CombiWash
| User Manual
Cat No. 18460/1
Cat No.
REVISION LIST OF THE MANUAL
Rev. /DATE.
REVISION DESCRIPTION
01/2009-10
First edition
02/2010-05
Shakeing, incubation, prime and rinse function edited
03/2011-03
Update Specification
04/2011-04
Update Specification (Power consumption)
05/2011-09
Update Specification (Dimension)
SYSTEM VERSION
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2010, Human GmbH, Wiesbaden, Germany. All rights reserved.
No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form, nor processed, copied or
distributed by means of electronic systems, without prior permission of Human GmbH in
writing. Since all precautionary measures were taken into account in producing these operating
instructions, the manufacturer accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. This
includes any liability for damage that could arise from possible incorrect operation based on this
information. Subject to changes without notice as result of technical development.
SERVICE UND SUPPORT
CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
3
1.1 INTRODUCTION
3
1.2 USER WARRANTY
3
1.3 INTENDED USE OF THE INSTRUMENT [IVD]
4
1.4 GENERAL SAFETY WARNINGS
4
1.5 DISPOSAL MANAGEMENT CONCEPT
5
1.6 INSTRUMENT DISINFECTION
5
1.7 BIOHAZARD WARNING
6
2 INTRODUCTION
11
2.1 INSTRUMENT FEATURES
11
2.2 SPECIFICATIONS
12
2.3 COMPONENTS
13
2.4 KEYBOARD
14
3 INSTALLATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
15
3.1 UNPACKING
15
3.2 INSTALLING THE BOTTLES AND TUBING
15
3.3 INSTALLING THE WASH HEAD
16
3.4 STARTING THE INSTRUMENT
16
4 SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
4.1 ADVANCED SETTINGS
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
Adjusting the LCD contrast ratio
Hang-up settings
Plate shaking
Stroke settings
17
18
18
19
19
20
4.2 PLATE SETTINGS
21
4.3 SWITCH BOTTLE
22
4.4 TURNING OFF THE SYSTEM
23
5 OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
25
5.1 WORKTABLE AND ELISA PLATES
25
5.2 WASHING THE PLATES
25
5.2.1 Parameter confirmation
5.2.2 Parameter settings
5.2.3 Plate washing
25
26
28
CONTENTS
5.3 SINGLE ASPIRATE / SINGLE DISPENSE
5.3.1 Single aspirate
5.3.2 Single dispense
5.4 PRIME / RINSE
29
29
30
31
5.4.1 Prime
5.4.2 Rinse
31
5.5 INCUBATOR
32
5.5.1 Parameter settings
5.5.2 Incubation process
6 MAINTENANCE
32
32
33
35
6.1 REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THE WORKTABLE
35
6.2 REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THE WASH HEAD
35
6.3 REPLACING THE FUSE
36
6.4 EMPTYING THE WASTE BOTTLE
36
7 ERROR MESSAGES
37
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1.1 Introduction
This manual is considered as a part of the instrument; it has to be at the
operator’s hand as well as at the maintenance operator’s availability. For
accurate installation, use and maintenance, please read the following
instructions carefully. In order to avoid instrument damage or personal
injury, carefully read the ”GENERAL SAFETY WARNINGS”, describing the suitable
operating procedures. In case of breakdowns or any troubles with the
instrument, apply to the local Technical Service.
1.2 User Warranty
HUMAN warrants that instruments sold by one of its authorised
representatives shall be free of any defect in material or workmanship, provided
that this warranty shall apply only to defects which become apparent within
one year from the date of delivery of the new instrument to the purchaser.
The HUMAN representative shall replace or repair any defective item at no
charge, except for transportation expenses to the point of repair.
This warranty excludes the HUMAN representative from liability to replace
any item considered as expendable in the course of normal usage, e.g.: lamps,
valves, syringes, glassware, fuses, diskettes, tubing etc.
The HUMAN representative shall be relieved of any liability under this warranty
if the product is not used in accordance with the manufacturer‘s instructions,
altered in any way not specified by HUMAN, not regularly maintained, used with
equipment not approved by HUMAN or used for purposes for which it was not
designed.
HUMAN shall be relieved of any obligation under this warranty, unless a
completed installation / warranty registration form is received by HUMAN
within 15 days of installation of this product.
This warranty does not apply to damages incurred in shipment of goods. Any
damage so incurred shall be reported to the freight carrier for settlement or
claim.
3
4
1.3 Intended Use of the Instrument [IVD]
The instrument is intended for in vitro diagnostic application by
professional users. It has to be used for the expected purposes and in perfect technical
conditions, by qualified personnel, in working conditions and maintenance
operations as described in this manual, according to the GENERAL SAFETY
WARNINGS. This manual contains instructions for professional qualified
operators.
1.4 General Safety Warnings
Use only chemical reagents and accessories specified and supplied by
HUMAN and/or mentioned in this manual. Place the product so that it has
proper ventilation.
The instrument should be installed on a stationary flat working surface, free
from vibrations.
Do not operate in area with excessive dust.
Work at room temperature and humidity, according to the specifications listed
in this manual.
Do not operate this instrument with covers and panels removed.
Only use the power cord specified for this product, with the grounding
conductor of the power cord connected to earth ground.
Use only the fuse type and rating specified by the manufacturer for this
instrument, use of fuses with improper ratings may pose electrical and fire
hazards.
To avoid fire or shock hazard, observe all ratings and markings on the
instrument.
Do not power the instrument in potentially explosive environment or at risk of
fire.
Prior to cleaning and/or maintaining the instrument, switch off the instrument
and remove the power cord.
For cleaning use only materials specified in this manual, otherwise parts may
become damaged. It is recommended always to wear protective apparel and
eye protection while using this instrument. Respective warning symbols, if
appearing in this manual, should be carefully considered.
CombiWash | User manual
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1.5 Disposal Management Concept
The currently valid local regulations governing disposal must be observed. It is in
the responsibility of the user to arrange proper disposal of the individual
components.
All parts which may comprise potentially infectious materials have to be
disinfected by suitable validated procedures (autoclaving, chemical treatment)
prior to disposal. Applicable local regulations for disposal have to be carefully
observed.
The instruments and electronic accessories (without batteries, power packs etc.)
must be disposed off according to the regulations for the disposal of electronic
components.
Batteries, power packs and similar power source have to be dismounted from
electric/electronic parts and disposed off in accordance with applicable local
regulations.
1.6 Instrument Disinfection
Analytical instruments for in vitro diagnostic involve the handling of human
samples and controls which should be considered at least potentially infectious.
Therefore every part and accessory of the respective instrument which may have
come into contact with such samples must equally be considered as potentially
infectious.
Before doing any servicing on the instrument it is very important to
thoroughly disinfect all possibly contaminated parts. Before the instrument is
removed from the laboratory for disposal or servicing, it must be decontaminated.
Decontamination should be performed by authorised well-trained
personnel only, observing all necessary safety precautions. Instruments to be
returned have to be accompanied by a decontamination certificate completed
by the responsible laboratory manager. If a decontamination certificate is not
supplied, the returning laboratory will be responsible for charges resulting from
non-acceptance of the instrument by the servicing centre, or from authority’s
interventions.
5
6
1.7 Biohazard warning
Analytical instruments for in vitro diagnostic application involve the handling
of human samples and controls which should be considered at least potentially
infectious. Therefore every part and accessory of the respective instrument
which may have come into contact with such samples must equally be considered as potentially infectious.
For safety reasons, we have labeled instruments with the „BIOHAZARD“ warning label below.
FIGURE 1
Biological Hazard
Symbol
CombiWash | User manual
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Symbols on the instrument
Object is hot while the instrument is in use. Do not touch danger of burns.
Located on the lamp support of the optic system.
Touching this object may cause personal injury and/or damage to
the analyzer.
Located next to the power connector and on some of the
external interfaces.
-Indicates the instrument serial number.
Identifies the instrument as an in vitro-diagnostic medical
device.
Indicates the name of the manufacturer followed by the address.
Indicates the date of manufacture.
Indicates a biological hazard - located where contact with
biological materials is possible. The symbol is black against a
yellow background.
Indicates the allowable temperature range of the instrument
during storage and transportation.
7
8
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Notes:
9
10
CombiWash | User manual
INTRODUCTION
2 INTRODUCTION
The COMBIWASH (Cat.-No.:18460) is a compact and simple to program
microplate washing system. The instrument includes additionaly an in-build
incubator and features plate shaking. Internal pumps enable the system to
dispense and to aspirate a defined volume of the wash buffer into all types
of microtiter wells. It holds one microplate and can wash the plate in rows of
8 wells or rows of 12 wells. Programmable parameters in regard to the washing
process are washing time, wash volume, soak time and many more.
The COMBIWASH comprises 4 wash bottles, one waste bottle, a liquid aspiration,
vacuum pump and an 8 way manifold.
The instrument features additional plate and strip wash mode.
2.1 Instrument Features
1. Large screen with liquid crystal display and graphic interface.
2. Suitable for washing flat, U and V bottom ELISA plates and strips as well as
standard 96-well or other types of plates.
3. Convenient programming, programmable washing time, liquid volume and
soaking time. Plate washing, row washing and washing available.
4. Automatic positioning
5. Double-pin wash head
6. Wash and waste bottles have auto-alarm function with liquid-surface
detecting.
7. 8-way and 12-way wash head available.
8. Built-in incubator
11
12
2.2 Specifications
Manifold:
8-way, 12-way (optional)
No. of wash profiles:
10
Capacity:
3 wash bottles, 1 distilled water bottle,
1 waste bottle, (2L each bottle)
100
Max. 99
0-24 h
Plate & strip wash
+/- 5% at 300 μl Volume
90 sec. ( one time wash )
< 5 μl
10-3000 μl / well
1 μl
25° / 30° / 37.0°C fixed
+/- 5 %
Washing protocols:
Washing cycles
Soak / shaking time
Mode
Wash accuracy:
Processing time (full plate):
Residual volume:
Washing volume
Resolution:
Incubator temperature
Temperature accuracy
incubator plate:
Temperature stability
incubator plate:
Temperature uniformity
incubator plate:
Temperature uniformity liquid:
Warm-up time incubator plate:
Display:
Interface:
Dimensions (WxDxH):
Weight:
Power supply:
Power consumption:
Storage conditions:
Operating conditions
Fuse:
CombiWash | User manual
+/- 5 %
+/- 1 °C
+/- 2°C at 25°C ambient temperature
15 min. (ambient 25°C to incubation
temperature)
Liquid crystal display
RS-232 bi-directional communication port
Instrument without any
components:
46 x 40 x 20 cm
Space required for routine use: 56 x 60 x 40 cm
Packaging:
55 x 51 x 35 cm
43 x 26.5 x 31.5 cm
Gross: 15.65 kg, Net: 10.00 kg
220 VAC ± 10 %, 50/60 Hz
80VA without incubator,
140VA with incubator
-20…50°C, relative humidity ≤ 93%,
50KPas-106KPas
18…30°C relative humidity <85% noncondensing
T3.15AL 250V, Ф5×20
INTRODUCTION
13
2.3 Components
FIGURE 2
Front view of the instrument
1 ELISA plates
2 Incubation cover
3 Waste bottle
4 Wash bottle 1
5 Wash bottle 2
6 Wash bottle 3
7 Distilled water bottle
8 LCD screen
9 Keyboard
10 Transparent cover
FIGURE 3
Back view of the instrument
1 Power switch
2 Fuse
3 Power inlet
4 RS-232 interface
5 Sensor interface
6 Label
7 Wiring diagram of tubing
8 Interface 1 of waste bottle
9 Interface of wash bottle 1
10 Interface of wash bottle 2
11 Interface of wash bottle 3
12 Interface of distilled water
bottle
13 Air vent
14 Interface 2 of waste bottle
14
2.4 Keyboard
FIGURE 4
Schematic diagram
of keyboard
START
CANCEL


+
-
CombiWash | User manual
Starts a process; Saves the parameter modifications
Cancels the current operation;Cancels saving and quits
the parameter modification.
Upwards
Downwards
Changes the parameters (increase, upwards, left)
Changes the parameters (decrease, downwards, right)
PRIME
Starts the priming procedure (shortcut key)
SELECT
Switches between coarse / fine adjustment
RINSE
Starts the rinse procedure (shortcut key)
ASPR
Starts the single aspirate / single dispense procedure
(shortcut key)
INSTALLATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
15
3 INSTALLATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
The location for the microplate washer COMBIWASH should meet the following
requirements:
- Environment temperature 10°C…30°C
- Relative humidity ≤ 70%
- No direct sunlight or high dust concentration
- No electro-magnetic radiation
3.1 Unpacking
Unpack the instrument as follows:
- Remove the packing list and check the accessories.
- Remove the instrument.
Keep the packing box and packing material for future storage and any later
transportation.
3.2 Installing the bottles and tubing
Open the packing box containing the bottles. Remove the bottles, tubing, alarm
signal line, etc.
- Install the bottles at the rear of the instrument, placing the bottles from
left to right: waste bottle, wash bottle 1, wash bottle 2, wash bottle 3 and
distilled water bottle as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.
- Connect the tubing to the rear of the instrument as shown in Figs. 3 and 5
from left to right: waste bottle, wash bottle 1, wash bottle 2, wash bottle 3
and distilled water bottle. The negative pressure port of the waste bottle is
connected to the corresponding connectors as shown in Fig. 5.
- Connect the signal lines at the rear of the instrument as shown in
Fig. 5 from left to right, waste bottle, wash bottle 1, wash bottle 2, wash
bottle 3 and distilled water bottle.
The instrument works on the
principle of atmospheric
pressure, so the neck of the
waste bottle as well as all tubing
interfaces must be sealed.
16
FIGURE 5
Connection diagram
of tubing and alarm
signal lines
3.3 Installing the wash head
-
Connect the dispensing and the draining tube to the corresponding coloured
connectors.
Fit the wash head onto the left side of the supporting bracket, making sure
that the two side pins fall into the groove of the supporting bracket.
3.4 Starting the instrument
-
CombiWash | User manual
Fill the wash bottles and the distilled water bottle with wash liquid and
distilled water respectively.
Remove the power cord from the accessories bag. Connect one end to the
power inlet on the rear plate and the other end to the 220V power supply.
Start the instrument by pressing the power switch on the back of the
instrument.
SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
17
4 SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
The software of the COMBIWASH includes a system settings menu by means of
which all relevant parameters can be set.
After starting the instrument, the system parameters will be initialized. The
system is pre-programmed to prime the tubing with wash liquid (for
information on the parameter settings, please see section 5.4, Priming). Press
the CANCEL key to interrupt the priming process. If the selected wash bottle is
empty, the instrument will automatically cancel the priming process and access
the main interface. Once the priming process is finished, the main interface of
the system will be displayed as shown in Fig. 6.
Incorrect system settings may
lead to liquid spills, inefficient
plate washing, damage to the
wash head etc.
Use the keys ,,+, and – (upwards, downwards, right, and left respectively) to
navigate the menu. The selected menu will be highlighted.
In the main interface, pressing the [START] key will enter the corresponding
menu item while pressing the [CANCEL] key will return to the main screen.
The menu keys [ASPR], [PRIME], [RINSE] on the keyboard can be used to enter the
corresponding menu directly.
FIGURE 6
Main interface of the system
18
4.1 Advanced settings
Set the system parameters such as LCD contrast ratio, working temperature of
the incubator, motor stroke limit, system hang-up time etc. in the main interface. Use the keys , , + and – to select „Adv. settings“ and press the [START]
key to enter the advanced settings interface as shown in Fig. 7. Use  and  to
select the corresponding interface.
FIGURE 7
Advanced settings
interface
4.1.1 ADJUSTING THE LCD CONTRAST RATIO
Use  and  to select „Contrast ratio settings“ and press [START] to enter the
contrast ratio settings program as shown in Fig. 8.
FIGURE 8
Contrast ratio
settings interface
Press the + key to increase the contrast ratio (the colour becomes darker) and
the – key to decrease the contrast ratio (the colour becomes lighter). After
adjusting to the optimum value, press [START] to save the settings and return to
the previous menu. The new contrast ratio value will be saved in the flash ROM
of the COMBIWASH and will be applied the next time the instrument is started.
To quit without saving the settings, press [CANCEL].
The COMBIWASH LCD features a 64-shade grayscale.
CombiWash | User manual
SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
19
4.1.2 HANG-UP SETTINGS
The user can use the + and – keys to increase or decrease the hang-up time.
Pressing [SELECT] switches between 1 and 10-minute increments. Press [START]
to save and quit, or press [CANCEL] to quit without saving. See Fig. 9.
FIGURE 9
Hang-up settings
If the COMBIWASH is not operated within the programmed hang-up time, it will
rinse the tubing automatically and go into hang-up mode.
In hang-up mode, press any key to quit and return to operating mode. When
waking from hang-up mode, the COMBIWASH will automatically prime the
tubing with wash liquid in accordance with the programmed parameters.
4.1.3 PLATE SHAKING
The user can shake plate during washing procedure or independently.
The  and  keys are used to select „Plate shaking“. Press [START] to enter
the Plate shaking interface as shown in Fig. 10.
FIGURE 10
Plate shaking
Use the  and  keys to select Time, Speed, and Extent of plate shaking. Press
+ and – to adjust values. Shaking intensity and time are adjustable. There
are 10 levels of Speed, the bigger value, the faster. Extent is the distance of
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moving back and forth, can be set 0.1-2.0mm. Maximum shaking time is
23H 59M 59S.
Intensity of plate shaking in Plate washing menu depends on intensity set on
Plate shaking menu.
In plate shaking menu, incubation setting is also available. For more details
about incubation, you can reference to chapter 5.5. Maximum incubation time
is 18h. Plate shaking and incubation can be carried out independently.
Press [START] to save changes and shake plate. Shaking time is displayed.
Double press [SELECT] key to start counting of incubation time. Press [CANCEL]
to quit.
4.1.4 STROKE SETTINGS
The user can adjust the stroke distance of the motor horizontally and vertically.
The  and  keys are used to select „Stroke Settings“. Press [START] to enter the
stroke settings interface as shown in Fig. 11.
FIGURE 11
Stroke settings
Use the  and  keys to select „Horizontal direction“ or „Vertical direction“. Press
+ and – to adjust the maximum stroke distance.
Press [START] to save changes. At the same time, the motor moves to the
programmed position automatically.
Press [CANCEL] to quit without saving.
CombiWash | User manual
SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
21
4.2 Plate settings
The user can program 10 kinds of plate parameters. “Plate Settings” are selected
using ,  , + and –. Pressing [START] will enter the plate settings interface, as
shown in Figs. 12 an 13.  and  are used to select those parameters which need
modification, and + and – are used to modify relevant parameter values. Press
[START] to save and return to the previous screen, or [CANCEL] to quit without
saving.
Plate parameter settings interface
FIGURE 12
FIGURE 13
Plate parameter settings interface
Parameter interface two
The parameter description and the specific modification operation are stated
as follows:
1. Plate No.: code number of the plate type, select from 1~10.
2. Wash head: select 8 or 12-way wash head. The default value is 8. (A 12-way
head is optional.)
3. Plate settings: flat-type (F), U-type (U) and V-type (V) can be selected. The
letters in the brackets are their code numbers. The default setting is
flat-type (F).
4. Centre: the middle position. Corresponds to the centre position of the first
strip of microwells. The + and – keys are used to adjust 0.1mm increments.
5. Top: the uppermost position. Corresponds to the top plane (top aspiration
position) of the first strip of microwells. The + and – keys are used to adjust
in 0.1mm increments.
6. Bottom: lowermost position. Corresponds to the bottom position (liquid
dispensing position) of the first strip of microwells. The + and – keys are used
to adjust in 0.1mm increments.
The position parameters have
to be set up so that the longer
pin of the wash head is aligned
with the first strip of microwell.
22
7. Bot. wash: bottom washing position. Corresponds to the middle
position (bottom washing position) in the vertical direction of the first strip of
microwells. The + and – keys are used to adjust in 0.1mm increments.
8. Left: left-side position. Corresponds to the left position of the first strip of
microwells. The + and – keys are used to adjust in 0.1mm increments.
9. Right: right-side position. Corresponds to the right-side position of the first
strip of microwells. The + and – keys are used to adjust in 0.1mm increments.
For vertical orientation, the + key moves upward while the – key moves downward. Horizontally, the + key moves left while the – key moves right.
4.3 Switch bottle
The user can conveniently switch among the three wash bottles by using the
 and  keys to select „Switch bottle“ and pressing [START] to enter the washbottle changing interface, as shown in Fig. 4.3.1.
The  and  are used to select the bottle number or to change the time;
the + and – keys are used to modify the switching time. When the bottle number
changes, „switched to bottle X#“ is shown in the lower part of the screen, as
shown in Fig. 4.3 1 b). Press [START] to switch the wash bottle; otherwise the
current bottle number will remain unchanged, as shown in Fig. 4.3.1 a).
During the switching procedure, the tubing is first rinsed with distilled water.
For information on the rinse time settings, please refer to section “5.5 Tube
Rinsing”. „Rinse X“ will be displayed. Prime the tubing with the wash liquid from
the target wash bottle. „Prime X“ will be displayed. During operation, pressing
the [CANCEL] key will cancel bottle switching. The COMBIWASH will continue to
use the wash liquid from the current wash bottle.
Switching the wash bottles
FIGURE 14
FIGURE 15
No switching prompts
Switching prompts
CombiWash | User manual
SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENT
23
4.4 Turning off the system
The user can directly switch off the instrument or select „Switch off“ in the main
menu. If “Switch off” is selected the system automatically rinses the tubing
with distilled water, saves the current program code and the number of the
plate washing program and asks the user to switch off the system as shown in
Figs 16 and 17. Press [START] to switch off the instrument or [CANCEL] to return
to the main menu of the system and continue working.
Switching off the system
FIGURE 16
FIGURE 17
We strongly recommend using the
function „Switch off the system“
to shut down the instrument (saves
plate washing code and rinses tubing).
24
CombiWash | User manual
OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
25
5 OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
ELISA plates can be loaded onto and
removed from the worktable only
5.1 Worktable and ELISA plates
when the instrument is in stand-by
The plate holder is located in the centre of the worktable. When the instrument
is in stand-by mode, the wash head stops in the washing groove. ELISA plates
are loaded using the support table in front of the groove.
mode. Attempting to do so when the
instrument is not in stand-by mode may
cause damage to the instrument and
injury to the operator!
The COMBIWASH supports 12- x 8-well ELISA plates.
The instrument must be operated
When loading the ELISA plates, check for correct orientation. If an 8-way wash
head is used, the edge with 8 microwells must be placed parallel to the wash
head. Similarly, if a 12-way wash head is used, the edge with 12 microwells must
be placed parallel to the wash head.
5.2 Washing the plates
5.2.1 PARAMETER CONFIRMATION
Use  , , + and – to select „Plate washing“ and press [START] to enter the
parameter confirmation screen, as shown in Fig. 18. From top to bottom and left
to right, the parameters are as follows:
1. Program No.: code number of the current program. Use + and – to select a
new program. Press [SELECT] to switch between increments of 1 and 10.
2. Settings: if the parameters of the current program need modification, these
can be edited in the „Settings“ menu.
3. 1(12-F) indicates that the plate-type setting with code number „1“ has been
selected, „12“ indicates a 12-way wash head while „F“ means that a type F
(flat) ELISA plate will be used.
4. Plate: plate washing method
5. 12-Way: shows that the instrument is using settings for a 12-way wash head.
6. 350μl: means that the dispensed liquid volume for each well is 350μl;
7. 1#: means that the bottle 1# will be used for washing. For information on
switching bottles, please refer to “4.3 Switch bottle”.
8. 3 Times: the instrument will wash the plate 3 times
9. BW-N/BW-Y: no Bottom Washing / Bottom Washing. If the plate is washed
2 or more times, only the last wash cycle will include bottom rinsing.
strictly according to the instructions
to avoid incorrect dispensing volume,
liquid spill over and damage to the wash
head.
26
10. Single/Double: single aspiration / double aspiration. If the plate is washed
2 or more times, only the last wash cycle will include double aspiration.
11. Asp2.0/3.0s: aspirate 2.0 seconds / 3.0 seconds, if the plate is washed 2 or
more times, the liquid aspiration time will be 3 seconds for the last cycle but
2 seconds for all previous cycles.
12. Soak10/15s: if the plate is washed 2 or more times, the soaking time will be
15 seconds for the last cycle but 10 seconds for all previous cycles.
13. Shake10/15s: if the plate is washed 2 or more times, plate shaking time will
be 15 seconds for the last cycle but 10 seconds for all previous cycles.
FIGURE 18
Confirmation of plate
washing parameters
5.2.2 PARAMETER SETTINGS
If the parameters shown in Fig. 18 are not correct, use  and  to select
„Settings“ and press [START] to access the parameter settings program, as
shown in Fig. 19, 20, 21
Parameters
FIGURE 19
FIGURE 20
Parameters
Parameters
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OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
27
FIGURE 21
Parameters
The parameter description and the detailed settings are as follows:
1. Program No.: code number of the program. Use + and – to select the
program. [SELECT] switches between increments of 1 and 10.
2. Plate: plate-type settings. The instrument features 10 plate-type settings
including the letters in brackets (AA B). AA refers to the wash head, while
B indicates the plate type (Flat-type, U-type and V-type respectively).
3. Settings: enter the plate-type settings. See also 4.2 „Plate settings“.
4. Wash times: select how many times the plate should be washed
(1…99 times).
5. Wash mode: select the plate washing method (plate washing or strip
washing).
6. Wash strip: depending on the type of wash head, the instrument is
initialized for 8 or 12 strips (Note: wash head setup is found under „4.2 Plate
settings“. See also 5.2.3 “Plate washing”.
7. Volume: dispensing volume. The dispensing volume of wash liquid for
each well can be set from 10…3000μl; [SELECT] is used to switch between
increments of 1 and 10μl.
8. ASPR mode: select single or double aspiration.
9. Bot. wash: bottom washing - select whether the bottom washing will be
carried out or not.
10. ASPR time: aspiration time. Set up the aspiration time, adjustable from
0.1 to 10 seconds; [SELECT] is used to switch between increments of 0.1 or
1 second.
11. Shk. grade: plate shaking grade. Shaking intensity can be set from 1…3.
12. Soak time: the time between the dispensing of the wash liquid and
aspiration can be set from 0 seconds to 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
13. Shake time: can be set from 0 seconds to 23 hours 59 minutes and
59 seconds.
If the plate is to be washed 2 or more times, the system will ask for a parameter
setting for the last washing, as shown in Fig. 21(c). The upper right corner of the
screen displays „(Last time)“, and the detailed parameter setting is the same as
items 8 to 13 above.
When changes are made to
specific parameters, the
SELECT key can be used to
flexibly switch among the
increase-decrease increments
(0.1, 1 and 10). The revised
parameters are shown to the
left of the current increments
of increase/decrease.
28
5.2.3 PLATE WASHING
When the parameters in Fig. 18 are confirmed to be correct and the correct program number has been selected, the program number will be highlighted. Press
[START] to begin the plate washing procedure, as shown in Fig. 22. The settings
for strip number and position are as follows:
FIGURE 22
Main interface of plate
washing
If the incubator is active (temperature set at 25, 30 or 37°C)
and the incubator screen is
opened during plate washing, the
incubation
status
will
be
displayed in the top right corner
of the screen. Press the [SELECT]
key three times; the incubator
will count down the remaining
incubation time and emit an alert
signal
when
incubation
is
complete.
„Strip No.” refers to the strip number of the plates to be washed. When a 12-way
wash head is used, any strip from 1…8 can be selected. When the 8-way wash
head is used, any strip from 1…12 can be selected. This parameter is similar to
„Wash strip“ as described in 5.2.2 but applies only to a single washing run and
the setting is not saved.
„Position“ shows the position to be washed, and the  and  keys are used to
select the modification setting. Pressing + will confirm the wash settings while
pressing – will cancel.
After confirming the strip numbers and position, place the ELISA plates to be
washed on the worktable and press [START] to start washing, as shown in
Fig. 23.
FIGURE 23
Plate washing
status
The “Program No.” shows the selected program. On the right side of the screen,
„1/3“ means the instrument is performing wash cycle 1 of 3. The current
operation is displayed in the lower middle of the screen: „Draining…“, „Bottom
CombiWash | User manual
OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
29
washing“, „Dispensing…“, „Shaking…“, „Soaking…“ etc. The percentage of the
operation completed is displayed on the right.
During the plate washing procedure, pressing [CANCEL] will cancel plate
washing and show error information as in Fig. 24. After a short time, the system
will automatically return to the parameter confirmation screen.
During
the
washing
pro
cedure, if the washer detects
that the wash bottle is empty or
the waste bottle is full, it will stop
the operation automatically and
display the bottle number at the
FIGURE 24
bottom left of the screen. At this
User abort screen
time, fill the corresponding empty
wash bottle with wash liquid or
empty the waste bottle. Press
[CANCEL] to exit, or press [START]
to continue.
5.3 Single aspirate / single dispense
Warning: When emptying the
Select the „ASPR/DISP“ using , , +, and –. Pressing [START] will access the
single aspirate / single dispense program as shown in Fig. 22. Press + and – in the
options of „Function“ to switch between „Single aspirate“ and „Single dispense“.
waste bottle observe local
Single aspirate/single dispense interface
FIGURE 25
FIGURE 26
Single aspirate
Single dispense
5.3.1 SINGLE ASPIRATE
As shown in Fig. 25, single aspirate indicates that the liquid will only be aspirated in accordance with fixed parameters and no dispensing will take place. The
parameters are as follows:
Mode: select between single aspirate and double aspirate.
Time: the liquid aspiration time can be set from 0.1 to 10.0 seconds; [SELECT]
switches between increments of 0.1 and 1 second.
regulations
for
disposal
hazardous substances!
of
30
Plate: choose the plate-type program. „1“ indicates the program number and
„(12- F)“ means that this program is used with a 12-way wash head and the
position is set up for flat-type ELISA plates.
Strips: Set up the strip number for single aspirate.
Position: Liquid aspiration strip settings. Press + to confirm liquid aspiration
or – to cancel.
After setting the parameters, press [START] to save the settings and start single
aspiration.
5.3.2 SINGLE DISPENSE
As shown in Fig. 26, single dispense indicates that liquid is added to the microwells according to fixed parameters with no aspiration. The parameters are as
follows:
Bottle:
the number of the bottle used for dispensing. For information
on switching bottles please refer to “4.3 Switch bottle”
Volume:
the dispensing volume of the wash fluid for a single well can
be set from 10~3000μl; use [SELECT] to switch between
increments of 1 or 10 μl.
Plate:
choose the plate-type program. „1“ indicates the program
number and „(12- F)“ means that this program is used with a
12-way wash head and the position is set up for flat-type ELISA
plates.
Strips:
set up the strip number for single dispense.
Position:
indicates the strips for dispensing. Press + to confirm
dispensing or – to cancel.
After setting the parameters, press [START] to save and start single dispensing;
press [CANCEL] to stop and exit.
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OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
31
5.4 Prime / Rinse
Select „PRIME/RINSE“ menu using , , + and –, and press [START] to access, as
shown in Fig 27.
FIGURE 27
PRIME/RINSE menu
5.4.1 PRIME
Press  and  to select Prime and [START] to enter Prime menu.
FIGURE 28
Prime interface
After setting the priming time, press [START] to save and start priming. „Status“
shows the elapsed priming time. “Bottle 1#” indicates that the liquid in wash
bottle 1# is used for priming. Press [CANCEL] to stop and exit.
Advice: Set the priming time for 68 seconds to enhance the accuracy of liquid
distribution.
32
5.4.2 RINSE
Select „RINSE“ using  and , and press [START] to access the tube rinsing
program, as shown in Fig. 5.4 2. Press + and – to change the rinsing time.
FIGURE 29
Rinse interface
Do not rinse and prime the tubing too long; 8…10 seconds
are recommended for rinsing and
priming.
Time: the rinsing time. It can be set from 1~60 seconds.
After setting the rinsing time, press [START] to save and start rinsing the tubing.
„Status“ will show the elapsed rinsing time.
5.5 Incubator
5.5.1 PARAMETER SETTINGS
Use , , + and – keys to select „Incubator“. Press [START] to enter the incubator
settings interface, as shown in Fig. 5.5.1 1. Select the item using  and  and
press + and – to edit the parameters.
Incubator parameter settings
CombiWash | User manual
FIGURE 30
FIGURE 31
Turn off incubator
Turn on incubator
OPERATION OF THE INSTRUMENT
Warning: when incubation is complete, the system will emit a warning
tone. It can be set to „Off“ or „1~10“, with „Off“ meaning no warning and
„1-10" indicating the number of warning signals.
33
After setting the temperature
to 25, 30 or 37°C, the incubator will work continuously. If
the incubator temperature is set
Time: incubation time can be set at 0~18 hours. Press the [SELECT] key to switch
between 1-second and 10 second increments.
to “ambient”, the incubator turns
off
automatically
when
program is completed.
Temperature: the incubation temperature can be set to ambient, 25, 30 or 37°C.
Press [START] to save the settings and start the incubation program. Press
[CANCEL] to quit without saving.
5.5.2 INCUBATION PROCESS
The incubation mode is displayed in the top right corner when the incubator is set to 25, 30 or 37°C as shown in Fig. 31. The first row displays the
incubation processing time while the second row indicates the
programmed incubation time. The incubation mode will not be displayed when
the temperature is set to “ambient”.
Place a microplate on the incubator and press [SELECT] twice to display the
incubation mode (top right corner). When the programmed incubation time
has elapsed, the COMBIWASH will emit a tone according to the programmed
settings.
the
34
CombiWash | User manual
MAINTENANCE
35
6 MAINTENANCE
6.1 Regular maintenance of the worktable
It is essential to remove any residual liquid from the worktable frequently. We
recommend using a small piece of absorbent cotton to clean the working area.
As the worktable may be
contaminated with biological
material, appropriate precautions
have to be observed to avoid
biohazards (i.e. wear gloves and
6.2 Regular maintenance of the wash head
The wash head is one of the core parts of a microplate washer. Its condition will
affect the accuracy of the dispensing volume and washing effectiveness, so it is
very important to perform maintenance on the wash head frequently.
Any suspended particulate matter in the rinsing liquid may block the
dispensing pins. Always use fresh rinsing liquid and check frequently for the
presence of suspended matter. The dispensing and aspiration pins may also be
blocked as a result of the crystal formation in the rinsing liquid. In order to prevent
crystallization, be sure to remember to carry out the rinsing (RINSE) operation
each time after work is completed.
If the dispensing volume of one row is found to be lower than for other rows,
this is an obvious indication that the corresponding dispensing pin (short, thin
pin) is blocked. If the residual liquid volume in any particular row is found to
be higher than for the other rows, this is an indication that the corresponding
liquid aspiration pin (longer, thicker pin) is blocked.
To clear a blockage: When the instrument is in stand-by mode, remove the
wash head from the supporting bracket. Insert a thin needle into the blocked
dispensing or aspiration pin to clear it. Replace the wash head on the supporting
arm, and press [RINSE] to rinse it. If the dispensing pin is severely blocked, the
process described above may need to be repeated several times.
lab coat.).
Do not use organic solvents,
oils and corrosive liquids to
clean
the
worktable
or
surface of the instrument.
the
36
Switch
off
disconnect
power
the
and
instrument
from mains before replacing the
6.3 Replacing the fuse
Use only fuses with the following specification: T3.51AL 250V. Replace the fuse
as follows:
fuse!
-
Remove the fuse from the accessory bag.
Unscrew the two fuse caps on the rear plate of the instrument and replace
the fuse.
When emptying the waste
bottle
observe
local
regulations for disposal of hazardous substances!
1. Make sure the bottle lid is
closed tightly enough to form
a seal. If the bottle is not sealed,
liquid
aspiration
function
may
properly.
tightening,
not
Over-
however,
may
damage the lid.
2. When opening the waste
bottle, do not rotate the lid.
Rotate
the
bottle
itself
to
prevent the sensor cable from
being pinched and damaged.
CombiWash | User manual
6.4 Emptying the waste bottle
The waste bottle has a sensor that detects the liquid level.
When the wasteliquid reaches the maximum level, the software of the
COMBIWASH will refuse any operation involving liquid aspiration.
ERROR MESSAGES
7 ERROR MESSAGES
In the case of an error message, the COMBIWASH will stop all movement of
mechanical parts and emit a warning signal. The error information will be displayed on the LCD.
The most common error messages are “Wash bottle empty”, “Distilled water
bottle empty” and “Waste bottle full”. See the troubleshooting methods below:
1. Distilled water bottle empty: refill the distilled water bottle with distilled
water.
2. Wash bottle empty: either switch to another wash bottle using „Switch
bottle“ or refill the current bottle with wash liquid.
3. Waste bottle full: Check the waste bottle. If it is full, empty the bottle and
reconnect it (see “6.4 Emptying the waste bottle”). If the bottle is not full,
check to make sure that the liquid level sensor cable is connected correctly
to the port on the back of the instrument.
37
HUMAN
Gesellschaft für Biochemica und Diagnostica mbH
Max-Planck-Ring 21 • 65205 Wiesbaden • Germany
Tel.: +49 6122/9988 0 • Fax: +49 6122/9988 100
eMail: human@human.de • www.human.de