Abstract
Automation of the pre-analytical process is receiving an increase in interest from laboratory managers all over the world. Until recently, Total Laboratory Automation (TLA) was the only available solution, one attractive for only certain laboratories. In the last few years, an alternative approach has emerged: a concept based on pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical islands in the laboratory, called workcells.
With a long track record as supplier of flexible automation solutions, TECAN believes in the concept of truly modular and flexible workcells, which can be adapted to fit any organization, any throughput and any mix of analyzers. The TECAN solution is the GENESIS FE (Front End) Workcell. The GENESIS FE Workcell combines all pre-analytical functions including: pre-sorting, centrifugation, sample inspection, decapping, secondary tube labeling, aliquoting and sorting into analyzer racks, on a small foot print instrument. The GENESIS FE Workcell offers a unique upgrade path - finally a system that grows at your pace, without losing your initial investment.
LABORATORY AUTOMATION, FROM TLA TO WORKCELLS
Over the last decade, diagnostic laboratories have faced increasing cost pressures leading to consolidation. This in turn, has led to a larger number of specimens to be processed, triggering a demand for further automation. Total Laboratory Automation is offered by several vendors. TLA brings complete automation of the pre-analytical, the analytical and the post analytical processes, for a substantial investment affordable by only certain laboratories.
The Genesis FE 500
Over the last few years, a trend can be noticed, leading towards consolidation of pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical tasks in the laboratory. The different tasks are currently being combined in automated solutions, workcells. Analytical workcells combine different disciplines like clinical chemistry and immunology. Pre- and post analytical workcells combine the different tasks into, ideally, single instruments.
PRE-ANALYTICAL TASKS ACCOUNT FOR UP TO 65% OF ALL THE HANDS-ON LABOR IN A LABORATORY
Automating the pre-analytical area is attractive for many laboratories. However, TLA does not necessarily provide the right solution. Potential constraints are the space a TLA solution needs, the freedom to integrate different analyzers, as well as the investment. An upgrade path starting from a low to a medium throughput solution is often desired, allowing a laboratory to grow at its own pace.
The TECAN GENESIS FE Workcell is a solution for all types of laboratory organizations with different throughputs, allowing an upgrade path and ease of use with different analyzers from different vendors.
THE GENESIS FE WORKCELLS—AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR ALL LABORATORIES!
The new GENESIS FE Workcell developed by TECAN is the result of the belief in a concept of truly modular and flexible solutions, which can be adapted and clustered to meet the specific needs of our customers.
The GENESIS FE Workcells are based on the technology of the well-proven GENESIS RSP platform, allowing flexible solutions while guaranteeing the highest possible system reliability. The GENESIS FE Workcell comes in two different sizes: The GENESIS FE 500 and the GENESIS FE 1500, with a racking capacity of 500 and 1500 tubes per hour, respectively. Both systems offer all of the pre-analytical functions needed in today's diagnostic laboratories: pre-sorting, centrifugation, decapping, secondary tube labeling, aliquoting and sorting into analyzer racks. All integrated into an compact instrument with a small footprint.
With the GENESIS FE Workcell, unpacking, data entry, and loading the sample tubes onto the GENESIS FE, are the only remaining pre-analytical tasks involving human labor. As a consequence, contact with potential infectious material is reduced to a minimum and safety for your laboratory staff is increased to a maximum.
After bar code scanning, the GENESIS FE automatically performs the pre-sorting. Tubes without a request for centrifugation, e.g., hematology tubes, proceed immediately to the next required processing station.
Sample transport is done by means of a miniaturized double track conveyor in the back of the GENESIS FE Workcell. One track is used for sample transport, while the tubes get diverted to the other track only if a request for a processing module has been detected. This design enables all tubes to move forward as quickly as possible to the required processing station, without being stopped somewhere along the way.
Tubes with a centrifuge request will be weighed and then loaded into the centrifuge buckets, by means of an intelligent algorithm to avoid unbalanced centrifuge loads. Once all buckets are full, or a user-defined timeout has been exceeded, the buckets get loaded into the centrifuge. Spin time and speed are user-configurable.
After centrifugation, the buckets are unloaded and the centrifuged samples proceed to the tube inspection unit, where the cell/serum layer is detected. This information is needed to cross check the serum volume against the number of tests ordered. Also, an optional sample integrity check will be available.
The next processing station along the conveyor belt is the decapper. The GENESIS FE Workcells handle primary tubes from different tube manufacturers, with different dimensions and different cap systems. Samples with a decapper request will be diverted into this gate, processed, and diverted back to the transport track. The samples then move on to the next module, the secondary tube labeler.
Here, the required number of empty secondary tubes will be labeled and placed behind the primary tube onto the conveyor. At the aliquoting module, the aliquots from the primary tube will be dispensed into the secondary tube(s). Finally, all tubes proceed to the unloading gate, where they will be distributed into the correlating analyzer racks.
The unloading area of the GENESIS FE Workcells can be freely configured to fit any rack format, no matter what analyzers need to be served now or in the future. An intelligent rack area control system lets you know the status of the analyzer racks in process at a glance.
THE TECAN GENESIS FE WORKCELL - A SOLUTION FOR ALL TYPES OF LABORATORY ORGANIZATIONS.
Different laboratory organizations require different solutions. A hospital laboratory may have 5 hours available to complete the pre-analytical tasks for all specimens, while a reference laboratory may have only 2 hours available. The mix of tubes for hematology, clinical chemistry, immunology and others also differs from laboratory to laboratory.
Also, different laboratories have different aliquoting needs. This can be influenced by the total amount of time available for the pre-analytical tasks and, whether a laboratory processes its specimen in serial or in parallel. If time is limited, the specimen can be aliquoted into labeled secondary tubes, which can be processed in parallel by the different analyzers. The type and total number of analyzers used will determine the amount of aliquots needed.
The Genesis FE 1500
The new generation of analyzers combining different disciplines, will reduce the aliquoting needs in the future, while the desire to have a copy of the specimen available for archiving, will increase the aliquoting needs. The different configurations of the GENESIS FE Workcells can cope with each of the above laboratory organizations and their specific needs. Differences between the GENESIS FE Workcells include the number of centrifuges, aliquoting tips and capacity available for the specimen load and analyzer rack unload area. With this flexibility, the GENESIS FE Workcells can be configured to cope with different scenarios, such as a high number of primary specimens combined with a low number of aliquots, or a high number of primary specimens combined with a high number of aliquots.
GENESIS FE WORKCELLS-THE FIRST PRE-ANALYTICAL AUTOMATION CONCEPT THAT GROWS AT YOUR PACE!
The number of specimens a laboratory processes will vary over time. Laboratories merge, new diagnostic tests, analyzers, and technologies will emerge, all leading to an increased number of specimens. TECAN's GENESIS FE Workcells offer a unique upgrade path allowing our customers to cope with these events. A GENESIS FE 500 workcell can be upgraded to a FE 1500, for laboratories where the increasing number of specimens demands a higher throughput. If not yet available, a second centrifuge can be added to the FE 1500. If needed, installing multiple GENESIS FE Workcells will increase throughput and offer the advantage of having a backup available. In combination with a sample transport system and analyzers, the GENESIS FE Workcells can be integrated into Total Laboratory Automation systems if so desired.