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ANALYTICAL AND LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 17


specimen, a labour-intensive and time-consuming process.”


Tis is still the case with many larger labs in the US – 40 to 50 per cent of these labs, those handling 15 000 to 20 000 samples per day, still utilise significant manual functions to store and route samples throughout their facilities, in addition to usually some form of semi-automation (small- to medium-sized labs use much less automation, if any at all). Laboratory automation for medical testing has typically been applied to centrifugation, aliquotting and the interfacing to analysers for serum chemistry, immunoassay, hematology and coagulation tests. For most labs 35 to 55 different tests comprise 80 per cent of their total workload. Because of ARUP’s esoteric testing environment, more than 1000 different tests comprise 80 per cent of its test volume, many of these being infrequent manual tests performed in small batches, making its automation needs more demanding than that of other labs. Such needs included the elimination of excessive handling and sorting, improved tracking, storage and retrieval of specimens for repeat or additional testing, and real-time communication among all of ARUP’s laboratory-related software systems.


ARUP developed a software system, ESP (Expert Specimen Processing), to facilitate rules-based automation of its specimen processing. Te specimen accessioning process is performed in ESP, as well as automated storage of specimens and complete specimen tracking. Te initial computer input of the specimen information is done in the doctor’s office and assigned a barcode which is then logged into the ESP software. Even before the sample arrives at ARUP, all of the specimen’s data is available as to where it is going and what needs to be done with it. ESP then tracks the specimen with laser scanning of the attached barcode throughout its entire lifecycle within the system.


To further optimise sample


processing and tracking, ARUP adopted a 5mL standardised transfer tube which fits into the system’s transport carriers and is tracked through ESP throughout the system. ESP and the standardised transfer tubes also facilitate use of the world’s first automated thawing and mixing work cell. It thaws and mixes frozen specimens while in the transport system at a rate of more than 1,000 per hour, thus reducing pre- analytical preparation time. It allows specimens in the transfer tubes to be thawed in 30 to 40 minutes instead of the typical frozen urine samples requiring five to six hours to thaw when in 90cc bottles.


Critical to the ARUP system’s success is its automated transport and sorting system which includes rapid transport to and from the specimen processing area and high- speed sorting into a large number of different sort groups. From even the most remote specimen processing workstation to the farthest sorter (there are two robotic sorters), travel time on the 1,100 linear-foot track is less than eight minutes.


“Te continuous flow of specimens to the robotic sorters which are located near the laboratory area has eliminated considerable walking from the lab to where the specimens are processed,” continues Falk. “Prior to the implementation of ARUP’s automated track system, a typical specimen was manually sorted at least three times and handled seven to nine different times prior to testing.”


High-speed, high- volume Two sorting robots, AutoSorters built by Motoman, are attached to the automated track system. Optimised for high throughput, these robots automate the transfer of tubes from the automated track system into storage trays or racks for entry into the freezer for storage. Ten when a sample needs to be recalled for testing, the AutoSorter receives the storage tray or rack from the freezer and retrieves the designated sample which is then


conveyed out to the requesting lab tech. Both of these functions were previously a manual process. Trays are used to store tubes in storage categories of higher volume and racks are used for lower volume categories. A reader mounted on each of the robot’s six grippers reads barcodes as the tubes are rotated by the robot, eliminating the need to otherwise orient the barcodes. Each sorter can sort up to 1100 tubes per hour into user-definable targets. Te sorter in the refrigerator can sort into 39 target racks. Te post-analytic sorters sort into eight user-definable targets for storage..


Controlled humidity Te AutoSorters are positioned within a large refrigerator (4°C) located at the front of the freezer, which serves as an anteroom to the freezer. When the automated doors to the freezer are opened to allow trays to go in or out, the environmentally controlled humidity of the refrigerator ensures that condensation does not form on the outside of the specimen tubes, which would inhibit reading the labels and barcodes on the sides of the tubes.


AutoSorter utilises advanced planar drive technology for the movement of tubes and racks/trays within the robot. Gears, belts and mechanical bearings are replaced with magnetic couplings and air bearings. One of the significant advantages of planar drive is the absence of friction and wear on the robot’s four-axis motion components.


A PC-based control system is used to control the AutoSorter which communicates directly with the ESP to obtain specimen data, improving traceability and eliminating sorting errors. Similarly, sort results are passed back to ESP so full traceability of the specimen is known at all times.


Specimen trays entering into the refrigerator through the AutoSorter robot cells need to be precisely positioned for the robot grippers to contact the specimen tubes before releasing to the automated


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“Critical to the ARUP system’s success is its automated transport and sorting system which includes rapid transport to and from the specimen processing area and high-speed sorting into a large number of different sort groups.”


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