Ap3600 Instrument (Interior); Figure 2-8. Sera Handling Area Components - Hitachi OPTIGEN AP3600 User Manual

AP3600 Instrument (Interior)

The interior AP3600 instrument components can be accessed when the assay is not being performed. The dark box lid (on the right
side of the instrument) remains locked after the assay is started. The door in the sera handling area (on the left side of the
instrument) is locked while patient sera is being transferred, but unlocks after sample aspiration is complete to allow the operator to
remove sera vial racks for future use or storage.
Sera Handling Area
The left side of the instrument contains the following components for handling the patient sera:
Distribution Nozzle Head: The distribution nozzle head uses a single-use disposable transfer tip from the transfer tip rack to transfer
patient serum from the sample vial to a sample cup.
Transfer Tip Rack: This rack holds single-use disposable transfer tips used by the dispensing nozzle head to transfer sera. The
transfer tip rack must be fully populated with 54 tips before the assay is started.
Sample Vial Racks: These racks (up to five racks with a maximum of ten vials each) hold patient samples while they are being
scanned and the patient sera is transferred into the sample cups for the assay. Load racks one at a time. After the sample barcodes
are scanned, the instrument advances the loaded rack one position to the right so the next rack can be loaded. The sera handling
area door is locked during this operation and not unlocked until sample aspiration is complete.
Sample Cup Carousel: The sample cup carousel holds 50 disposable sample cups. These cups are filled with sera by a fully
automated process. Always start loading of the carousel from Position #1. It is not necessary to fill all 50 slots with sample cups.
Note: Do not skip slots when filling the sample cup carousel.

FIGURE 2-8. Sera Handling Area Components

Dark Box
The right side of the instrument contains the following components for performing the assay:
PMT Unit: The photo multiplier tube unit measures the chemiluminescence light emitted from the wells of the Pettes following the
photoreagent aspiration and incubation.
CCD Camera: The camera at this location checks that the top well of the Pette is aspirated with patient serum and reagents.
Distribution Nozzle Head
Transfer Tip Rack (54 tips)
Sample Vial Racks
(up to 5 racks with 10 vials each)
Sample Cup Carousel
(up to 50 cups)
Introduction and System
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