Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

 

The DSC Q1000 and  Q100 instruments have an Autosampler that may require recalibration to refine pan placement and pickup capabilities.

After calibration is complete, you can perform a Cycle Test to test the calibrated positions.

Select from the following topics for more information:

Automatically Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

This procedure automatically steps through the steps needed for calibration of the Autosampler tray and cell positions. This is accomplished utilizing a beam of light generated by a fiber-optic amplifier located in the sample arm. The light beam is projected downward from the lens in the center of the gripper and the reflected signal is transmitted back through the same lens and to the fiber-optic amplifier. The entire procedure takes approximately three minutes.

  1. Remove the clear plastic dust cover from the Autosampler tray, if installed.

  2. Grasp the center of the sample tray and pull it straight up. Remove the tray exposing the platen underneath.

  3. Remove any pans left in the cell. Place the cell calibration fixture in position over the sample and reference positions.

  4. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select AUTO CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen. The calibration will proceed automatically. Do not interrupt the procedure. Once this calibration is complete, the Autosampler arm will return to the park position and a calibration complete message will appear.

  5. Remove the cell calibration fixture and replace the sample tray.

  6. If more refined calibration is needed after performing this calibration, select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen  to access the Autosampler Manual Calibration touch screen. Otherwise, select EXIT to return to the Control Menu Touch Screen.

See also:  Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

NOTE:  You cannot start experiments when any Autosampler touch screens are displayed.

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Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler Tray Positions Automatically

This procedure automatically calibrates the sample tray positions. This is accomplished utilizing a beam of light generated by a fiber-optic amplifier located in the sample arm. The light beam is projected downward from the lens in the center of the gripper and the reflected signal is transmitted back through the same lens and to the fiber-optic amplifier. The entire procedure takes approximately two minutes. Follow these instructions to calibrate the circular Autosampler tray so that the arm can accurately pick up the sample pans:

  1. Remove the clear plastic dust cover from the Autosampler tray, if installed.

  2. Grasp the center of the sample tray and pull it straight up. Remove the tray exposing the platen underneath.

  3. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select TRAY CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen. The calibration will proceed automatically. Do not interrupt the procedure. Once this calibration is complete, the Autosampler arm will return to the park position and a calibration complete message will appear.

  4. Replace the sample tray.

  5. If more refined calibration is needed after performing this calibration, select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen  to access the Autosampler Manual Calibration touch screen. Otherwise, select EXIT to return to the Control Menu Touch Screen.

See also:  Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

NOTE:  You cannot start experiments when any Autosampler touch screens are displayed.

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Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler Cell Positions Automatically

This procedure automatically calibrates the cell positions using a special cell calibration fixture (shown here). This is accomplished utilizing a beam of light generated by a fiber-optic amplifier located in the sample arm. The light beam is projected downward from the lens in the center of the gripper and the reflected signal is transmitted back through the same lens and to the fiber-optic amplifier. The entire procedure takes less than two minutes. Follow these instructions to calibrate the Autosampler cell positions so that the gripper fingers can accurately place and pick up a pan on the sample and reference positions.

  1. Remove any pans left in the cell. Place the calibration fixture in position over the sample and reference positions. Calibration fixture scanned

  2. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select CELL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen. The calibration will proceed automatically. Do not interrupt the procedure. Once this calibration is complete, the Autosampler arm will return to the park position and a calibration complete message will appear. The figure to the right shows the calibration fixture being scanned for the cell calibration.

  3. Remove the cell calibration fixture.

  4. If more refined calibration is needed after performing this calibration, select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen  to access the Autosampler Manual Calibration touch screen. Otherwise, select EXIT to return to the Control Menu Touch Screen.

See also:  Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

NOTE:  You cannot start experiments when any Autosampler touch screens are displayed.

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Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

The Autosampler Manual Calibration touch screen  is accessed by touching the Manual Cal key on the Autosampler Calibration Options touch screen. The keys used to manually calibrate the functions of the Autosampler, shown in the figure below, are displayed.

Not all of the directional buttons will be applicable and therefore, not available, depending upon the option selected. The buttons that are gray (instead of blue) indicate that they do not affect calibration. They are only on the screen for convenience. (For example, the Arm Up and Down positions are automatically set during tray and cell height calibration.)

Follow the directions needed to perform the following calibrations. Click to jump to the step-by-step instructions for:

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Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Tray Height

The tray height calibration adjusts how far the gripper fingers reach down into the tray wells when placing or removing a pan.

  1. Remove the clear plastic dust cover from the Autosampler tray, if needed.

  2. Grasp the center of the sample tray and pull it straight up to remove the tray, exposing the platen underneath.

  3. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen.

  4. Touch the up or down arrows until "Tray Height" is displayed. Press the TEST key. The tray height calibration will begin. Once the calibration is complete a message will appear and the calibration will automatically be stored.

  5. Replace the sample tray.

  6. Press the EXIT key until the Control Menu Touch Screen is displayed.

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Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Cell Height

This calibration adjusts how far the gripper fingers reach down into the cell when placing or removing a pan.

  1. Remove the clear plastic dust cover from the Autosampler tray, if needed.

  2. Remove any pans left in the cell.

  3. Place the cell calibration fixture in position over the sample and reference positions.Gripper fingers calibrating cell height

  4. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen.

  5. Touch the up or down arrows until "Cell Height" is displayed. Press the TEST key. The cell height calibration will begin. The figure on the right shows the gripper fingers detecting the calibration fixture height. Once the calibration is complete a message will appear and the calibration will automatically be stored.

  6. Remove the cell calibration fixture.

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Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Tray Pan Positions

Calibration of Tray Pan 1, 26, and R1 will adjust the position of the gripper in the specified tray position.

  1. Place a sample pan into the desired position.

  2. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen.

  3. Touch the up or down arrows until "Tray Pan 1, Tray Pan 26 or Tray Pan R1" is displayed. Press the TEST key. The grippers will automatically move to the selected location (but above the tray).

  4. Use the directional buttons to position the grippers so that they are centered above the well.

  5. Press GRIP to direct the gripper to move into well and grip the pan.

  6. Press the UP button to raise the pan up to the top of the well for better visibility.

  7. Press the LEFT, RIGHT, EXTEND, or RETRACT buttons until the pan is satisfactorily centered in the well.

  8. Press the GRIP again to release the pan. (The button toggles between grip and release.)

  9. Repeat steps 3 through 8 until you are satisfied with the pan pickup.

  10. Press STORE to save the calibration.

  11. Press the EXIT key until the Control Menu Touch Screen is displayed.

NOTE:  If a pan is gripped when a new calibration is selected, it will be released, unless you are calibrating a cell position. Then you will be prompted to decide if you want to remove or keep the pan.

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Manually Calibrating the Q1000/Q100 Cell Sample and Cell Reference

These calibrations adjust the position of the gripper at the specified position within the cell.

  1. Place a pan in the cell either by using the Autosampler arm to load one from the tray or simply place a sample pan at the cell location (sample or reference). NOTE:  A sapphire calibration disc works well in lieu of a pan for manual cell calibration because it is transparent, which means the platform is visible to you.

  2. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen.

  3. Touch the up or down arrows until "Cell Sample or Cell Reference" is displayed. Press the TEST key. The grippers will automatically move to the selected location.

  4. Use the directional buttons to position the grippers so that they are at the desired location.

  5. Use the GRIP/RELEASE button to test the pan positioning.

  6. Press the LEFT, RIGHT, EXTEND, or RETRACT buttons until the pan is satisfactorily centered on the cell platform.

  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you are satisfied with the pan positioning.

  8. Press STORE to save the calibration.

  9. Press the EXIT key until the Control Menu Touch Screen is displayed.

NOTE:  If a pan is gripped when a new calibration is selected, it will be released, unless you are calibrating a cell position. Then you will be prompted to decide if you want to remove or keep the pan.

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Calibrating Q1000/Q100 Gripper Open and Gripper Closed

This calibration adjusts how far the gripper fingers will open and close. This function is factory-calibrated and should not need to be adjusted. However, if you do adjust these positions, be sure that your do not over grip the pan or open the gripper too wide. This will cause pans to be squeezed by the grippers, if they close too tightly. Or it may cause reference pans to be knocked off the reference platform if the grippers open too widely when entering the cell.

  1. Select AUTOSAMPLER from the Control Menu Touch Screen. Then select MANUAL CAL from the Autosampler Control Touch Screen.

  2. Touch the up or down arrows until "Gripper Open or Gripper Close" is displayed. Press the TEST key.

  3. Use the OPEN and CLOSE buttons to adjust the gripper's open or closed position respectively.

  4. Press STORE to save the calibration.

  5. Press the EXIT key until the Control Menu Touch Screen is displayed.

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Testing the Q1000/Q100 Autosampler

You can test the Autosampler using several other items accessed through the Calibrate touch screen. Click on the links below for more information:

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