Adjusting the Cap

Support Bulletin A70-B10A
As Needed
February 2003
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
ADVIA® 70 Autosampler
Product
ADVIA 70 autosampler
Applicability
All customers with optional autosampler
Estimated Time
½ hour
Special Materials
Phillips head screwdriver, 0.040- and 0.060-inch flat feeler gauge,
5-ml Hemogard sample tubes, utility software version 2.x.x
Purpose
This bulletin describes how to recognize when the sample cap-piercing punch is too deep,
too shallow, or off center, and it contains the associated adjustment procedures.
Problem
The carousel is properly aligned when it is lined up with the hole on the cap piercer
ejector plate. With the carousel in this position, extending the cap-piercing needle should
not cause it to hit the carousel or the outside of the Hemogard tube. When you observe
that the needle does come in contact with the carousel, you must perform an adjustment.
When the cap-piercing punch is too deep or too shallow, you must perform an
adjustment. When the cap-piercing punch is too shallow, the stopper blocks the tube vent.
If it is too deep, the needle will not retract far enough and is exposed when running the
autosampler.
Procedure: Adjusting Needle Depth and Centering the Needle Punch
BIOHAZARD
All products or objects that come in contact with human body fluids should be handled, before
and after cleaning, as if capable of transmitting infectious diseases. Wear facial protection,
gloves, and protective clothing.
The operator should follow the recommendations to prevent the transmission of infectious agents
in health-care settings as recommended for potentially infectious specimens in Protection of
Laboratory Workers from Infectious Disease Transmitted by Blood, Body Fluids, and Tissue, 2d
edition; Approved Guideline (1997) Document M29-A, National Committee for Clinical
Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). This document contains complete information on user
protection and it can be used as reference material for instructions on laboratory safety.
If you are in a biohazardous situation and you need assistance, please contact your branch HES
representative.
For internal use only. Do not distribute outside of Bayer Corporation.
This information is provided as an aid in Technical Support for trained support personnel. Do not attempt
to service the system without the appropriate technical training and the proper tools.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 1 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
1. Close the user interface.
2. Start the utility software and connect to the autosampler.
3. Remove the carousel and front cover from the autosampler and unhook the strap
joining the front cover to the autosampler. The cap-piercing mechanism is exposed.
Figure 1 Cap-piercing mechanism
4. Remove the two screws from the rear hinged autosampler door and tilt the door
downward.
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 2 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
5. Loosen the Phillips-head screws on the cap piercer PCB, which is mounted on the
platform above the needle.
Figure 2 Cap piercer PCB
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 3 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
6. Insert a 0.040-inch flat feeler gauge between the cap-piercer motor mounting block
and the lead screw platform.
Figure 3 Feeler gauge inserted
7. Use the utility software to extend the needle.
WARNING
Use caution when handling sharp objects such as needles and system
probes. The tips are sharp and can cause skin punctures.
a. Click Tool on the menu bar. A drop-down menu appears.
b. Click Service. The Hardware Test window appears.
c. Double-click Autosampler to expand it.
d. Highlight Cap Piercer and right-click. A menu appears.
e. Click Extend. The needle extends.
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 4 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
NOTE
After about 12 seconds, the needle will retract. You must work quickly or you will
have to perform step 7 again.
8. Slowly slide the cap piercer PCB downward toward the drive belt.
9. When the tension on the gauge is tight, tighten the Phillips head screws on the cap
piercer PCB, and remove the gauge.
NOTE
If the system frequently looses the air gap, you may need to use a 0.060 feeler gauge
instead of a 0.040 gauge.
10. Close the utility software but do not turn off either the analyzer or the sampler.
11. Restart the user interface.
12. From the run menu, select the Sample mode and then Autosampler.
13. Click Stats Auto Sampler.
14. Reinstall the carousel, ensuring it is locked into place.
15. When prompted, insert one 5-ml Hemogard sample into position 0 (the stat position)
on the carousel.
16. At the end of the stat cycle, click OK to close the Stat message.
17. Inspect the punch location and needle depth.
a. Remove the carousel and inspect the Hemogard stopper to see if the punch is in
the center of the stopper. (If the punch is not centered, go to step 18a.).
tube cap
rubber stopper
hole created in
stopper center
Figure 4 Punch properly placed in center of cap
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 5 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
b. Unscrew and swing aside the stainless steel stripper plate and inspect the
needle position. When the needle is properly adjusted, it is flush with the top
surface of the white delrin (plastic) cap piercer assembly (figure 5, B). If the
tip is lower than the top surface, it is seated too low. If the tip of the needle
can be seen, the needle is seated too high (figure 5, A). If the position is too
low, go to step 18b. If it is too high, go to step 18c.
Figure 5 Needle position in relationship to cap piercer assembly
(stripper plate moved aside)
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
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Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
TUBE
TUBE CAP
RUBBER
STOPPER
NEEDLE
Figure 6 Needle position in relationship to Hemogard sample tube
18. Adjust the needle depth and punch location on the Hemogard cap.
Needle depth and Hemogard cap punch adjustment chart
If the problem is…
Then move the…
a. The punch is not centered.
Cap piercer assembly—loosen the setscrews on the
cap piercer assembly and move it.
If the punch is still not centered, move the optics
sensor up and down until the proper punch is
achieved.
NOTE
The optical sensor is located on the upper-left side
of the stripper plate.
b. The needle is too low in relationship
to the cap piercer assembly, which
creates a shallow punch (figure 6, E).
Loosen the Phillips head screws behind the stripper
plate and move the sensors.
(The needle is lower than the top surface
of the piercer assembly.)
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
Page 7 of 8
Adjusting the Cap-piercing Needle
Needle depth and Hemogard cap punch adjustment chart (continued)
If the problem is…
Then move the…
c. The needle is too high, which creates a
deeper punch.
Loosen the Phillips head screws behind the stripper
plate and move the sensors.
(The needle extends beyond the top
surface of the cap-piercer assembly
(figure 5, A).)
19. Reassemble the autosampler components in the reverse order in which you
disassembled it.
NOTE
You may have to repeat this process several times to achieve proper alignment.
Hemogard is a trademark of Becton-Dickinson.
For internal use only.
083B0008-02 Rev. A, 2003-02
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