Asymptote VIA Freeze Series User manual

Asymptote
St John’s Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS
Page 1of 86
VIA Freeze system User Manual

Asymptote
St John’s Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS
Page 2of 86
1. Revision History
Revision
Details
Date
Author
1
Initial issue
07/10/14
John Sendall
2
Graphics added
15/10/14
Matt Bateman
3
Restructure of document
20/10/14
Chris Creasey
4
Addition of images
25/10/14
Matt Bateman
5
Additions to text
26/10/14
Chris Creasey
John Sendall
6
Proof Reading and corrections
28/10/14
Stuart Milne
Sarah Acton
7
Proof Reading and corrections
30/10/14
Chris Creasey
Stuart Milne
A
Released
30/10/14
Stuart Milne
B
Images updated to reflect software
updates
27/8/15
Chris Creasey
C
Images and menu structure updated
10/12/15
Ellis farmery
Chris Creasey
D
Moved menu structure to appendix
14/12/15
Chris Creasey
E
Removed section on shipping bung
29/04/16
Chris Creasey
F
Peter Dunkley Comments
16/10/2016
Stuart Milne
G
Edit
09/01/2017
Emma Creasey

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St John’s Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS
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Table of Contents
1. Revision History.........................................................................................................................................2
2. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................6
3. Safety .............................................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Mains electricity.................................................................................................................................7
3.1.1 Instruction regarding positioning to avoid difficulty in operating the
disconnecting device...............................................................................................................................7
3.2 Lifting and carrying ..........................................................................................................................7
3.3 Operating environment and conditions..................................................................................8
3.4 Cold surfaces.......................................................................................................................................8
3.5 Disposal.................................................................................................................................................8
4. Getting started...........................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Before switching on .........................................................................................................................9
4.2 Switching on and logging in........................................................................................................9
4.3 Notes on the touchscreen.......................................................................................................... 13
4.4 Notes on the Main Menu........................................................................................................... 14
4.4.1 The navigation bar ................................................................................................................ 14
4.4.2 The status column................................................................................................................. 15
5. System Overview / Orientation........................................................................................................ 16
5.1 Overview of a Cryopreservation Run..................................................................................... 16
5.1 Loading and unloading vials..................................................................................................... 17
5.2 Hardware overview........................................................................................................................ 20
5.2.1 VIA Freeze™ Research.......................................................................................................... 20
5.2.2 VIA Freeze™ Duo ................................................................................................................... 23

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5.2.3 VIA Freeze™ Quad................................................................................................................. 26
5.3 Software Menu Structure............................................................................................................ 29
6. Detailed use ............................................................................................................................................. 29
6.1 The back and forward buttons................................................................................................. 29
6.2 Menu icons ....................................................................................................................................... 30
6.2.1 Home screen............................................................................................................................ 30
6.2.2 Settings screen........................................................................................................................ 31
6.2.3 System Manager screen...................................................................................................... 32
6.2.4 Service screens........................................................................................................................ 33
6.2.5 Log Out and Shut Down screen...................................................................................... 34
6.2.6 System mode icons............................................................................................................... 34
6.3 Performing a run............................................................................................................................ 35
6.3.1 Protocols.................................................................................................................................... 36
6.3.2 Record details.......................................................................................................................... 38
6.3.3 Running...................................................................................................................................... 38
6.4 Heating ............................................................................................................................................... 40
6.5 Exporting Run Data....................................................................................................................... 41
7. Routine Maintenance........................................................................................................................... 42
7.1 Cleaning ............................................................................................................................................. 42
7.1.1 Cleaning products ................................................................................................................. 42
7.1.2 Cleaning protocol .................................................................................................................. 42
7.2 Heat transfer pad replacement................................................................................................ 43
7.3 Servicing and Calibration............................................................................................................ 44
8. Plate loading/unloading ..................................................................................................................... 44
8.1 Sample placement/removal inside freezer.......................................................................... 44

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8.1 SBS plate loading outside the freezer .................................................................................. 54
9. Advanced operation ............................................................................................................................. 55
9.1 Records............................................................................................................................................... 55
9.2 Changing password, email and FTP....................................................................................... 58
9.3 Creating a new protocol (admin only).................................................................................. 58
9.4 Editing an existing protocol (admin only)........................................................................... 62
9.5 User management (admin only).............................................................................................. 65
9.6 Creating a new user...................................................................................................................... 67
9.7 Service screens (admin only)..................................................................................................... 67
9.8 Systems administration................................................................................................................ 68
9.8.1 Hardware ................................................................................................................................... 68
9.8.2 Operating system, Boot process and Sys Admin access...................................... 68
9.8.3 Network and Security .......................................................................................................... 69
9.8.4 Software maintenance ......................................................................................................... 69
9.8.5 Setting the time zone (do this before setting the time)...................................... 69
9.8.6 Setting the time and date.................................................................................................. 70
9.9 Events .................................................................................................................................................. 71
9.9.1 Export event log..................................................................................................................... 72
9.10 Alarms ............................................................................................................................................. 72
9.11 Remote access............................................................................................................................. 75
10. Menu structure detail....................................................................................................................... 78
11. Specifications and dimensions ..................................................................................................... 81
11.1 VIA Freeze Research ................................................................................................................. 81
11.2 VIA Freeze Duo........................................................................................................................... 83
11.3 VIA Freeze Quad ........................................................................................................................ 85

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2. Introduction
Thank you very much for purchasing an Asymptote VIA Freeze™ product.
This manual describes the operation of the VIA Freeze™ range of controlled rate freezers.
The freezers use free piston Stirling coolers to freeze samples and there are three freezer
models available, full details can be found in the Technical specifications section 10 of
this document,
Figure 1 The three VIA Freeze™ models

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3. Safety
To ensure safe operation of this equipment please follow these instructions.
If the via Freeze is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection
provided by the equipment may be impaired.
3.1 Mains electricity
All VIA Freeze™ freezers operate using mains voltage of between 100 and 240V with a
standard IEC C14 power socket on its rear as shown in section 5.2.
The standard inlet fuse rating is T5A H250V.
Ensure that suitable Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) procedures are undertaken
regularly throughout the life of the freezer. This will also ensure that plugs and leads are
correctly earthed, should they have been changed or damaged.
Only connect to earthed (grounded) mains outlet.
3.1.1 Instruction regarding positioning to avoid difficulty in operating the
disconnecting device
Disconnection from the mains supply should be performed by either switching mains
power at the wall, or by the power switch located at the rear of the unit where the IEC
cable enters the product. Ensure that the operator will have physical access to one or
both of these connections points when the unit is positioned for operation.
3.2 Lifting and carrying
Take care when lifting and carrying all VIA Freeze™ freezers. Ensure that all precautions
are taken to lift in a safe manner and follow your company’s lifting and handling
procedures.
The VIA Freeze™ Research is relatively light so can be lifted and carried by a single user
with the front and rear handles.

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The VIA Freeze™ Duo and VIA Freeze™ Quad are heavy pieces of equipment and are
not suitable to be lifted and carried by a single person. Make sure that when moving
these freezers that one person grips each of the large blue handles at the sides.
3.3 Operating environment and conditions
The system is designed to operate in normal laboratory environments.
The system is designed to operate in ambient air temperature from 0-30 degrees Celsius
and from 0-90% humidity.
The VIA Freeze Research is designed for benchtop mounting, and both the VIA Freeze
DUO and QUAD can be benchtop or floor mounted.
3.4 Cold surfaces
The potential danger symbol is positioned near the working surfaces of the
freezer which get very cold during operation.
Temperatures of the working surface can reach as low as -110°C. At this temperature,
contact with skin can lead to cold burns. Please ensure that suitable gloves are worn at
all times when handling frozen samples and the working area.
3.5 Disposal
At the end of the life of a VIA Freeze™ freezer, please contact Asymptote or your
distributor to arrange disposal and recycling.
The Stirling engine(s) contain(s) a small amount of pressurised helium and metals that
can be recycled and should not be disposed of in general waste.

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4. Getting started
4.1 Before switching on
1. Site the freezer on a suitable table or work-surface with reference to the weight
indicated in Table 1.
System
VIA Freeze
Research
VIA Freeze Duo
VIA Freeze Quad
Weight
14kg (31lb)
40kg (88lb)
64kg (141lb)
Table 1 VIA Freeze System weights
2. To allow sufficient air circulation, place the back of the freezer at least 10cm (4”)
from any wall or obstruction. The outlet vents from the engine are on the bottom
so ensure that the work-surface is firm and free from debris. Do not run the system
on a soft surface such as a carpet.
3. Plug the supplied power cable into the IEC power socket at the back of the freezer
(see section 5.2) and into the mains supply. In the unlikely event that something
unforeseen has happened during shipping we recommend performing a portable
appliance test for electrical safety before plugging the unit into the electrical
supply outlet.
4. If networking or remote access is required, then plug an Ethernet cable (not
supplied) from the local area network into the RJ45 socket at the back of the
freezer.
5. If purchased please refer to and complete the IQOQ document. This QA document
ensures and records that Asymptote QA installation and operational requirements
are met.
4.2 Switching on and logging in
Switch on the power socket at the wall and switch on at the back of the unit as shown in Figure 2

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St John’s Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS
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Figure 2 Switching on a VIA Freeze
Wait for the system to boot up (this can take a minute or so especially if no network is
connected) and you should be presented with the login screen as shown in Figure 3.
This indicates that the system has correctly booted up and the temperature sensor on
the top right hand side of the screen is reading approximately room temperature or the
temperature that the unit has been stored at.
Figure 3 The Login Screen
Two types of user accounts exist, ‘user’ and ‘admin’, and you can log in as either from
the login screen. If you log in as an Admin, you will have access to certain system settings,
which a normal User account is not able to view, for example being able to create extra

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user accounts. For the purposes of this document, it does not matter which user type
you log in as although some menus are only available as an admin user.
If this is the first time that the freezer has been used, the default login is as an
administrator as follows:
: admin
:
The password has no characters by default so there is no need to type anything into
this field. We recommend that these login details are changed and user accounts
created for system security and traceability as follows:
: username –a unique identifier for every user.
: password –a string of characters and / or numbers unique to each user for
authentication.
When a text input field is touched on the touch screen, an on-screen keyboard will
appear, as shown in Figure 4. To log in, use this keyboard to enter your username and
password in the relevant fields, click ‘Accept’on the keyboard, then press the ‘Log in’
button on the login dialog box.

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Figure 4 An onscreen keyboard appears when entering text
If the login attempt failed, e.g. because the wrong password was entered, an error
message will be shown and the display will remain on the login menu. Otherwise, the
main menu will appear on the display, see Figure 5.

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Figure 5 The main menu, as it appears when logged in as admin user. ‘Settings’ will
not appear if logged in with a User rather than Admin account.
The login is managed on a session-by-session basis. If this session expires, you will be
redirected back to the login menu, and you will have to log in again. A session expires
if left inactive for 15 minutes.
4.3 Notes on the touchscreen
The operation and user interface is identical for all VIA Freeze™ freezers. The only
difference is the capacity or number of samples of each freezer.
All freezer models have a 25.6cm (10.1”) touchscreen display mounted on the front of
the system. This allows the user to control all aspects of the freezer through a touch
based menu system.
If the user does not wish to use the touch interface, then a standard USB mouse and
keyboard (not supplied) can be used instead by plugging them into the USB sockets at
the back of the system. Contact Asymptote or your distributor if you have any problems
with this or other accessibility issues.

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4.4 Notes on the Main Menu
The main menu, as shown below in Figure 6, has three main areas. The menu window is
the main point of interaction and changes according to what menu is currently selected.
When changing menus, the navigation bar will update to show the current menu location.
Figure 6 Main menu areas
4.4.1 The navigation bar
The navigation bar at the top of the screen shows the user which menus and windows
are currently active. It also allows users access to any currently active operations or
menus. These are listed along the bar and can be selected as required by tapping them.
The button furthest on the left on the navigation bar contains the username of the
current user. Pressing this button reloads the user interface in the unlikely event of a
system crash.

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4.4.2 The status column
The status column on the right hand side of the screen displays live data from the Stirling
engine. If using a VIA Freeze™ Quad, then data from two Stirling engines will be
displayed. For each engine, the following information is displayed:
1. Cryo-plate: This is the temperature of the cryo-plate in °C (please note that
samples placed on this plate will be a few degrees warmer due to the thermal
gradient in the system which must be accounted for).
2. Setpoint: This is the temperature that the cryo-plate is programmed to reach and
is set by the protocol, which is currently running.
3. Status: This is the current status of the cryo-plate and can be one of the following:
Standby: The default mode, engines and heaters not powered.
Running: A freeze protocol is running and the engine is active.
Holding: The freezer is holding at a set temperature and is using the engine

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to maintain this temperature.
Heating: Heaters are on to warm and dry the system. This occurs after the run
has been finished and the samples have been removed.
4. Engine output power: This power bar fills up as the engine requires more power
to operate. This indicates how much cooling capacity the engine has left.
5. System Overview / Orientation
This section is intended to give the user a high-level overview of the workflow, software
and hardware of the systems before more detailed descriptions in subsequent chapters.
5.1 Overview of a Cryopreservation Run
Figure 7 shows an example cryopreservation run with 4°C sample loading. This shows
the intended workflow for a typical protocol. This can be changed to suit the specific
process and cell lines used. For a more thorough guide to cryopreservation please refer
to 'ASY_0009_D_1_Asymptote guide to cryopreservation’.

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Figure 7 Example Cryopreservation Run
5.1 Loading and unloading vials
When using the system, vials can either be loaded into the supplied SBS adapting plate
which is then loaded into the VIA Freeze or the SBS plate in the VIA Freeze. The SBS
plate and the dwell temperature of the VIA Freeze protocol should be the same to avoid
the cells or samples being unnecessarily heated or cooled. This is shown in Figure 8.
Turn on VIA
Freeze
After boot make
sure system is OK
and Login
Start chosen
protocol with
4°C Dwell
Precool SBS Plate
in VIA Freeze
Prepare
Samples
User protocol e.g.
Add
cryoprotectant
Place samples in
cooled SBS plate
Continue
Run
Place SBS Plates
in VIA Freeze Close Lid
Wait for run
to finish
Run can be held
at any point if
required
Remove SBS
Plate from
VIA Freeze
Use correct
safety gloves
Place Samples in
long term storage
Press Finish
on User
Interface
Heating cycle
starts to dry
system
Leave lid open
Review and
or Export
Cryo-Records
When
heating cycle
finished
Do another run
or shut down and
switch off
Close or replace
lid

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Figure 8 Loading an SBS plate into a VIA Freeze
Alternatively, the vials can be loaded individually into a SBS plate in the system that has
been precooled to the correct temperature using a dwell and hold in the protocol. This
is shown in Figure 9.

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Figure 9 Loading vials individually into an SBS plate

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5.2 Hardware overview
5.2.1 VIA Freeze™ Research