Caliper Life Sciences Twister II User manual

Copyright 2001 - 2006 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved.
P/N 113564 Rev. 2
User’s Manual
Twister II Robot


Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty 2
P/N 113642 Rev. 1 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty
I. INSTRUMENTS
CaliperLife Sciences, Inc. (“Caliper”) warrants your Caliper-manufactured instrument’s hardware and firmware against defects in material
and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment, subject to the exclusions set forth below and: (i) the warranty for
TurboVap products shall be ninety (90) days from the date of shipment, (ii) the warranty for Limited-Life Parts (as defined below) shall be thirty
(30) days from the date of installation, and (iii) the warranty for cosmetic surfaces shall be thirty (30) days from the date of installation (each, a
“Warranty Period”). Ongoing service support after the Warranty Period may be available at an additional expense.
A. What is Included during the Warranty Period:
• unlimited emergency on-site repair services1, parts and software updates that affect original functional design specifications, their
associated labor and travel expenses.
• unlimited access to Caliper’s Technical Support Center, which provides troubleshooting, repair instruction, service dispatching (other than
for TurboVap and Twister I), replacement part information and shipment.
• one pre-scheduled, on-site Preventive Maintenance and Diagnostic Servicing (PM) performed by a Caliper Field Service Engineer1. A PM
visit includes the replacement of a pre-defined list of Limited-Life Parts exposed to fluidics, such as syringes, valves, seals and fittings. The
Caliper Field Service Engineer will perform comprehensive analysis and testing to confirm that the equipment is left operating to factory
specifications. Scheduling of the PM within the Warranty Period is flexible and determined by the customer after notification by the Caliper
Field Service Engineer. The servicing is typically scheduled six months after the equipment installation, but equipment usage rate and
availability may cause the date to vary.
• A completed Caliper Field Service Report provides thorough documentation of all maintenance and service work performed by the Caliper
Field Service Engineer during an on-site visit. Documentation is not provided when Caliper provides service via telephone, fax or email.
Any failure of a product to conform to this Warranty shall be corrected by replacing or repairing the affected product or refunding the purchase
price (as described below), in each case at Caliper’s option. Parts replaced during the Warranty Period will be covered for the remaining term
of the original Warranty Period, or for thirty (30) days from time of replacement, whichever is longer. Such replacement parts may, at Caliper’s
option, be new or remanufactured. All parts removed from warranted equipment become the property of Caliper. Caliper reserves the right to
satisfy its warranty obligations in full by refunding the purchase price of any non-conforming product, minus any service, validation, or travel
charges.
B. Customer Responsibilities
In order for a product to be covered under this Warranty, Customer must comply with the following terms:
• The equipment must be used under normal installation and application conditions as described in the product’s User Manual.
• The equipment must be maintained as described in the User Manual.
• Only water or DMSO at a maximum concentration of 65% may be used as a system fluid in the Sciclone inL10. Any other system fluid must
be approved by Caliper before use in the inL10.
• Customer is responsible for making the equipment available for a PM visit during the Warranty Period. Caliper will not be held liable for a
missed PM visit due to restricted access to the equipment during the Warranty Period.
• When Caliper provides telephone, fax, or email support, Customer is responsible for completing any necessary documentation of the
service.
• If Customer maintains a change control/validation logbook as a permanent record, then Customer is responsible for entering all service
documentation into such logbook.
• Customer must perform the appropriate level of revalidation required as a result of the maintenance or service provided.
C. Exclusions
• Failure to comply with any of the Customer Responsibilities listed above will void this Warranty.
• Any alteration of hardware or software on products covered under this Warranty that are not performed by Caliper or an approved Caliper
vendor will void this Warranty.
• A product that has been subject to misuse, accident, negligence or improper transportation, handling, installation, storage, use, or
maintenance is not covered under this Warranty.
• Many Caliper products require the use of Caliper Automation Certified Disposables for proper operation. These may include, but are not
limited to: pipet tips, seals, labels and filters. Use of a Caliper product with any disposables other than the specified Caliper Automation
Certified Disposables will void this Warranty.
• This Warranty covers equipment manufactured by Caliper. Equipment purchased from other vendors is not covered by this Warranty.
• Damage to Limited-Life Parts caused by insufficient maintenance or cleaning practices or unauthorized applications are not covered under
this Warranty.
• This Warranty applies only to the original buyer and delivery location. It is not transferable to other buyers or locations without Caliper’s prior
written approval.
1. TurboVap and Twister I are not eligible for on-site service or a PM visit, and must be returned to Caliper’s Repair Depot for
warranty service pursuant to the process set forth in Section E below.

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty 3
P/N 113642 Rev. 1 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
• The Sciclone 384-channel low-volume head is warranted for one (1) year or 750,000 aspirate or dispense movements, whichever comes
first.
• The Sciclone 100nL head is warranted for one (1) year or 600,000 aspirate or dispense movements, whichever comes first.
• The laser component of the LabChip 3000 is warranted for the earlier of one (1) year from the date of installation or 8,000 hours of use.
• The use in a Sciclone inL10 of DMSO above 65% concentration, or any other system fluid not sanctioned for use by Caliper, will invalidate
this warranty as it relates to the pipetting head assembly.
If Caliper performs service on equipment and determines that any of the exclusions set forth in this Warranty apply, then Caliper shall charge
Customer its then-current current list prices for parts, labor and travel.
D. Limited-Life Parts
Limited-Life Parts are any parts that are exposed to solvents, reagents, or samples. Such parts include, but are not limited to syringes, valves,
seals and fittings. A pre-defined list of Limited-Life Parts are routinely replaced by Caliper Field Service Engineers during a PM visit or during
Caliper Repair Depot servicing. Otherwise, these parts are available from Caliper at current list prices and are designed for replacement by
Customer.
E. Equipment Return Policy
In servicing situations requiring the return of equipment to Caliper, equipment must be returned to Hopkinton, MA, USA, or another facility
designated by Caliper. Customer shall prepay shipping charges for equipment returned to Caliper, and Caliper will pay for return shipment to
Customer.
A Returned Material Authorization (RMA) must be obtained for any equipment being returned to Caliper. Contact the Caliper Technical Support
Center by telephone at (508)-435-9761, or via the Internet at [email protected] or by fax at (508)-435-0950 before returning any
equipment to Caliper. Customer must complete a Caliper Chemical Questionnaire prior to the issuance of an RMA. All equipment returned to
Caliper must first be decontaminated to meet Caliper and United States Department of Transportation procedures and standards for the safety
of Caliper personnel.
F. Hazardous Limitation Statement
At no time will Caliper personnel perform service on unsafe equipment, perform service in unsafe environments or decontaminate
equipment to make it safe.
Prior to performing any service work, Caliper personnel will evaluate the condition of the equipment and the environment in which the
equipment is located. If Caliper determines that the equipment and/or the environment could be hazardous to Caliper personnel, Caliper
reserves the right to refuse to service the equipment.
II. MICROFLUIDIC CHIPS
Caliper warrants that microfluidic chips (each, a “Chip”) purchased from Caliper by Customer will be free from defects in material and
workmanship for a period of sixty (60) days from the date of shipment (the “Warranty Period”). A “defect” for purposes of this Warranty is
defined as any failure that occurs during analysis of the first one hundred (100) samples being run on a Chip. During the Warranty Period, if
the Chip fails to comply with this Warranty, Caliper will repair or replace the Chip at its option and expense. If a Chip becomes damaged or its
performance otherwise deteriorates due to solvents and or reagents other than those supplied or expressly recommended by Caliper, Caliper
will replace the Chip at Customer’s request and expense. No such replacement will extend the original Warranty Period. This Warranty does
not extend to any Chip which has been (a) the subject of an accident, misuse, or neglect, (b) modified by a party other than Caliper, (c) used in
a manner not in accordance with the instructions contained in the product User’s Manual, or (d) used for an assay or application which has not
been approved by Caliper. All claims under this Warranty must be made within thirty (30) days of the discovery of the defect. Caliper’s
obligations under this Warranty are limited to replacement as Caliper deems necessary to correct those failures of the Chip to comply with this
Warranty of which Caliper is notified prior to expiration of the Warranty Period.
III. GENERAL
CALIPER SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL OTHER PROMISES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE PRODUCT’S CONDITION, ITS CONFORMITY TO ANY DESCRIPTION OR
REPRESENTATION, THE EXISTENCE OF ANY LATENT OR PATENT DEFECTS, AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT WILL CALIPER BE LIABLE, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL
DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER AND IN NO EVENT SHALL
CALIPER’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE PRODUCT. THERE ARE NO ORAL STATEMENTS, PROMISES,
REPRESENTATIONS OR OTHER WARRANTIES COLLATERAL TO OR AFFECTING THIS WARRANTY. THIS WARRANTY EXTENDS TO
BUYER ONLY AND NOT TO PURCHASERS OR USERS OF BUYER’S PRODUCTS.
No agent, employee, or representative of Caliper has any authority to bind Caliper to any affirmation, representation, or warranty concerning a
Caliper product that is not contained in Caliper’s printed product literature or this Warranty. Any such affirmation, representation, or warranty
made by any agent, employee, or representative of Caliper will not be binding on Caliper.

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement 4
P/N 104954 Rev. 3 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement
Thank you for purchasing our products. PLEASE READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY
BEFORE OPENING THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THE SOFTWARE MEDIA, THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE CONTAINED THEREIN, AND
THE ACCOMPANYING USER DOCUMENTATION (COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO HEREIN AS THE "PROGRAM"). THE PROGRAM IS
COPYRIGHTED AND LICENSED, NOT SOLD. BY OPENING THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THE PROGRAM, YOU ARE ACCEPTING AND
AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS
LICENSE AGREEMENT, YOU SHOULD PROMPTLY RETURN THE PROGRAM IN UNOPENED FORM, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A
REFUND. THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE PROGRAM BETWEEN YOU AND
CALIPERLIFE SCIENCES, INC. (REFERRED TO AS "LICENSOR"), AND IT SUPERSEDES ANY PRIOR PROPOSAL,
REPRESENTATION, OR UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN YOU AND LICENSOR.
1 License Grant.
Licensor hereby grants to you, and you accept, a nonexclusive license to use the Program only as authorized in this License Agreement.
The software included in the Program (the "Software") may be used only on a single computer owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by
you; or, in the event of the inoperability of that computer, on a backup computer selected by you. If the Software is an applications
package, you may use it on a single, local system controller. Neither concurrent use on two or more computers nor use in a local area
network or other network is permitted without written authorization from licensor and the payment of additional license fees. You agree
that you will not assign, sublicense, transfer, pledge, lease, rent, or share your rights under this License Agreement, except that you may
permanently transfer all of your rights under this License Agreement, provided that you retain no copies, you transfer all of the Program,
and the transferee agrees to the terms of this License Agreement. You agree that you may not reverse assemble, reverse compile, or
otherwise translate the Software.
Upon loading the Software into your computer, you may retain the Software media for backup purposes. In addition, you may make one
copy of the Software on a second medium for the purpose of backup in the event the Software media is damaged or destroyed. Any such
copies of the Software shall include Licensor's copyright and other proprietary notices. Except as authorized under this paragraph, no
copies of the Program or any portions thereof may be made by you or any person under your authority or control.
2 Licensor’s Rights.
Licensor has invested significant time and money in developing the products purchased with the Program. The Program contains
Licensor's trade secrets, which must be used in confidence. You acknowledge and agree that the program is proprietary to Licensor and
protected under U.S. copyright law. You further acknowledge and agree that all right, title, and interest in and to the Program, including
associated intellectual property rights, are and shall remain with Licensor. This License Agreement does not convey to you an interest in
or to the Program, but only a limited right to use it, revocable in accordance with the terms of this License Agreement. In the event of a
breach, the Licensor reserves the right to seek equitable relief.
3 License Fees.
The license fees paid by you in connection with the purchase of the associated product(s) are paid in consideration of the licenses
granted under this License Agreement.
4Term.
This License Agreement is effective upon your opening of this package and shall continue until terminated. You may terminate this
License Agreement at any time by returning the Program, and all copies thereof and extracts therefrom to Licensor. Licensor may
terminate this License Agreement upon the breach by you of any term hereof. Upon such termination by Licensor, you agree to return to
Licensor the Program and all copies and portions thereof.
5 Limited Warranty.
Licensor warrants, for your benefit alone, for a period of 90 days from the date of the commencement of this License Agreement (referred
to as the "Warranty Period") that the Software Media in which the Software is contained are free from defects in material and
workmanship. If, during the Warranty Period, a defect in the Software Media arises, you may return the Program to Licensor for either
replacement or, if so elected by Licensor, refund of amounts paid by you under this License Agreement. You agree that the foregoing
constitutes your sole and exclusive remedy for breach by Licensor of any warranties made under this License Agreement. EXCEPT FOR
THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH ABOVE, THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED "AS IS," AND THE LICENSOR DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL
OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
6 Limitation of Liability.
Licensor's cumulative liability to you or any other party for any loss or damages resulting from any claims, demands, or actions arising out
of or relating to this License Agreement shall not exceed the license fee paid to Licensor for the use of the Program. In no event shall
Licensor be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages or lost profits, even if Licensor has been
advised of the possibility of such damages. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement 5
P/N 104954 Rev. 3 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
7 Software Updates.
Licensor periodically creates Software updates which will be made available to you at no charge. Thereafter, Licensor shall not be
responsible for your use of, and shall not warrant or repair, superseded or outdated versions of Software.
8 Governing Law.
This License Agreement shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Any
dispute will be resolved in the state and federal courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
9 Severability.
Should any term of this License Agreement be declared void or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration
shall have no effect on the remaining terms hereof.
10 No Waiver.
The failure of either party to enforce any rights granted hereunder or to take action against the other party in the event of any breach
hereunder shall not be deemed a waiver by that party as to subsequent enforcement of rights or subsequent actions in the event of future
breaches.

Preface 6
P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Preface
Copyright
This manual is published by Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., 68 Elm
Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748 USA. Copyright 2001 - 2006, Caliper
Life Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means
or in any form of this manual or the products it describes is
prohibited.
Trademarks
Caliper, CLARA, and Twister are registered trademarks of Caliper
Life Sciences, Inc. The Caliper logo, iLink, and XP Robot are
trademarks of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and
Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of
their respective holders.
Contents
The information in this manual may contain typographical errors or
technical inaccuracies and is subject to change without notice.
Modifications may also be made to the product described in this
manual at any time.
Statement of Proper Use
The TwisterII robot and XP Robotare designed to be used in a
laboratory environment to move microplates and deepwell plates.
The Robots and Robot software are designed to be used in
integrated systems controlled by the Caliper automation control
software. Easy-to-use Teach Wizards simplify the process of
teaching robot positions, and the convenient Twister II storage
racks hold the plates during processing.
WARNINGS
• To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover. No
user serviceable parts are inside the Twister II. Refer to qualified
service personnel if help is required.
• Use this product only in the manner described in this manual. If
the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the
manufacturer, the protection provided by the equipment may be
impaired.

Preface 7
P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
AVERTISSEMENTS
• Pour réduire le risque de choc électrique, ne pas retirer le
couvercle. Le Twister II ne contient aucune pièce pouvant être
réparée par l’utilisateur. Au besoin, confier l’appareil à un
réparateur qualifié.
• Ce produit ne doit être utilisé que comme décrit dans ce
manuel. Si cet appareil est utilisé d’une manière autre que celle
spécifiée par le fabricant, la protection fournie par l’appareil peut
être entravée.
Contact Us
If you have a question about a product that is not answered in this
manual, or if you need assistance regarding this product, please
contact the Caliper Technical Support Center from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00
P.M., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday:
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.caliperLS.com
For support in Europe contact Caliper Life Sciences LTD, Runcorn,
UK [phone] or fax [phone]. For more
information contact your local Caliper representative.
Before you call, you should have the following information available
for the technical representative:
• Product serial number
• Software version (found by choosing About from the main Help
menu)
• If applicable, the error number shown in the software.

Preface 8
P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Product Service and Customer Support Plans
Caliper offers a full range of services to ensure your success. From
our original factory warranty through a comprehensive line of
customer support plans, Caliper offers you Field Service Engineers
and in-house Specialists who are dedicated to supporting your
hardware, software and application development needs.
Call: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Our programs can include such useful services as:
• Preventive maintenance
• Diagnostic servicing performed on-site by Caliper field service
engineers
• Extended use of the Caliper Technical Support Center
• Use of a software program for automated, remote
troubleshooting
• Software updates
• Parts, labor, and travel expense coverage
• Other customized services upon request
Training For Your Product
Contact the Caliper Center for Training and Development for
information about the availability of training courses for your
product:
Call: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
FCC
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC (United States Federal
Communications Commission) Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.

Preface 9
P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
CE
This device complies with all CE rules and requirements.
NOTE
Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved
by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
REMARQUE
Tout changement ou modification apporté à cet instrument non
expressément approuvé par l’entité responsable de la conformité
peut annuler l’autorisation d’opérer l’appareil accordée à
l’utilisateur.

Preface 10
P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Table of Symbols
Table 1 contains symbols that identify particularly important
information and alert you to the presence of hazards. Some of these
symbols may not appear in this manual or on the product it describes:
Table 1. Important Symbols
Symbol
Symbole
Description
Description
DANGER: An imminently hazardous situation,
which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious
injury.
DANGER : Situation présentant un danger imminent
qui, s’il n’est pas éliminé, peut entraîner des
blessures graves, voire la mort.
WARNING: Caution, risk of danger. Refer to the
User’s documentation.
AVERTISSEMENT : Attention, danger potentiel. Se
reporter à la documentation de l’utilisateur.
NOTE: A cautionary statement; an operating tip or
maintenance suggestion; may result in instrument
damage if not followed.
REMARQUE : Énoncé indiquant une précaution à
prendre, un conseil de fonctionnement ou une
suggestion d’entretien; son non-respect peut
provoquer des dommages à l’instrument.
Hazardous voltage; risk of shock injury.
Tension dangereuse; risque de blessure par
électrocution.
Crush hazard. Risk of body parts, hair, jewelry, or
clothing getting caught in a moving part.
Danger d’écrasement. Faire attention que les
parties corporelles, les cheveux, les bijoux ou les
vêtements ne soient pas pris dans une pièce mobile.
Risk of puncture injury.
Risque de blessure par piqûre.
Risk of eye injury; wear safety glasses.
Risque de lésion oculaire; porter des lunettes de
sécurité.

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P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Risk of fire.
Risque d’incendie.
Risk of poison.
Risque d’empoisonnement.
Risk of explosion.
Risque d’explosion.
Hazardous fumes.
Émanations dangereuses.
Hot surface; risk of burns.
Surface chaude; risque de brûlures.
Laser light; avoid exposure. Risk of eye injury.
Rayonnement laser; éviter toute exposition. Risque
de lésion oculaire.
Lifting hazard. May result in injury.
Levage dangereux. Peut entraîner des blessures.
Protective ground symbol.
Symbole de terre de protection.
Ground symbol.
Symbole de terre.
Fuse.
Fusible.
Alternating current.
Courant alternatif.
On (supply).
Marche (alimentation).
Off (supply).
Arrêt (alimentation).
CE compliance mark.
Marque de conformité CE.
Table 1. Important Symbols (Continued)
Symbol
Symbole
Description
Description

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P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Signifies that the unit has passed safety tests for
grounding, power line transience, and current
leakage.
Signifie que l’appareil a réussi les tests de sécurité
pour la mise à la terre, le courant transitoire de ligne
d’alimentation et la perte de courant.
Input.
Entrée.
Output.
Sortie.
Equipment
labels are
color coded:
Les
étiquettes
de l’appareil
sont codées
couleur:
Yellow Caution, risk of danger
Red Stop
Blue Mandatory action
Green Safe condition or information
Jaune Attention, danger potentiel
Rouge Arrêter
Bleu Intervention obligatoire
Vert Condition sûre ou informations de sécurité
)Helpful hints, additional information
Conseils utiles, informations supplémentaires
Table 1. Important Symbols (Continued)
Symbol
Symbole
Description
Description

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P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Table of Contents
Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Product Warranty ....................................................... 2
Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. Software License Agreement ..................................... 4
Preface .................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction........................................................................................................... 16
Robot Software Terminology ............................................................................... 17
Positions ........................................................................................................... 17
Paths................................................................................................................. 19
Position Types................................................................................................... 19
Robot Procedures ............................................................................................. 20
Robot Files........................................................................................................ 20
Robot.ini File ............................................................................................... 20
Storage Configuration using Stack Storage Software ........................................ 21
Material Layout using iLink PRO Storage Software ........................................... 22
Restacking ........................................................................................................ 22
Lids ................................................................................................................... 22
Remote and Standalone Modes ........................................................................ 22
Operation .............................................................................................................. 23
Robot Software Setup ....................................................................................... 23
Start the Robot Software.............................................................................. 24
Create a New Robot Project ........................................................................ 25
Configure the Robot Software...................................................................... 26
Initialize and Home the Robot ...................................................................... 27
Customize the User Interface....................................................................... 28
Stack Storage Setup ......................................................................................... 29
Setting up a Storage Configuration .............................................................. 29
iLink PRO Storage Setup .................................................................................. 35
Adding Materials to the Twister II Racks in iLink PRO.................................. 35
Example: Adding Multiple Materials to Twister II Racks ............................... 38
Running the Robot with Caliper Automation Control Software ........................... 42
Starting the Robot Software in Remote Mode .............................................. 42
Loading the Materials into the Twister II Racks ............................................ 43
Viewing the Material Positions while a CLARA Application is Running ......... 44
Error Recovery .................................................................................................. 45
Using the Robot Software and the Stack Storage Software during Error
Recovery ..................................................................................................... 45
Errors During a Move Instruction.................................................................. 45
Retry Operation ........................................................................................... 48
Continue Operation...................................................................................... 48
Abort Operation ........................................................................................... 49
Moving the Robot Manually.................................................................................. 50
Starting the Robot Software in Standalone Mode .............................................. 50
Opening the Correct INI File.............................................................................. 51

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Initializing and Homing the Robot ...................................................................... 52
Moving the Robot .............................................................................................. 53
Moving the Robot to an Instrument Position ...................................................... 55
Teaching the Robot .............................................................................................. 56
Overview ........................................................................................................... 56
Teaching the Twister II Storage Racks .............................................................. 56
Teaching the Instrument Positions..................................................................... 64
Example: Sciclone Position Numbers and Locations ......................................... 77
Example: Teaching the Clear Path for the Sciclone ........................................... 78
Teaching the XP Robot ..................................................................................... 83
Teaching Positions Manually ............................................................................. 83
Testing the Positions and Paths ........................................................................ 86
Twister II Hardware ............................................................................................... 89
Overview ........................................................................................................... 89
Robot Axes ....................................................................................................... 90
Twister II Robot Parts and Functions................................................................. 92
Twister II Robot Canister ............................................................................. 92
Rack Position Numbers ............................................................................... 93
Pod Parts and Functions.............................................................................. 93
Twister II Power/Fuse Assembly .................................................................. 98
Optional Components .................................................................................. 98
Assay Engine Twister II Parts and Functions..................................................... 99
Assay Engine Twister II Top View................................................................ 99
Assay Engine Twister II Rack Position Numbers........................................ 100
Assay Engine Twister II Power/Fuse Assembly.......................................... 100
Rack Parts and Functions ............................................................................... 102
Communications Cable ................................................................................... 103
Power Cord ..................................................................................................... 103
Twister II - Maintenance ..................................................................................... 104
Cleaning the Twister II..................................................................................... 104
Cleaning the Rack Base .................................................................................. 105
Changing the Twister II Fuse(s)....................................................................... 105
Changing the Assay Engine Twister II Fuses................................................... 108
Moving the Twister II ....................................................................................... 109
Long-Term Shutdown ...................................................................................... 110
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 111
Twister II Troubleshooting ............................................................................... 111
Re-Teaching the Storage Positions ................................................................. 113
Re-Teaching the Instrument Positions............................................................. 113
Adjusting the Instrument Positions .................................................................. 114
Twister II Performance Checks........................................................................ 115
Power Loss During Operation.......................................................................... 116
Appendix A: Software Reference ....................................................................... 117
Robot Software ............................................................................................... 117
Robot Software Main Window .................................................................... 117
Manual Controls Tab.................................................................................. 121

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P/N 113564 Rev. 2 Twister II Robot User’s Manual Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
Teach Tab ................................................................................................. 123
Diagnostics Tab......................................................................................... 129
Open Window ............................................................................................ 130
Save As Window........................................................................................ 130
Add Instrument from CLARA or iLink Window ............................................ 131
Instruments Window .................................................................................. 132
Instrument Name Window.......................................................................... 132
Add Position Window ................................................................................. 133
New Path Window...................................................................................... 133
Plate Location Window .............................................................................. 134
Log Window............................................................................................... 135
Settings Window ........................................................................................ 136
Visual Basic Editor Window ....................................................................... 137
VBA Macros Window ................................................................................. 138
About Window............................................................................................ 139
Teach Wizard .................................................................................................. 139
Teach Wizard Buttons................................................................................ 140
Rack Teach Wizard.................................................................................... 142
Instrument Teach Wizard ........................................................................... 147
Stack Storage Software................................................................................... 158
Stack Storage Main Window ...................................................................... 158
Network Browse Window ........................................................................... 160
Analyze Application Window ...................................................................... 160
Choose CLARA Application Window .......................................................... 161
Capacity Planning Window ........................................................................ 162
New Stack Storage Configuration Window ................................................. 164
Open Configuration Window ...................................................................... 165
Stack Storage Configuration Window......................................................... 166
Delete Configuration Window..................................................................... 167
Runtime Stack Storage Configuration Window........................................... 168
About Stack Storage Window..................................................................... 170
Appendix B: Twister II Specifications................................................................ 171
General Instrument Specifications................................................................... 171
Robotic Arm .................................................................................................... 171
Physical Performance ..................................................................................... 171
Physical .......................................................................................................... 172
Electrical ......................................................................................................... 172
Environmental ................................................................................................. 173
Index .................................................................................................................... 174

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Introduction
This manual explains the Twister II hardware, the Assay Engine
Twister II hardware, the Robot software, the Stack Storage
software, and the iLink PRO Storage software. This manual is
intended for systems using the Robot software in a system
controlled by either CLARA or iLink PRO automation control
software. If you are using iLink software, see the iLink User’s
Manual for information on the Robot software.
The Twister II robot is used to move microplates and lids between
instruments in an automated system. The hardware descriptions,
Twister II maintenance, and Twister II troubleshooting procedures
are included in this manual.
The Caliper Life Sciences Robot software controls the robot,
stores all of the taught positions for the robot, and includes the VBA
code required to operate the Twister II with the automation control
software. This manual includes procedures for setting up the Robot
software (in both Standalone and Remote modes), teaching the
positions, recovering from errors, and troubleshooting the Robot
software.
The Stack Storage software is used with the CLARA automation
control software to configure materials in the Twister II storage
racks. This manual includes procedures for setting up the material
configuration and recovering from errors using the Stack Storage
software.
The iLink PRO Storage software is used with the iLink PRO
automation control software to configure the materials in the Twister
II storage racks. This manual includes the procedure for setting up
the initial material layout.
The Software Reference section of this manual includes
descriptions of all of the windows in the Robot software, the Robot
Teach Wizards, and the Stack Storage software. The iLink PRO
Storage software does not have any windows, it only displays the
rack graphics in the iLink PRO software.

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Robot Software Terminology
This section defines the Robot software terminology that the system
operators and integrators must know to operate the Twister II
software. System Operators should be familiar with the definitions
of positions and paths if they will be re-teaching the Twister II robot
positions. System Integrators must be familiar with all of the
definitions provided in this section.
If you are using software other than the Caliper Robot software in
the system, see the software’s user documentation for details about
the software.
Positions
A position is a saved point in space, consisting of one value for
each robot axis. When the robot moves to a position, all the axes
move to the specified locations. Positions are created using the
Teach Wizards or the Twister II Robot software controls. Positions
are saved in the Position file (.pos) in the Robot\ICP\ folder.
The Caliper automation control software uses robot positions to
successfully move materials into and out of each instrument in the
system. The Teach wizard automatically creates all of the
necessary positions when you follow the instructions in the wizard.
Each instrument in the system has one position with each of the
names shown in the table below. If an instrument contains more
than one material position, there is one of each position name for
each material position.
Name Definition
Pick Where the robot moves to retrieve a material
from an instrument. May or may not be the same
as the Place position.
Place Where the robot moves to place a material into
an instrument. May or may not be the same as
the Pick position.
PickClearance Directly above the Pick position. The robot
moves down a small vertical distance directly to
the Pick position. When the robot is holding a
material in the PickClearance position, the
bottom of the material must clear the
instrument’s plate locator guides, and must not
interfere with the instrument’s operation. May or
may not be the same position as
PlaceClearance.

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When the automation control software sends a command to the
robot software to retrieve a material from an instrument, the robot
moves through the positions in the following order:
• Moves to the instrument’s Safe position
• Executes the Approach Path, if an approach path was defined
(see “Paths” on page 19 for more information)
• PickClearance<PositionNumber>
• Pick<PositionNumber>
• (Close grips)
• PickClearance<PositionNumber>
• Executes the Clear Path, if a clear path was defined
• Moves to the instrument’s Safe position
When placing a material into an instrument, the sequence above is
used, except the Place<PositionNumber> and the
PlaceClearance<PositionNumber> positions are used instead of the
Pick positions.
PlaceClearance Directly above the Place position. The robot
moves down a small vertical distance directly to
a Place position. When the robot is holding a
material in the PlaceClearance position, the
bottom of the material must clear the
instrument’s plate locator guides, and must not
interfere with the instrument’s operation. May or
may not be the same position as PickClearance.
Safe Position to which the robot moves after picking
or placing a material. At the highest vertical
position so the robot can rotate without
contacting any instrument.
Name Definition

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Paths
A path is a sequence of positions used to move the robot into or out
of an instrument in the system. The Teach wizard automatically
creates the required paths when you follow the instructions in the
wizard. These paths are created if you choose No when the wizard
asks if the robot is clear to move straight up out of the instrument.
The Approach Path is executed when the robot is moving from the
Safe position into the instrument.
The Clear Path is executed when the robot is moving from the
PickClearance or PlaceClearance position out of the instrument to
the Safe position.
The Approach and Clear paths both contain the same positions, but
the Clear path executes the positions in numerical order (1, 2, 3...)
while the Approach path executes the positions in reverse
numerical order (... 3, 2, 1).
Position Types
An Absolute position is a single robot position, relative to the
robot’s Home position. Saving an Absolute position saves the
current position of all five axes. The positions created by the Teach
wizard are all Absolute positions. Most users only need to use the
Teach Wizards in the Twister II robot software to create the required
positions and paths.
A Relative position is used to move the robot a set number of
steps, on each axis, relative to the last Absolute position reached.
Relative positioning should be used only by advanced users. Most
users only need to use the Teach Wizards in the Twister II robot
software to create the required positions and paths.
All positions are saved in the Position (.pos) file with the same
name as the INI file.

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Robot Procedures
A Robot Procedure is a group of Visual Basic macros that control
the movement of the robot. Macros group multiple positions and
actions together in a sequence. The Teach wizards automatically
create the required procedures and macros.
The system integrator can create their own procedures using the
VBA editor but must have appropriate VBA instruction before
creating macros or procedures. This manual is not intended to
substitute for VBA training.
Procedures (and the associated macros), are saved in the
Procedure (.xpd) file with the same name as the INI file.
Robot Files
The Robot software uses INI files to store the robot settings and to
locate the proper .pos and .xpd files to use when operating the
robot. When you open an INI file in the Robot software, the main
window displays the positions and paths in the .xpd and .pos files
with the same names as the .ini file. The association of the .ini files
with the .xpd and .pos files enables you to use multiple robots in the
same system.
The following table describes the types of robot files and the
contents of each file:
Robot.ini File
When you open the Robot software in Standalone mode, the main
window displays the settings in the default .ini file named
TwisterII.ini, and uses the data in the TwisterII.xpd and
TwisterII.pos files. After opening the Robot software, you can open
a different INI file which uses the data in the .xpd and .pos files with
the same name as the INI file.
When the Robot software is started in Remote mode by the
automation control software, the automation control software
automatically opens the INI file with the same name as the robot
resource to control the robot.
File Extension File Content
.xpd Stores robot procedure information.
.pos Stores robot position information.
.ini Stores robot operation information, including
which .xpd and .pos files to use.