Locate the task in the fluid path first
Arrows indicate task relationships, not that every component is connected in series in one tube. Check valve positions, pump wetted boundaries and operating states for each branch.
Use a state table to relate valve positions, pump actions and measurement windows. Calculate each branch for actual installed loads, then check for pressure disturbances, unintended old-sample entry or waste accumulation when branches operate together.
Common product roles and application guides
| Product category | Role in this instrument |
|---|---|
| Piston pump | Discrete metering in analytical branches |
| Syringe pump | Aspiration, hold and sequential delivery |
| Valveless metering pumps | Suitable continuous auxiliary-liquid metering |
| Diaphragm pump | Wash supply and auxiliary circulation; suitable air-containing waste drainage |
| Fluidic valves | Selection of sample, standard and wash sources; branch on/off control and maintenance isolation |
| Bubble and pressure detection | Signals for controller coordination of fluid-path status and measurement windows |
| Tubing and fittings | Paths and sealed connections between modules |
- Piston Pumps for Analytical System Integration
- Syringe pumps in analytical system integration
- Valveless metering pumps in analytical system integration
- Diaphragm pumps in analytical system integration
- Fluidic Valves for Analytical System Integration
- Bubble and pressure sensing in analytical system integration
- Tubing and Fittings for Analytical System Integration
Operating requirements differ by step
| Stage | Task category | Operating conditions to define |
|---|---|---|
| Ports and interlocks: define operating and maintenance states | Sample, standard, wash and bypass selection | Source identity, valve position, shared volume, installed flow and sample-arrival delay; measurement-inhibition conditions during washing, switching and recovery |
| Pump duties: distinguish capacity from continuous flow | Metering, continuous auxiliary supply and waste handling | Working dose and time window for metering; actual flow and fluctuation for continuous supply; inlet medium and peak accumulation for drainage; pressure in each connected state |
| Module connections: check sealing and signal recovery | Connections that affect sample arrival and method response | Wetted materials, tubing dimensions, shared volume, seals and installed pressure; priming and replacement procedure; blank recovery and signal delay after servicing |
Ports and interlocks: define operating and maintenance states
Include measurement, washing, bypass and fault states in the drawings. Shared volume and transport delay determine when a signal can be identified as a valid sample measurement.
Pump duties: distinguish capacity from continuous flow
Assign finite-stroke metering, continuous auxiliary supply, wash supply and gas-liquid aspiration separately. Check each branch with its actual medium and installed load. Capacity and free flow do not characterize the complete system.
Assess working doses in metering branches, actual flow and fluctuation in continuous branches, and medium and peak demand in waste branches. Select each branch before validating the whole instrument.
Module connections: check sealing and signal recovery
After assembly, validate priming, leakage, blanks and delay first. Compatible module dimensions do not establish that method results remain unaffected.
Explore configurations through product application guides
- Piston Pumps for Analytical System Integration
- Syringe pumps in analytical system integration
- Valveless metering pumps in analytical system integration
- Diaphragm pumps in analytical system integration
- Fluidic Valves for Analytical System Integration
- Bubble and pressure sensing in analytical system integration
- Tubing and Fittings for Analytical System Integration
Validate the complete cycle through application results
For an analytical system, coordinate source selection and sample arrival with the measurement window. Verify carryover, blank recovery, delivered volume and detector response after switching or maintenance; a completed valve or pump command does not establish a valid analysis.
Check delivery, response, blanks and fault recovery through the complete method cycle.
| Step to validate | Measurements or observations | Priority troubleshooting checks |
|---|---|---|
| Ports and interlocks: define operating and maintenance states | Run the method-defined sample, standard and blank sequence through switching and washing; confirm arrival at the measurement interface before assigning a result to the new source. | Valve positioning alone does not establish sample replacement. Investigate shared-volume carryover, transport delay and an incorrectly timed measurement window. |
| Pump duties: distinguish capacity from continuous flow | Measure doses at the receiver, continuous delivery over the relevant time window and waste accumulation during concurrent operations; assess detector response separately. | Pressure disturbances or shared supply can change a branch during combined operation. Trace the affected branch instead of applying one flow correction to the whole system. |
| Module connections: check sealing and signal recovery | After replacement, check sealing and priming, then compare blank recovery, sample-arrival delay and method response through the complete path. | Leaks, trapped gas, changed shared volume or retained sample can affect results despite matching mechanical interfaces. |
Configure metering, continuous supply, liquid washing and air-containing waste removal separately. See Laboratory Automation for platform scheduling.
Common selection and recovery questions
Can one rated flow describe the complete fluidic system?
For discrete metering, check each dose; for continuous branches, check flow and variation within time windows; for waste removal, check inlet medium and peak accumulation. Validate each branch before assessing the complete instrument method.
What remains to validate after module interfaces match?
Check assembly, sealing, priming, shared volume and signal arrival, then validate method blanks, switching and fault recovery.