Sample robots

Figure 12.1 SGX-CAT beamline schematic. The components of the beamline include (1 (not shown), 8) photon shutters (2,4) beam transport tubes (3, 5) collimators and vacuum pumps (6) beam-defining slits (7) monochromator (9,10) focusing and harmonic rejection mirrors and (12) CCD detector, supporting base, and sample robot.

At SGX-CAT, beam alignment is accomplished automatically. A two-stage process first maximizes the intensity of the beam exiting the monochromator. Combined motions of the robot and the monochromator are then used to place the X-ray beam directly at the sample position. In addition, critical components, including the operational parameters of the cryostream, the sample robot, and the X-ray intensity monitor are continually assessed. If any drift out of their allowed tolerance is detected, a beamline staff member is automatically notified through a paging system. Necessary adjustments can then be performed, in many cases via remote internet access to the beamline control system. 

Figure 9.29—NM R magnets and samples. Robotic introduction (on the left) of a sample in solution placed in an NMR tube within a magnetic field generated by a superconducting coil and maintained at liquid helium temperature. (Reproduced by permission of Varian.) Electromagnet ton the right) of sizeable volume used for a special kind of sample the human body (part of an MRI instrument from the SMIS Society).

Various reactor principles are recommended for fast catalyst screening. Some authors recommend the use of pellets. Among the pioneers Senkan has to be mentioned [25-27] who has developed a parallel gas-phase reactor with 80 parallel channels that are equipped with impregnated y-alumina tablets. The gas samples are delivered to a mass spectrometer by a sample robot (Fig. 4.1). 

Depends on the desired amount of catalyst in the alumina layer 1 h is often sufficient. Note only the time for the penetration of the liquid into the pores is considered. The time for the preparation of the impregnants is not included because this can be done by a laboratory sample robot. 

Fig. 19 Polymer Labs HT-FIPLC instrument with sample robot (a) and column switching valve (b)...

Note 4—Mix all calibration solutions for at least 30 s on a Vortex mixer after preparation or equivalent. Highly precise sample robotic sample preparation systems arc available commercially. Th systems may be used provided that the results for the quality control reference material (Section 11) are met when prepared in this manner. 

The use of "fixed" automation, automation designed to perform a specific task, is already widespread ia the analytical laboratory as exemplified by autosamplers and microprocessors for sample processiag and instmment control (see also Automated instrumentation) (1). The laboratory robot origiaated ia devices coastmcted to perform specific and generally repetitive mechanical tasks ia the laboratory. Examples of automatioa employing robotics iaclude automatic titrators, sample preparatioa devices, and autoanalyzers. These devices have a place within the quality control (qv) laboratory, because they can be optimized for a specific repetitive task. AppHcation of fixed automation within the analytical research function, however, is limited. These devices can only perform the specific tasks for which they were designed (2). 

Another step in laboratory automation to be achieved is the conversion of standard chemical procedures such as titrations or thermal gravimetric analysis, into unit laboratory operations. A procedure could then be selected from these laboratory operations by an expert system and translated by the system to produce a set of iastmctions for a robot. The robot should be able to obey specific iastmctions, such as taking a specified sample aliquot and titrating it using a specified reagent. 

Use of remote sampling, handling, and container opening techniques. This can be achieved with robots, or, more commonly, by using... 

A regularly formed crystal of reasonable size (typically >500 pm in each dimension) is required for X-ray diffraction. Samples of pure protein are screened against a matrix of buffers, additives, or precipitants for conditions under which they form crystals. This can require many thousands of trials and has benefited from increased automation over the past five years. Most large crystallographic laboratories now have robotics systems, and the most sophisticated also automate the visualization of the crystallization experiments, to monitor the appearance of crystalline material. Such developments [e.g., Ref. 1] are adding computer visualization and pattern recognition to the informatics requirements. 

Because of the complexity of sample preparation, backscatter measurement geometry (see Fig. 3.19) is the choice for an in situ planetary Mossbauer instrument [36, 47 9]. No sample preparation is required, because the instmment is simply presented to the sample for analysis. On MER, the MIMOS II SH is mounted on a robotic arm that places it in physical contact with the analysis target (e.g., rock or soil) [36, 37]. 

Fig. 8.28 External view of the MIMOS II sensor head without contact plate assembly (left) MIMOS II sensor head mounted on the robotic arm (IDD) of the Mars Exploration Rover. The IDD also carries the a-Particle-X-ray Spectrometer APXS, also from Mainz, Germany, for elemental analysis, the Microscope Imager MI for high resolution microscopic pictures ( 30 pm per pixel), and the RAT for sample preparation (brushing grinding drilling (< 1 cm depth)). Picture taken at Kennedy-Space-Center KSC, Florida, USA...

---