Agilent Technologies 1100 Series User manual

s1
Agilent 1100 Series
Sample Capacity
Extension
Reference Manual

ii 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
Notices
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2002
No part of this manual may be reproduced in
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tronic storage and retrieval or translation
into a foreign language) without prior agree-
ment and written consent from Agilent
Technologies, Inc. as governed by United
States and international copyright laws.
Manual Part Number
G2257-90000
Edition
Edition 09/02
Printed in Germany
Agilent Technologies, Deutschland GmbH
Hewlett-Packard Strasse 8
76337 Waldbronn
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arate agreement shall control.
Techn ology Li cense s
The hardware and/or software described in
this document are furnished under a license
and may be used or copied only in accor-
dance with the terms of such license.
Safety Notices
CAUTION
A CAUTION notice denotes a hazard.
It calls attention to an operating pro-
cedure, practice, or the like that, if
not correctly performed or adhered
to, could result in damage to the
product or loss of important data. Do
not proceed beyond a CAUTION
notice until the indicated conditions
are fully understood and met.
WARNING
A WARNING notice denotes a haz-
ard. It calls attention to an operat-
ing procedure, practice, or the like
that, if not correctly performed or
adhered to, could result in personal
injury or death. Do not proceed
beyond a WARNING notice until the
indicated conditions are fully
understood and met.
Warning Symbols Used on the
Instrument
The apparatus is marked with this
symbol when the user should refer to
the instruction manual in order to
prevent risk of harm to the operator
and to protect the apparatus against
damage.
!

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension iii
In this Manual, you will find ...
1Overview
An overview of the Sample Capacity Extension system and its
capabilities.
2 Installation
Complete instructions for the installation and set-up of the
Well-plate handler and Automation Interface, and the optional
barcode readers and rack extension.
3 Software Navigation
A description of the set-up panels and dialog boxes for the
Sample Capacity Extension.
4 Working with the Sample capacity Extension
A description of the features of the ChemStation that are
specific to the Sample Capacity Extension, with examples of
their use.
5 Troubleshooting and Error Handling
Information on the available maintenance and test functions,
with a list of possible errors and how to fix them.
ASafetyInformation
Important information on symbols and labels that appear on
the product or in the documentation.

iv 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension v
Contents
1Overview
Description 2
Specifications 3
General Instrument 3
Robotic Arm 4
Physical Performance 4
Environmental 4
Physical 5
Electrical 6
Barcodes 6
2 Installation
Site Preparation 8
Bench Space Requirements 8
Contents of the G2257A Shipping Kit 9
Installation 11
Installing the Automation Interface 11
Setting Up the Well-plate Handler 17
Installing the Optional Rack Extension 25
Installing the Optional Fixed Barcode Reader 27
Installing the Optional Hand-held Barcode Reader 30
Barcode Requirements 31
Making the Electrical Connections 33
Adjusting the Barcode Reader Position 34
Adjusting the Lateral Position of the Well-plate Handler 36
Preliminary Adjustment of the Well-plate Handler Position 37

vi 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
contents
Well-plate Handler Teaching 39
Teaching using the ChemStation 39
Teaching using the Hand-held Controller 43
Fine Adjustment of the Well-plate Handler Position 45
Adjusting the radius 45
Adjusting for the gripper fingers 46
Adjusting the centering spring 47
De-Installation of the Automation Interface 48
3 G2257A Software Navigation
Using the Sample Capacity Extension with the ChemStation 50
Well-plate Handler Configuration 50
4 Working with the Sample Capacity Extension
What is a Hypersequence? 56
Creating a Hypersequence 57
Hypersequence Parameters 57
Barcode Settings 61
The Hypersequence Table 62
Importing an import file 64
Making an import file 68
5 Troubleshooting and Error Handling
Well-plate Handler Test 74
Testing with the ChemStation 74
Testing with the Hand-Held Controller 77
Automation Interface Test 79
Testing with the ChemStation 79
Testing with the Hand-Held Controller 80
Solving Problems 82
Well-plate Handler does not turn on when switched on. 82

contents
1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension vii
The Well-plate Handler arm does not move down far enough to
depress the plate sensor switch. 82
Error Messages 83
AI Door Error 83
Plate Error 83
AI Door Sensor Error 83
Power Failure on AI 84
Well-plate Sampler Thermostat Enabled Error 84
Maintenance 85
Cleaning the Well-plate Handler 85
Changing the Fuse(s) 86
Moving the Well-plate Handler 87
Long-Term Shutdown 88
Parts List 89
ASafetyInformation
Safety Information 92
General 92
Operation 92
Safety Symbols 93
Equipment Labels 94
Warning and Caution Notes in this Manual 94
Radio Interference 95
Agilent Technologies on Internet 96
Index 97

viii 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
contents

1
Agilent 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
Reference Manual
Agilent Technologies
1
Overview
Description 2
Specifications 3
Figure 1 The G2257A Sample Capacity Extension

2 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
1Overview
Description
The Agilent 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension is a flexible and
upgradeable robotic well-plate loading system. The basic unit, comprising a
Well-plate Handler and an Automation Interface, is capable of sequentially
loading up to twenty 96-well or 384-well plates into the Well-plate Sampler.
The Agilent 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension works in conjunction with
the Well-plate Sampler and either fully automatically with the ChemStation or
interactively with the Agilent 1100 Control Module. The Well-plate Handler
moves sample well-plates from an input rack to the Automation Interface,
which moves the well-plate into position in the Well-plate Sampler. When the
sequence is complete, the Automation Interface collects the well-plate from
the Well-plate Sampler, and the Well-plate Handler retrieves the plate and
places it into an output rack. This process is repeated for up to 20 well-plates
(expandable to 80) in a single run.
To prevent sample contamination, well-plates with lids can be used, or closing
mats can be used to prevent evaporation. The Well-plate Handler removes the
lid prior to processing the plate, then replaces the lid after processing.
Alternatively, a lid or an additional empty well-plate can be used as a “topper”
on the stack to prevent contamination or evaporation of the top well-plate.
The Well-plate Handler removes the topper prior to processing the stack, then
replaces the topper on the stack.

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension 3
Overview 1
Specifications
General Instrument
Plate Capacity Standard, 8.5-inch rack
16 shallow well-plates (14 mm height)
7 deep well-plates (31 mm height)
4 deep well-plates (48 mm height)
6 vial plates for 54 × 2 ml vials
Standard, 10-inch rack
20 shallow well-plates (14 mm height)
Extended, 8.5-inch rack
64 shallow well-plates (14 mm height)
28 deep well-plates (31 mm height)
16 deep well-plates (48 mm height)
24 vial plates for 54 × 2 ml vials
Extended 10-inch rack
80 shallow well-plates
Well-plates Supported 96-well plates
96-deep-well plates
384-well plates
Well-plate with Closing matsor fails
96-well plates with glass inserts and caps
Plate Storage Areas Standard
2 removable racks
Extended
5 removable racks
Housing Materials Kydex-T Plastic covering aluminum internal support plates
Gripper Materials White acetyl housing; aluminum fingers; polyurethane grip pads
Locating Plate Materials Sheet steel
Arm Mechanism Ball bearing axis with stainless steel pivot shaft; mechanical stops to
prevent continuous rotation (330°maximum)
Spill Control Interior components protected from accidental spillage by spill shield
rim located beneath rotating arm base
Ventilation/Cooling 12 volt fan located in the Well-plate Handler base

4 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
1Overview
Robotic Arm
Physical Performance
Environmental
G2255A Well-plate Handler
Rotary Travel 330 °
Horizontal Reach 25.4 cm (10.0 in) overall reach, 14 cm (5.5 in) beyond boundary of base
Vertical Reach Maximum 36.6 cm (14.4 in) from table, minimum 10.2 cm (4.0 in) from
table, total 26.4 cm (10.4 in) vertical travel distance
Rotary stepper motor 400 steps per motor revolutions; 0.41 mm (0.016 in) resolution per
motor step at 25.4 cm (10.0 in) radius; <5 seconds per full rotation
(330°)
Vertical Stepper Motor 400 steps per motor revolutions; 0.08 mm (0.003 in) vertical resolution
per motor step; approximately 3 seconds per complete vertical motion
(one direction)
Home Position Optical sensors for rotary and vertical arm home (zero) positions
Plate Sensor Mechanical push-button sensor
Operating Temperature 15°C to 40°C
Operating Humidity 0 to 85%, non-condensing
Storage Temperature -20°C to 65°C
Transient Over-voltages Installation Category II
Pollution Pollution Degree 2
Altitude Up to 2000M
Output 154 BTU/hr
Indoor Use Only

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension 5
Overview 1
G2254A Automation Interface
Physical
G2255A Well-plate Handler
G2257A including Agilent 1100 HPLC System
Optional Rack Extension
Operating Temperature 5°C to 55°C
Operating Humidity < 95%, at 25 – 40°C, non-condensing
Altitude Up to 2000M
Size (H ×W ×D) 49 cm ×47 cm ×72 cm
Weight 18 kg
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×84 cm ×72 cm
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×26 cm ×72 cm

6 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
1Overview
Electrical
G2255A Well-plate Handler
G2254A Automation Interface
Barcodes
Power Input 100-120/200-240V AC, 50/60 Hz (autosensing), 45 watts maximum
Line Voltage 100-120/200-240V AC, autosensing
Line Frequency 50/60 Hz
Fuses For 120V operation:
One 1.5-A, 0.25 in. x 1.25 in.
(0.64 cm. x 3.2 cm.)
For 240V operation:
Two 1.0-A, 0.2 in. x 0.08 in. (5.2-mm x 20-mm).
Grounding Through the power cord
Computer Interface RS-232 serial (double shielding required)
Microprocessor Board 80C188 microprocessor-based; 1 reversible DC motor; RS-232
communications link; 2 stepper motors; 4 sensors; Auxiliary 15 pin D
Connector: 1 stepper motor, 2 - 12V outputs, 3 sensors
Line Voltage CAN DC in, 24V
Interfaces CAN to any Agilent 1100 module
Supported barcode types Code 39, Code 128, Codabar, 2 of 5 Interleaved
Line thickness Between 0.19 and 1 mm
Maximum width 60 mm. A 60 mm barcode with 1 mm lines must be placed on the
landscape side of the plate.
Protecting foil Allowed
Positioning For end-mounted barcodes, the top edge of the bars must be 9 mm or
more above the bottom edge of the plate.

7
Agilent 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
Reference Manual
Agilent Technologies
2
Installation
Site Preparation 8
Contents of the G2257A Shipping Kit 9
Installation 11
Adjusting the Lateral Position of the Well-plate Handler 36
Preliminary Adjustment of the Well-plate Handler Position 37
Well-plate Handler Teaching 39
Fine Adjustment of the Well-plate Handler Position 45
De-Installation of the Automation Interface 48
WARNING
Switch the system power OFF before beginning these procedures.
Use only the tools listed in this manual to perform the steps described in the
instructions.
Never perform any operation on the instrument in an environment where potentially
damaging liquids or gases are present.
NOTE
Do not loosen or tighten any screws, or touch parts other than those specifically
designated in the instructions. Doing so may cause misalignment and could void the
instrument warranty.
Never force any component to fit if it will not do so easily.

8 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
2Installation
Site Preparation
Bench Space Requirements
The Well-plate Handler should be assembled in its permanent position on a
sturdy lab bench with at least three electrical outlets nearby. It is easier to
assemble the Well-plate Handler and align it with the well-plate device if you
unplug and remove the Automation Interface from the laboratory bench first
(take note of the location of any cables connected to the device).
G2257A
G2257A with optional Rack Extension
G2257A including Agilent 1100 HPLC System
G2257A with optional Rack Extension and including Agilent 1100 HPLC System
No additional gases, water or exhaust are required for the G2257A.
NOTE
The bench top must be sturdy enough to support the weight of the computer, the Well-plate
Handler, and the Agilent 1100 system without sagging. An uneven surface will result in the
misalignment of the Automation Interface and Well-plate Handler.
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×47 cm ×72 cm
Weight 18 kg
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×73 cm ×72 cm
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×84 cm ×72 cm
Size (H ×W ×D)49 cm ×110 cm ×72 cm

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension 9
Installation 2
Contents of the G2257A Shipping Kit
The part numbers given in this section are for reference only. For part
numbers to use in ordering exchange, replacement of consumable items, see
“Parts List" on page 89.
G2254A Automation Interface
•Customization kit (Part No. G2255-68708) containing
Alignment assembly
Screws
Location plate
Adjustment sheet
4 spacers to adjust the Well-plate Handler height
Location pin
3 spacers to adjust the optional Rack Extension height
•Cabinet kit (Part No. G2254-68700)
•Standard Accessory kit (Part No. G2254-68705) containing
54-vial plate
CAN cable
CAN DC-out cable
Hex key
Adapter plate assembly
Country-specific power cord for the Well-plate Handler
Manual
Declaration of Conformity
G2255A Well-plate Handler
•Well-plate Handler including standard gripper set and button extension
•2 removable 8.5-inch racks (Part No. G2255-68709)
or
2 removable 10-inch racks (Part No. G2255-68710), gripper set and
screwdriver
•Well-plate Handler base plate
•RS-232 communications cable [6 ft, (1.8 m) 9-pin to 9-pin]
•13/64 inch open end wrench

10 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
2Installation
•Spare fuses
•Screws and washers
Barcode Reader (optional)
•Fixed barcode reader
•Hand-held barcode reader
•Adapter cable
•Hex key
•Mounting bracket
•Screws
Rack Extension (optional)
•Rack Extension base plate
•3 removable racks (8.5-inch or 10-inch)
•Screws

1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension 11
Installation 2
Installation
The installation of the G2257A Sample Capacity Extension consists of the
following procedures:
•Installing the Automation Interface in the Well-plate Sampler,
•Setting up the Well-plate Handler,
•Calibrating the Well-plate Handler positions,
•Installing and adjusting the optional fixed barcode reader,
•Connecting the optional hand-held barcode reader.
Installing the Automation Interface
1Unpack the autosampler (G1367A or G1377A).
2Remove the front door from the autosampler (see Figure 2).
3Remove the funnel (see Figure 3).
Figure 2 Removing the front door of the Autosampler

12 1100 Series Sample Capacity Extension
2Installation
4Remove the plastic cover (see Figure 4).
5Remove any installed tray (see Figure 5).
Figure 3 Removing the funnel
Figure 4 Removing the cover