Expand Your Flexibility with the IMMULITE^® 2000 SMS (Sample Management System)

DPC is very excited to announce the release of the latest addition to the IMMULITE^® family of products—the IMMULITE 2000 SMS (Sample Management System). The SMS is an optional module designed to increase the productivity of the IMMULITE 2000 while improving the laboratory's immunoassay processing efficiency.

The SMS is a "pick and place" robotic sample-moving device that more than doubles the sample capacity of the IMMULITE 2000. Sample tubes loaded onto the SMS are placed by the robotic device one by one onto the IMMULITE 2000 for sample processing. The SMS performs all sampling activity within the sampling cycle of the IMMULITE 2000, thereby maximizing system throughput.

The SMS more than doubles the on-board capacity of the IMMULITE 2000, decreasing sample manipulation time and increasing laboratory productivity.

IMMULITE 2000 SMS features
Several key features of the SMS are summarized below.

	The SMS increases the IMMULITE 2000's on-board sample capacity from 90 to 200. The operator simply loads samples onto the SMS and walks away.
	The operator can remove or add samples to the SMS without interrupting the processing of the robotic arm. The IMMULITE 2000 can continue sample processing without going into sampling pause, for significantly increased system productivity.
	The SMS enables the IMMULITE 2000 to maintain its normal cycle time with no degradation in instrument throughput.
	The SMS supports many different sizes of sample tubes, permitting placement of most samples directly on the SMS without further sample manipulation.
	An easy-to-use interface allows the operator to see the sampling status of all tubes placed on the SMS. The interface resides on a 15-inch flat-screen monitor attached to the SMS. The operator can interact with the SMS via a touch screen, microkeyboard or trackball.
	The SMS supports Remote Diagnostics via modem and a dedicated analog phone line, enhancing the service and support that DPC can offer.
	Samples are loaded onto the SMS in generic SMS linear racks. Future developments will enable samples to be loaded directly onto the SMS in chemistry system sample racks, for example, those from Olympus. This capability also decreases the sample manipulation required by the operator and increases the productivity of the laboratory.
	The open design of the SMS will enable it to serve as a single sample-entry point for two independently functioning IMMULITE 2000 systems. This high-volume immunoassay workstation is known as the IMMULITE 2000 Workcell.*

Increased sample capacity
The SMS has four separate, independently operated sample drawers, each with a sample tube capacity of up to 50. The operator can load any number of the drawers with sample tubes. Each drawer can be accessed to add or remove sample tubes at any time without interrupting robotic arm activity or IMMULITE 2000 test processing. The drawers can be set up in two configurations: all drawers as input/output, or two drawers as input and two drawers as output. Each configuration has its own benefits: the combined input/output option provides increased sample-loading capability and therefore increased productivity; and the two-drawer input, two-drawer output option allows the operator to easily see which samples have been processed. Either setup provides operational flexibility.

The simple, generic design of the linear racks allows them to be placed on any preanalytical sample workstation for easy, automated loading of sample tubes. Following sample processing, the racks can be returned to the workstation and samples can be loaded into larger racks for refrigerated storage.

The SMS accommodates tubes ranging from 12 to 16 mm in diameter and from 75 to 100 mm in height. Any combination of sample tubes can be loaded into a single SMS rack. The SMS places samples directly into the sample carousel of the IMMULITE 2000 through an opening in the main cover. Processing of STAT samples and microsamples is not compromised by the SMS; the operator simply loads these samples directly onto the IMMULITE 2000 through the front sampling door.

Enhanced Productivity
Once the SMS is loaded with samples, the operator simply presses the RUN button and the SMS begins its operation. There are always two samples loaded on the IMMULITE 2000 at any one time, assuring that a sample is always ready to be processed. After a sample tube has been processed on the IMMULITE 2000, the robotic device retrieves it, returns it to the SMS and picks up another tube. Meanwhile, the IMMULITE 2000 is sampling from a tube already on the system. This process continues until all samples have been pipetted. The operator can add or remove samples from any of the racks while the SMS and IMMULITE 2000 are running: any drawer on the SMS can be accessed without interrupting sample pipetting by the IMMULITE 2000. This no-pause sample loading greatly increases efficiency, and because the SMS works within the 18-second cycle time of the IMMULITE 2000 system, it has no negative effect on throughput.

"Polar" robotic arm
The robotic arm of the SMS has 340-degree movement about a vertical axis, as well as up-and-down movement along this axis, allowing maximum flexibility for sample manipulation within a very small physical area. A tube sensor on the gripper device of the arm detects the presence of a tube as well as the tube diameter. If a tube is detected, the robotic arm descends to allow the gripper device to grasp the tube, and then transfers it to the IMMULITE 2000.

The robotic arm also has a "wrist" that can rotate 360 degrees in a horizontal plane. This ability to rotate at the wrist has two key functions: 1) reading the sample tube's barcode by means of an integrated barcode scanner, which sends the information to the IMMULITE 2000; and 2) recording information about the barcode location, so that when the sample tube is placed on the IMMULITE 2000, it is oriented to allow the system barcode reader to identify it and confirm the sample identification. If the information on the barcode indicates that no immunoassay tests are requested on the tube, the tube will simply be returned to the SMS.

The wrist and gripper device on the robotic arm are powered by pneumatic pressure generated by an efficient and quiet on-board air compressor. This pneumatic design allows for safe operation in all directions to ensure that any malfunctions or tube misplacements do not result in damage to the hardware or, more importantly, to the sample tube itself.

Modular design
The SMS allows the IMMULITE 2000 to be configured to almost any automated laboratory setting. In addition, the single link configuration requires no separate LIS interface for the SMS: just the IMMULITE 2000 need be connected, making SMS installation easy without an additional investment. With the capacity for further development, including linking to multiple IMMULITE 2000 systems and connecting to an open-track system or workcell, the SMS has been designed to meet future as well as current customer needs.

IMMULITE 2000 Workcell configuration
Soon the SMS will be able to serve as a single sample-entry port for two IMMULITE 2000 systems. Though linked to the SMS, both systems will function independently of each other, providing built-in system backup. The IMMULITE 2000 Workcell will allow the laboratory to run up to 48 different assays simultaneously at one discrete workstation, with a reagent capacity of up to 9,600 tests. The laboratory will be able to run any configuration of assays on each system and perform-without additional labor-more testing in house, thereby decreasing sendouts.

Initial customer reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Sites have seen significant improvement in processing time and reductions in labor. The compact size of the system maximizes space utilization per test result. The increased usable walk-away time that the SMS provides users improves the productivity of the laboratory.

Expand the flexibility of your lab's immunoassay testing with the IMMULITE 2000 SMS. For more information, please contact your local DPC representative.

* Coming soon.