the machine. This reference position is the basis for moving the head to any location. The Sciclone gantry has two types of moves:• An Absolute move moves to a location by using the Home

position as the reference point; the coordinates supplied to this instruction should be relative to the Home position.

• A Relative move moves to a location using the last position of the head as the reference point; the coordinates supplied to this instruction should be relative to the last position of the head.

Low-Level Move Instructions and Deck Awareness

Using Relative and Absolute moves as described above, the Maestro software can perform any axis move in parallel (for example, it can move each X, Y, or Z axis individually, or it can move one, two, or all three axes concurrently), if commanded by an instruction. Users can perform axis moves by using the Relative Move and Absolute Move instructions found in the Gantry Low-Level command set.



In these moves, there is no deck awareness capability. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the head can move safely around the deck, avoiding any collisions between the head components and any consumables and/or accessories on the deck.

High-Level Instructions and Deck Awareness

High-level instructions in the Maestro software use a set of low-level DCC instructions to perform a higher level task, such as aspirate or dispense from/to a consumable with a pipetting device. High-level instructions are designed to help a scientist perform common operations more quickly and easily. High-level instructions may include several relative and absolute move instructions to move the Sciclone head from one deck location to another. Before a move, the Maestro software runs the background deck awareness algorithms to verify that movement is safe, preventing hardware collisions.

There are two versions of these algorithms. Starting with Sciclone software version 3.4, the default is the new enhanced algorithms. To select which algorithms to use, in the Sciclone/Deck Awareness tab of the Sciclone Setup window, choose either Full Deck Awareness (V3.4 or higher) or Basic Desk Awareness (V3.2 or earlier). The differences in the two algorithms are described below.

High-level instruction positioning can be described as (see Figure 28):

1 Z-axis movement up (no deck awareness).

2 X axis and Y axis plane positioning (deck awareness used).

3 Z-Axis movement down (deck awareness used in V3.4 or higher only).

4 Any point sequence movement defined in the instruction (for example, load/park array) (no deck awareness).

Figure 28. Typical Head Travel During a Move

2

1

34

+Y +X

-Z



Deck awareness functionality is On during movement #2 (all releases of Sciclone software) and movement #3 (new starting with software V3.4 and Maestro V4.0).

Movement #2: X-Axis and Y-Axis Deck Awareness Algorithm

When the head moves in the X-Y plane, deck awareness makes sure that the head travels at a safe Z-axis height, so that the head is above any consumable or accessory on the deck, and will not collide with any of them.

To ensure collision-free travel, deck awareness computes a travel height that allows the Sciclone head (and all its attached components) to clear all consumables and accessories that the head passes over. Deck awareness calculates the head travel path in the X-Y plane in two parts:

1 Simultaneous movement in the X and Y directions to reach either the destination X or destination Y (whichever is closer to the current position), and then

2 Movement in only the X or Y direction to reach the target destination.

To compute the travel height, the deck-awareness algorithm uses the following information:• The Start and End X-Y positions of the requested travel, as

determined by the high-level instruction being executed.• Rectangular prism models representing the dimensions and

position of each item on the deck (plates, tip boxes, Z-8 tip ejection station, etc.). For most items on the deck, the height of the model is taken from the Consumables database. If a deck location is empty, deck awareness creates a rectangular model 15mm high for this location, to represent the plate guides. The 3-dimensional position of the model is determined by the taught position at the corresponding deck array position (A1 - D5).

• Rectangular prism models representing the dimensions and position of each part of the Sciclone head (main array, Z-8, etc.). The model dimensions are fixed values for each type of head element; the model positions are derived from taught values at each deck position. At runtime, deck awareness keeps up-to-date the Z-axis position of models for components that can be raised or lowered. Deck awareness also keeps up-to-date the components of the head that can be added or removed at runtime (tips, arrays, and gripped parts); these will be discussed separately below. See Figure 29 on page 66.



Movement #2: X-Axis and Y-Axis Deck Awareness Algorithm (Continued)

• User-settable options for clearance on the Sciclone Setup window (see “Setup Window Options” on page 68).

Figure 29. X-Axis Clearance OK

The type of array and the presence of tips on the array and Z-8 affect the travel height computation. For high-level Load/Eject and Load/Park instructions, deck-awareness automatically maintains its internal model of the tips and array type present. There are two ways the user can manually control the deck-awareness model for head components that have removable arrays or tips:

1 The Sciclone Setup window and its tabs for the Main Array and Z-8 allows the user to select the default state for tips (on or off) when the Sciclone starts.

2 The Z-8 Low-Level Set Tips instruction allows the user to manually specify whether tips are loaded on a Z-8 Pipettor, on which cannulas the tips are loaded, and the tip length. The Main Array Low-Level Set Array instruction allows the user to manually specify whether an array is currently installed on the head. For Disposable Tip arrays, this command also specifies whether tips are loaded, on which cannulas the tips are loaded, and the tip length.

Clearance available whenmoving on the X-Y planefrom right to left



Movement #3: Deck Awareness (V3.4 and higher only)

When the head descends to position itself over a consumable or accessory, deck awareness makes sure that any item on the head (main array, Z-8, etc.) will not collide with deck items during movement to the target consumable or accessory location.

For X-Y plane movement, deck awareness uses the start and end points on the X-Y plane, and calculates the height (Z-axis value) that will allow the Sciclone head to travel safely between these points. A deck awareness alarm generated here indicates that the Z-axis position is outside the limits specified on the Sciclone Setup window.

When the Z-axis is lowered, deck awareness uses one X, Y, Z position, and calculates whether the Z-axis position is safe from collisions. The X, Y, Z position input comes from the high-level instruction, and is derived from the taught positions for one target head component and one target deck component specified in the high-level instruction. Deck awareness does not test for collisions between the target components, but does test for any other possible collision (between target and non-target components and between two non-target components) using the identical criteria listed for the X-Y plan movement explained in the above paragraph.

As an example of a potential collision, see Figure 30. If the high-level instruction moves the Main Array to position C3, the tall accessory (Parking Station) at position C2 would cause a collision with the Z-8 tips. An alarm will be generated by deck awareness when the Z-axis is lowered.

Figure 30. Possibility of Vertical Collision

Z-8 Aboutto collide with ParkingStation

Main Arraybeing loweredinto microplateon Z-axis



Setup Window OptionsTo perform the deck awareness algorithms described above, the Maestro software needs to model the geometries of the objects mathematically on the deck and head. When doing this, geometrical approximations are done to simplify the algorithmic process and speed up processing time. Conservative values for settings are specified to limit the possibility of a collision. Because of the approximations when the head needs to move close to objects on the deck, an alarm may be generated to ensure that a collision does not occur. The user can change some settings to relax the conservative geometrical modelling to perform closer moves to objects on the deck. However, this increases the risk of collision and should only be done with extreme caution.

There are five Setup options that affect deck awareness:• Deck awareness mode• Deck awareness clearances• Axis limits• Deck limits• Head configuration

Deck Awareness Mode

Deck awareness mode is specified on the Sciclone Setup window’s Sciclone/Deck Awareness subtab. • Choosing the default option of Full Deck Awareness prevents

collisions while the head is moving across the deck (the X and Y axes) and also when moving down toward the deck (Z axis).

• Choosing the Basic Deck Awareness option prevents collisions only while the head is moving across the deck (the X and Y axes).



Setup Window Options (Continued)Deck Awareness Clearances

Deck awareness clearances are specified at the top of the Sciclone Setup window. There are four clearance values that control the minimum space allowed between the head components and deck components of the Sciclone while the Sciclone head is moving:• Z Travel Clearance specifies the minimum distance between

the highest consumable on the Sciclone deck and the lowest device on the Sciclone head underneath the head while it is travelling in the X (front-to-back) and/or Y (left-to-right) directions.

• XY Travel Clearance specifies the minimum distance that must be clear in the X and Y directions (between the sides of each deck component and Sciclone head) while the head is travelling in the X (front-to-back) and/or Y (left-to-right) directions. Deck consumables/accessories can be higher than the moving head devices, as long as these components are not in the direct path of the moving head, and are no closer than this XY Travel Clearance value.

• Z Down Clearance specifies the distance required above deck positions (between the top of a deck component and the bottom of a head element) that allows the head to move freely downwards, avoiding possible collisions between the head components and any consumables and/or accessories on the deck that are not directly involved in the move, while the head is descending toward its destination position. Note that this does not prevent tips from entering wells of a high-level instruction's target consumable. This Z Down Clearance value can be zero if it is acceptable for any head device to just touch a consumable/accessory that is not the target of the move.

• XY Down Clearance specifies the distance required between each deck component and each device on the head to allow the head to move freely downwards toward its destination position, avoiding possible collisions between the head components and any consumables and/or accessories on the deck.

The Z Down Clearance and XY Down Clearance options take affect only when Full Deck Awareness has been selected on the Sciclone Setup window’s Sciclone/Deck Awareness subtab.

The user can override these clearance values for a specific application layout. To define the clearance values to use for a specific application layout:

1 Load the application.



Setup Window Options (Continued)2 In the Information Window, click the Layouts tab.

3 Click the Layout Details button.

4 Click the Clearances tab.

Figure 31. Clearances Tab

5 Select the Override check box for any clearance that requires a layout-specific value, and type the new clearance value.

These layout clearance values are stored and saved with the application.

Axis Limits

Axis limits are specified on the Sciclone Setup window’s Gantry tab.

Deck Limits

Deck limits, the minimum and maximum X, Y, Z positions that the head can move to without going out-of-bounds, are specified on the Sciclone Setup window’s Gantry tab.



Setup Window Options (Continued)Head Configuration

The head configuration is specified the first time the Maestro software is started, on the Sciclone Setup window’s Main Array tab. The Head Configuration at Startup section is where you specify the default main array type and parameters (handle position and whether tips are loaded). If tips are loaded at startup, these tips are assumed to have the default tip length specified during teaching.

Device Control Window, Teaching/Sciclone Tab OptionsOn the Device Control window’s Teaching/Sciclone tab, when you have either a Z-8 Pipettor and/or a Disposable Tip array installed on the system, there is an option for deck awareness.

On the Devices subtab, when the Z-8 Lower option is selected, or on the Arrays subtab, when a Disposable Tip MainArray option is selected, a Teach Tip Height option is available.

This option specifies the length of the tips used to teach the head at the Reference location on the deck. By specifying this option, deck awareness can adjust the models for the head when ejecting and loading tips that have different lengths than the ones used during teaching.

This option also supports Maestro Positioning algorithms, allowing a Disposable Tip array or the Z-8 Pipettor to use High-Level Load/Eject Tips commands (or Low-Level Set Array or Set Tips commands) to load different-length tips. Taught height positions for the Disposable Tip array or Z-8 are adjusted automatically for the new length.


Appendix C: Robot Kinematics & Positioning 72

Appendix C: Robot Kinematics & Positioning

Sciclone Moving ComponentsThe Sciclone robot is a Cartesian coordinate manipulator, commonly called a Gantry Robot, controlled by three independent servo drivers. The system has a movable head and a stable deck. The deck contains an array of 20 plate locators placed for stable positioning of microplates. The head contains an array of cannulas and a number of devices attached to it used for various liquid handling and plate manipulation operations. (For a description of the hardware, see “Sciclone Hardware” on page 16.)

Both the deck and the head have multiple considerations in determining how to achieve the positioning that an operation requires.

The first consideration in understanding how the Sciclone accomplishes moves is to understand how the deck and the gantry are referenced to each other. The relationship between the Gantry robot and the deck is established by moving the head to a special deck location called the Reference Location (D3 in Figure 32) and by remembering this positional information.

This is accomplished by putting a special reference block (called a teaching block) with well known geometry on the deck locator and a teaching array on the head (accomplished with tips for the HVH or a teaching array for the LVH) to visually register it to the teaching block using a teaching process. (See the Maestro online Help for a description of the teaching process.)



Sciclone Moving Components (Continued)

Figure 32. Reference Deck Location Teaching

Each of the remaining deck locations are now taught relative to the deck Reference Location using the head with attached teach array/teach tips (see Figure 33). The position relative to the Reference Location (D3 is the default) is then captured for the Maestro software to use in future references to that location.




Figure 33. Deck Locations Teaching

Devices attached to the head are then taught relative to the head position (See Figure 34). This is accomplished by:• Moving the device to its appropriate teaching tool on the

reference location,• Capturing the coordinates,• Calculating the difference between this new position and the

original head position, and • Storing this vector for use when positioning the attachment in

future moves.

Arrays attached to the Low Volume Head can have different length tips or fixed cannulas. These lengths are made known to the system during this process.




Figure 34. Attachment Teaching



Manipulator Kinematics and EquationsPositioning with Low-Level Instructions, Absolute and Relative Moves

Building on the relationships between the head and the deck locations, the next topic is understanding a low-level move instruction.

The position of any point in the workspace of the Sciclone takes its reference from the Home position of the axes. The Home position of each axis is determined by the location of home sensor switches. The Sciclone X, Y, Z Home position (0,0,0) is in the front, right, top corner of the machine. This reference position is the basis for moving the head to any location. The Sciclone gantry has two types of moves:• An Absolute Move moves to a location by using the Home

position as the reference point; the coordinates supplied to this instruction should be relative to the Home position.The input coordinate for an absolute move of the head to the D2 position will be:MoveAbs_to_D2 = D2_Rel2_D3 + D3_Rel2_Home

• A Relative Move moves to a location using the last position of the head as the reference point; the coordinates supplied to this instruction should be relative to the last position of the head.The input coordinate for a relative move of the head to the D2 position from D3 position will be:MoveRel_to_D2 = D2_Rel2_D3

Positioning with High-Level Instructions

A high-level move or liquid transfer operation involves multiple moves on three axes. A typical transfer sequence will be in the following order:

1 Ascend on Z-Axis for safe positioning.

2 Travel along X-Y axes to the destination coordinates.

3 Descend on Z-Axis before performing liquid transfer operation.

4 Pump operation for liquid transfer.

5 Tip touch or safe Z-positioning to complete operation.



Positioning with High-Level Instructions (Continued)Positioning with high-level instructions takes into account the target consumable geometry as well as the basic Sciclone movements. Axis-independent data (variables) and equations used are illustrated in Figure 35.

Figure 35. Sciclone Kinematics Diagram

VariablesThe following variables contain position information to perform the manipulations of the Sciclone robot by the Maestro software.• Home: Home sensors, zero position (v.1)• EncoderRead: Absolute position of a slider relative to home,

this value is read by motor encoder (v.2)• Head_Rel2_Slider: Fix length of head, in direction of an axis

(v.3)• Array_Rel2_Head: Fix length of an array relative to head, in

direction of an axis (v.4)• Attachment_Rel2_Head: Fix length of an attachment relative to

head, in direction of an axis (v.5)• D3_Rel2_Home: Position of D3 relative to head (v.6)• D2_Rel2_D3: Position of deck location D2 relative to D3 (v.7)



Governing Equations

The following equations govern the movement of the head or device attached to the head to any position on the deck. (Note that position D2 is shown; all other locations work the same)• D3_Rel2_Home = Head_Rel2_Slider + EncoderRead (eq.1)• EncoderRead = D3_Rel2_Home – Head_Rel2_Slider (eq.2)

Positioning Head to D3• Move_Head_to_D3 = EncoderRead (eq.3)

Positioning Head to D2• Move_Head_to_D2 = EncoderRead + D2_Rel2_D3 (eq.4)• Substituting (2) in place of EncoderRead• Move_Head_to_ D2 = D3_Rel2_Home – Head_Rel2_Slider +

D2_Rel2_D3 (eq.5)

Positioning Attachment to D2• Move_Attachment_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home –

Head_Rel2_Slider + D2_Rel2_D3 + Attachment_Rel2_Head (eq.6)

Positioning Array to D2• Move_Array_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home – Head_Rel2_Slider +

D2_Rel2_D3 + Array_Rel2_Head (eq.7)



Axis-Specific MotionZ-Axis

For most liquid handling operations, tips on the head or one of its attached devices are used for transferring liquids to consumable microplates on plate locators on the deck.

When we are considering Z-Axis movements, in addition to the governing equations defined in Section 1, for basic positioning of the Sciclone robot we need to take into account the:• Length of tips, • Height of the teach plate used in teaching, • External dimensions of the consumable used, and • Geometry of the wells in the consumable for the current liquid

handling operation.

Variables• Tip_Length: Length of the tip used of positioning (v.8)• Teach_Tip_Length: Length of tip used for teaching (v.9)• Tip_Length_Adjust: Difference between Teach_Tip_Length

and Tip_Length (v.10)• Consumable_Height: Height of consumable placed on any

Deck Location (v.11)• Teach_Tool_Height: Height of Teach tool Plate (v.12)• Consumable_Height_Adjust: Difference between

Teach_Tool_Height and Consumable_Height (v.13)

Governing EquationsPositioning Attachment to D2 with tips and consumable• Move_Attachment_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home –

Head_Rel2_Slider + D2_Rel2_D3 + Attachment_Rel2_Head +Tip_Length_Adjustment+ Consumable_Height_Adjustment(eq.8)

Positioning Array to D2 with tips and consumable• Move_Array_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home – Head_Rel2_Slider +

D2_Rel2_D3 + Array_Rel2_Head + Tip_Length_Adjustment+ Consumable_Height_Adjustment (eq.9)



X-Y Axis

When moving along the X and Y lateral axes, a high-level instruction incorporates several characteristics of consumables which exist for the X and Y axes.

Variables• Consumable_Width_X: Width of the consumable along X

direction (Retrieved from database) (v.14)• TeachPlate_Width_X: Width of the teach plate along X

Direction (Constant) (v.15)• Consumable_Length_Y: Length of the consumable along Y

direction (Retrieved from database) (v.16)• TeachPlate_Length_Y: Length of the teach plate along Y

Direction (Constant) (v.17)• Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X: Consumable

well location X from Upper Left Corner (Retrieved from database) (v.18)

• Teach_Plate_Mark_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X: Teach plate ‘mark’ location from Upper Left Corner along X axis (Constant) (v.19)

• Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y: Consumable well location Y from Upper Left Corner (Retrieved from database) (v.20)

• Teach_Plate_Mark_Upper_Left_Corner_Y: Teach plate ‘mark’ location from Upper Left Corner along Y axis (Constant) (v.21)

Governing EquationsPositioning Attachment to D2 with tips and consumable• Move_Attachment_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home –

Head_Rel2_Slider + D2_Rel2_D3 + Attachment_Rel2_Head + Consumable_Adjustment_X/Y (eq.10)

Positioning Array to D2 with tips and consumable• Move_Array_to_D2 = D3_Rel2_Home – Head_Rel2_Slider +

D2_Rel2_D3 + Array_Rel2_Head + Consumable_Adjustment_X/Y (eq.11)



Governing Equations (Continued)Consumable_Adjustment X/Y depends on push direction of the plate and axis direction:• Push Direction is Lower-Left (B1):

Consumable_Adjustment_X : Consumable_Width_X - TeachPlate_Width_X + Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X - Teach_Plate_Mark_From_Upper_Left_Corner _XConsumable_Adjustment_Y: Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y - Teach_Plate_Mark_Upper_Left_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y

• Push Direction is Upper-Left (A1):Consumable_Adjustment_X: Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X - Teach_Plate_Mark_From_Upper_Left_Corner _XConsumable_Adjustment_Y: Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y - Teach_Plate_Mark_Upper_Left_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y

• Push Direction is Lower-Right (A2):Consumable_Adjustment_X: Consumable_Width_X - TeachPlate_Width_X + Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X - Teach_Plate_Mark_From_Upper_Left_Corner _XConsumable_Adjustment_Y: Consumable_Length_Y _ Teach_Plate_Length_Y Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y - Teach_Plate_Mark_Upper_Left_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y

• Push Direction is Upper-Right (A1):Consumable_Adjustment_X: Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_X - Teach_Plate_Mark_From_Upper_Left_Corner _XConsumable_Adjustment_Y: Consumable_Length_Y _ Teach_Plate_Length_Y Well_Coordinate_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y - Teach_Plate_Mark_Upper_Left_From_Upper_Left_Corner_Y



Moving Materials with the GripperFor moving materials with the Gripper, the basic equations defined for attachments apply. The Gripper needs to be taught while it is lowered completely, and positioned within the marks on the teach plate. Also, an offset in positioning in the Y and Z directions can be given using high-level move instructions. Movement of a consumable with the Gripper uses height information from the consumable database to position the Gripper above the consumable.

Also note that, during a Gripper pick or place operation, pneumatic actuator up/down positioning may interleave the axis move sequence to enable a soft landing or take off of consumable on to the deck locator.

Tying It All Together - TeachingIn order to realize precise positioning of the Sciclone, the variables 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 should be captured as accurately as possible. It is assumed that the Gantry, deck, and head devices are properly aligned. The Maestro software does not make any automatic compensation for mechanical tolerances in the system.

For this purpose the teaching window should be used in Maestro software together with the hardware tools, i.e., the teaching tool and array. (See the Maestro online Help for a description of the teaching process.)

In the Teaching window (see Figure 36 on page 84), the following needs to be captured to fill the variables defined in previous sections:• The Reference Location tab captures Head_Rel2_Slider• The Deck Location tab captures D2_Rel2_D3 • The Devices tab captures Attachment_Rel2_Head for each

attached device on side of the main head• The Arrays tab captures Array_Rel2_Head for each array used

on main head.



Tying It All Together - Teaching (Continued)• If an attached Device or Array uses a tip, a Teach tip height

frame will appear in the tab under choices list box. Note that the tip length of the tip used for teaching must be specified correctly for accurate compensation when a different tip is used in liquid transfer operation. The actual tip length will be automatically retrieved from the Consumables database when the Load Tip instruction is used for loading the tips. Otherwise, the Set Tips instruction should be used to programmatically set the length of the current tip used in any operation if it is different than the length of teach tip.

NOTE

The tip length is set to the Teach Tip Height value when the Sciclone is started, and can be set to alternate values by using either the Set Tips or Load Tips instructions. The last value set is used until another of these two instructions is executed.

• When a high-level liquid operation instruction is used, height and other dimensions (diameter, location, depth of wells, etc.) of the consumable are automatically retrieved from the Consumables database, and positioning is re-adjusted based on the positioning information the user supplies in the instruction (i.e., which well, required depth or volume, tip touch, etc.). The teach plate dimensions are fixed and hard-coded in the Maestro software for compensation.

• The XYZ Limits tab captures the positions of the limit switches relative to the home sensors. Teaching these limit switches accurately helps to prevent starting a move up front and generating an alarm if the required move is out of the work envelope determined by the limit switch positions. Failure to teach them results in either an axis hitting the limit switches and raising a limit switch alarm, or, if the settings do not allow the maximum travel on the axis, generating an out of envelope move alarm.

NOTE

You should re-home the head if an alarm is generated after reaching a limit switch.



Tying It All Together - Teaching (Continued)

Figure 36. Teaching Window

Head Alignment and SwappingSince both deck locations and devices attached to the head are all referenced to the special deck location Reference Location (usually D3), there are special considerations that need to be observed when aligning or swapping the main head.• As any head crash may change Head_Rel2_Slider, moving the

head to any plate locator will be invalid without re-capturing EncoderRead for the Reference Location D3.

• If a head is swapped for a new head (HeadY), HeadY_Rel2_Slider will be different than HeadX_Rel2_Slider, thus equations 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 will be invalid. It is advised to capture re-EncoderRead for compensating the new Head_Rel2_Slider. This action further requires re-teaching of all the attachments.



Head Alignment and Swapping (Continued)• If ArrayY is taught without EncoderRead being captured for

HeadY, than ArrayY_Rel2_HeadX will be captured instead of ArrayY_Rel2_HeadY. ArrayY will work with HeadX' s EncoderRead, where ArrayY_Rel2_HeadX compensates the difference between HeadY_Rel2_Slider and HeadX_Rel2_Slider.

• The head alignment and swapping flowchart (see the Maestro online Help) shows the situations that can occur.


Appendix D: Automation Certified Pipet Tips 86

Appendix D: Automation Certified Pipet Tips

About Automation Certified Pipet TipsAutomation Certified Pipet Tips are engineered to enhance the operation of the Sciclone.

Automation Certified Pipet Tips offer:• Superior reliability • Capacity for up to 200 uL• Access to the bottom of deepwell plates, minimizing dead-

volume• Reliable and accurate dispensing, enhanced by a specially

designed attachment point• Guaranteed box-to-box uniformity and trouble-free performance

with automation hardware• Contamination-free storage of tips in individual compartments• Consistent tip attachment, enhanced by a rigid box design

Automation Certified Pipet TipsCaliper Automation Certified Pipet Tips are available in 25 uL, 100 uL, and 200 uL volumes. To order additional Automation Certified Pipet Tips, please refer to the part numbers shown in the tables below.

Table 9. 200 uL Automation Certified Pipet Tips

Caliper P/N Description56362 200 uL, autoclavable56977 200 uL, sterile57203 200 uL, autoclavable, bulk68924 200 uL, carbon, sterile65408 200 uL, carbon, autoclavable68921 150 uL, 35 micron barrier, sterile


Appendix D: Automation Certified Pipet Tips 87

Automation Certified Pipet Tips (Continued)


Caliper P/N Description66670 100 uL, autoclavable68036 100 uL, sterile68037 100 uL, autoclavable, bulk68891 100 uL, carbon, sterile68892 100 uL, carbon, autoclavable68759 80 uL, 35 micron barrier, sterile


Caliper P/N Description79744 Disposable Tips-25uL/384, case, 50 racks,

19200 tips79737 Disposable Tips-25uL/384, case, 112 trays,

43008 tips (nested)103748 Disposable Tips-25uL/192, case, 50 racks,

9600 tips103857 Disposable Tips-25uL/192, case, 112 trays,

21504 tips (nested)103981 Disposable Tips-384, base without latches, box of

10 (empty base for 1/2-inch trays)


Index 88

IndexNumerics

100nL EZ-Swap Headchanging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

100nL EZ-Swap headcleaning the array . . . . . . . . . . . . 37maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

384-Channel Low Volume EZ-Swap Head

changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44384-Channel Low Volume EZ-Swap head

cleaning the array . . . . . . . . . . . . 37maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

96-Channel High Volume EZ-Swap Headchanging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

96-Channel High Volume EZ-Swap headmaintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34O-Ring Lubricator Kit . . . . . . . . . . 50

AAC power switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Annual maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Array

cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37replacing O-rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Automation certified pipet tips . . . . . . 86

CCaliper Center for Training and Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Caliper O-Ring Lubricator Kit . . . . 50, 51Cannula Manifold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Cannula Replacement. . . . . . . . . . . . 38Cannula Tubing

Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Changing fuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Sciclone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Comm portconnecting to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

connector location . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Communication cable. . . . . . . 18, 20, 31Computer interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Consumables

pipet tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86poor pipetting performance and . . 55

Consumables, supported types . . . . . 59Customer Support plans. . . . . . . . . . . . 4

DDeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 22

function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Deck awareness functionality . . . . . . . 63Dispense speed, troubleshooting . . . . 55

EEight-Channel Valve

Input Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Output Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . 60Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . 60Errors

liquid handling problems . . . . . . . . 55EZ-Swap Head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

changing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44F

Fire protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Fuses

changing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53cover location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18replace with same type/rating only 54specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60switch power off before replacing . 53

GGeneral specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Gripper

specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Grounding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

HHardware components . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Hardware installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

changing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44described . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17


Index 89

Heads available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14I

Input Voltage Specification (Fuses) . . 53Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Caliper service representatives and . 29hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30system requirements . . . . . . . . . . 29unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Integrated system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Intended audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

LLine Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Line Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Locators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Lubrication, tip adapter O-rings. . . . . 50

MMaestro

software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Maestro software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

annual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36preventative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34preventive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Material Safety Data Sheet 17, 32, 33, 36Microplates

disposal of contaminated . . . . . . . 17supported types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

NNoise level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

OOperating humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Operating temperature . . . . . . . . . . . 60Operation, Automation Certified pipet tips and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86O-Ring Lubricator Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . 50O-rings

lubricating tip adapter . . . . . . . . . 50replacing on array . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

PParts

deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29pistons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21power cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 31power entry port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Physical Performance specifications . 60Pipet tips

Automation Certified . . . . . . . . . . . 86Pistons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Plate capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Plate orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59, 61Pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Poor pipetting performance . . . . . . . . 55Power

cord, attaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31cord, description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Input specification. . . . . . . . . . . . . 60switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 32

Power entry portfunction described . . . . . . . . . . . . 18fuse location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Power Offcomputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Sciclone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Power Oncomputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Sciclone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Preventative maintenance . . . . . . . . . 34Prewetting tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

QQuadrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

RReagent Dispenser

replacing tubing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Reagent Dispenser Cannula Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Reagent Leakage Problems . . . . . . . . 57Replacing O-rings on the array. . . . . . 52Replacing the fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53


Index 90

SSciclone

comm port connector. . . . . . . . . . 18front view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19, 20

Serial cable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Service plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Software

description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Physical Performance . . . . . . . . . 60

Standalone workstation . . . . . . . . . . . 15Storage Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Storing the array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Support plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Syringe

Pumps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Syringe Pump Maintenance . . . . . . . 34Syringe Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Syringe Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

TTips, Pipet, Automation Certified . . . . 86Transient Overvoltages . . . . . . . . . . . 60Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Troubleshooting, liquid handling problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Tubing

replacing on Bulk Reagent Dispenser38

Turning off the Sciclone . . . . . . . . . . 32Turning on the Sciclone . . . . . . . . . . 32

UUnpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

VVoltage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

WWaste receptacle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Weekly Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Windows

Familiarity required for Sciclone operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Windows Help and Support. . . . . . 15


Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.68 Elm StreetHopkinton, Massachusetts 01748TEL 508-435-9500FAX 508-435-3439http://www.caliperLS.com

http://www.caliperLS.com

Documents

Sciclone ALH 3000 - Stanford Medicine