ChromSword Auto

ChromSword Auto Software incorporated into Waters AMDS. Useful tool for optimizing isocratic and gradient methods and for predicting optimum column configurations. Similar to DryLab and can also work 14,000... 

Canada), ChromSmart MS (Intelligent Laboratory Solutions Inc., Naperville, IL, USA), and ChromSword Auto (VWR International, Darmstadt, Germany). It is envisaged that there will be an increase in the number and flexibility of these systems in the coming years. Inexperienced analysts may then operate the systems in a totally automated fashion starting from the input of the chemical structure of the analyte of interest. For more demanding samples, the more experienced analyst will have access to a fully flexible system, which would allow multiple points of entry and exit from the method development platform. 

America, San Jose, CA, USA, and Scientific Software Inc., Pleasanton, CA, USA, versions for Hitachi LaChrom and LaChromElite hardware and EZChromElite software were launched. Partnership with Agilent Technologies resulted in the creation of a powerful version that supports Agilent 1100 LC and LC/MS systems with six columns and twelve solvent selectors. Further systems supported by ChromSword Auto are Waters Alliance LC systems with Millenium and Empower softwares. ChromSword Auto also supports 2-8 column and 2-16 solvent switching valves for all HPLC systems described. 

This so-called scouting can be simply automated in the case of switching valves for columns [5] and solvents [6]. Software products (see Chapters 4.1 and 4.2 in this book) such as AMDS (Waters), ChromSword Auto (VWR), and HEUREKA (AnaConDa) additionally facilitate the programming work by automatically providing sequences with the necessary control methods. 

If one plans to purchase an automatic method development system, one will first have to get an idea of the systems that are presently available on the market Essentially, only ChromSword Auto and, since recently, AMDS (based upon DryLab) are available, along with H EUREKA, which is presently being established on the market Characteristics and experiences with the three systems are compared in Table 2. This table can also be used as a check list in order to facilitate the decision in favor of one system or the other. 

ChromSword Auto is presently being marketed as the most effective and mature system. As mentioned above, none of the systems, however, can accomplish a development with optimization in a completely unsupervised manner. Nevertheless, the goals can be achieved with all of them. Crucial for the purchase, however, is what software is already used for controlling HPLC devices in the laboratory, whether DryLab has already been installed, whether apparatus of a certain manufacturer is already in operation, or whether management prescribes a certain manufacturer. One must also decide whether one trusts only the security and... 

The fine-tuned optimization is based on a maximum of two factors (e.g., DryLab with gradient and column temperature, AMDS). Further factors (such as pH) are optimized and/or adapted, when necessary, in a stepwise manner downstream. ChromSword Auto works likewise in a linear framework, in which it is meant to optimize. It collects data during the optimization runs that represent empirical values, and these are included as empirical data in the next experimental step, until the system finds the best method. 

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