SciGene Little Dipper Processor for FISH - Manual (Page 13)

Little Dipper ® Processor for FISH— USER MANUAL
March 2013 LD for FISH manual 2.0; software 1.4 for FISH 12
E. Running a Test Protocol / Practicing Rack Loading
This test verifies the mechanical operation of the instrument and provides the operator
an opportunity to practice loading the slide rack onto the gripper. An empty slide rack
is automatically moved from bath to bath with agitation, followed by a brief
centrifugation. No liquid is required and temperature controllers should remain OFF.
Fig. 21. Quik-tst protocol. Fig. 22. Load slide rack.
1. Ensure that baths and buckets are properly installed (see section IV. A.
Installing Baths and Centrifuge Buckets) and correspond to the size of the slide
racks to be used. Verify that the all temperature sensors are rotated down.
2. Turn on main power located on the right side of the instrument.
3. Using the touchscreen, press Run Protocol from the home screen then select
the Quik-tst protocol (Fig. 21).
4. Hold an empty slide rack centered in Bath #1, aligned with the black lines on
the instrument and slightly below the bath fill line.
5. Start the protocol by pressing Start Now on the touchscreen. The gripper arm
will lower into Bath #1 with the gripper open. Align the holes in the handle with
the two bumps in the gripper paddle as the gripper closes (Fig. 22).
If the gripper closes and the rack is not held securely, press the red EMO switch
immediately (Fig. 19). Release the rack, if needed, by pressing Open Gripper from
the Control Panel screen, then select and start the protocol again.
Immediately press the EMO switch to stop the instrument, if the slide rack
fails to mount on the gripper properly or touches the sides of the bath
.
6. The instrument will now agitate the rack in each bath.
7. Observe placement of the slide rack in the baths. The rack will automatically
move from the last bath into the centrifuge and spin for a minute.
8. If the rack touches the bath, see VII. B. Slide Rack Position Calibration.
9. When the protocol is complete, unlock and open the centrifuge lid to remove
the rack from the sample bucket.