Date: Fri, 26 May 2023 14:04:52 +0000
Hi Steve.
I think I'm familiar with this problem. I have a suggested solution
and a few tips for further troubleshooting of SampleCase sensors.
POTENTIAL SOLUTION (if cleaning the sensors doesn't work): Bend the sensor
support a little.
PROBLEM: Months ago, I encountered recurring error messages:
"Sample Changer Fatal Error: Sample lost or carrier sensor X4 on top of magnet bore defective".
I determined that my X4 sensor (which detects whether the sample is in the
slider at the top of the magnet bore; the one held up by the aluminum support)
wasn't aligned quite right. There was enough play in the mobile slider that the
sensor could be triggered falsely on or off if the slider was moved slightly
(rotating about the axis of the slider rail). Most of the time things were OK,
but occasionally I'd encounter the error. I recall that the error coincided with
a sample stuck in the slider above the bore, but X4 did not think it was there.
I had some success with loosening the screws of the sensor and moving it closer
to the sample - "success" being some reduction in the frequency of failure. Ultimately,
I gently bent back/up the aluminum support that holds the X4 sensor - meaning I
firmly grabbed hold of the base and, with my thumbs in the middle, pulled the top
away-and-up from the magnet bore a little. It wasn’t enough to visibly
notice a change in position, but since performing the maneuver I haven't had
the problem.
TIPS:
* The status of all the SampleCase sensors is shown in the "ha" web
interface for the BSMS. From the BSMS Service Web: Main Menu o Sample Handling o
Controller I/O. Every sensor on the SampleCase has an identification there that
indicates its function. Like "X4: carrier inside slider on top of magnet bore"
with a status "1" or "0".
* These values will also indicate whether the big LEDs on the Sample
Case are red, green, both, or flashing. Very handy if you have remote computer
access but cannot actually see the unit.
* The sensors have visible LEDs on them, enabling you to see whether they're
triggered. Some are lit when there *is* something to detect, and others are lit
when there *is not*.
PROCESS: My troubleshooting process involved making a lot of truth tables
correlating actual sample and slider states with those indicated by the
Controller I/O page. I noticed that I sometimes got errors indicating that
the sample was simultaneously above the magnet bore AND above the transport
tube over the carousel, strongly suggesting sensor fault. For initial
troubleshooting, it helped to have the autosampler in "bypass" mode,
where the big red button was pushed and the pneumatics pressure released,
enabling me to slide the slider back and forth, with and without sample.
I recall that sometimes the X4 sensor would sometimes say there was a sample
there when there was not, indicating the fault was with that sensor. I
determined the sensor was pointing at the sample a little too low, so
bending the support back/upwards very slightly corrected its aim.
I hope this helps. Thanks.
* Josh
Josh Kurutz, PhD
NMR Facility Manager, Chemistry Dept.
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jkurutz_at_uchicago.edu
> From: main_at_ammrl.groups.io <main_at_ammrl.groups.io> on behalf of Stephen Prior <sprior_at_lincoln.ac.uk>
> Date: Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 8:27 PM
> To: main_at_ammrl.groups.io <main_at_ammrl.groups.io>
> Subject: [AMMRL] SampleCase losing detection of the shuttle
> Hi all, our SampleCase has developed a problem, whereby it loads the sample
> into the magnet then errors out with "lost detection of shuttle over magnet
> bore after failed insertion" or similar. But the shuttle is sitting perfectly
> positioned over the bore.
> I'm assuming it's a problem with a sensor but I'm not sure which one, or how
> I might go about fixing it. It's intermittent but getting more frequent -
> it now errors probably 80% of the time.
> The insertion seems fine, it just seems to be losing track of the shuttle.
> Has anyone encountered something similar and could help me fix it please?
>
> Thank you!
> Steve
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