Automating Your Existing Clinical Instruments

Abstract

Laboratory automation systems (LAS) provide full automation of the pre-, peri-, and post-analytical specimen processing tasks in clinical laboratories. However, many existing instruments are difficult to interface, both mechanically and electronically, to specimen transportation systems. The AxSYM (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) analyzer is a popular method to perform immunoassay and toxicology measurements. In order for the large installed base of AxSYM instruments to take advantage of the efficiencies of automation, a prototype interface was developed for a popular LAS, the Coutler/IDS Model CLA (Coulter Corporation, Miami, FL). The automated instrument interface was designed for automatic loading and unloading of the AxSYM analyzer. The automated system can accept one or two AxSYM analyzers depending on the throughput and sample distribution needs of the laboratory. At the heart of the AxSYM automation is a CRS (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) robotic arm that is used to remove specimens from the model CLA, place them in an AxSYM sample tray, load the analyzer, and then automatically unload the finished specimens and return them to the Coulter/IDS. The system is projected to load and unload up to 200 specimens per hour from and to the conveyor system. While supporting automated loading, the system allows the AxSYM analyzer(s) to run manually loaded specimens. Minimal interfacing is required to install and operate the automated AxSYM so that the system can be up and running quickly. No physical connections are made to the Coulter/IDS thus simplifying installation and maintenance.