ChemoMetec SCC-100 - Manual (Page 39)

6 Maintenance of NucleoCounter
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6 Maintenance of NucleoCounter SCC-100
A regular cleaning of the NucleoCounter is recommended in order to protect its surface
and assure the quality of the collected images.
6.1 Cleaning
Depending on the environment in which the NucleoCounter is operated it is
recommended that regular cleaning of the cabinet be carried out. When cleaning the
cabinet it is recommended to use a soft moist cloth and gently wipe the surface. Any
contamination, which does not come off immediately, should be rubbed gently with a
cloth wetted with mild detergent. Never use organic solvents or aggressive detergents
to clean the exterior of the NucleoCounter as this might damage the surface.
6.1.1 Cassette insertion area
The cassette insertion area and the optical parts inside the NucleoCounter should be
properly protected against dust and other contaminants. Therefore, great care must be
taken to ensure that the lid covering the cassette insertion area is closed when
cassettes are not being loaded into or removed from the NucleoCounter. If the insertion
area becomes contaminated it should immediately be cleaned with a clean, dry and
dust-free cloth.
When cleaning the cassette insertion area, great care must be taken against introducing
any liquid or dust into the insertion slit of the NucleoCounter. Any liquid that enters the
interior of the NucleoCounter can damage the optical parts and thus compromise the
quality of the cell counts.
6.1.2 Optical elements
An object on the surface of an optical component can influence the collected image. A
contaminant will normally be visible as a faint object in the image. Since it is also
possible that such contamination is on the surface of the cassette, only objects, which
are stationary in all images, are possible contaminations of the optical system. An
example of a relatively large contamination is given in Figure 24.