1. AQT90 FLEX Service Training
Cup Transport
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER A/S
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION

2. Cup Transport – Layout Punch Up Cartridge Slide Punch Down
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Layout
Punch Up
Cartridge Slide
Punch Down
Cartridge Lock
Wheel Lock
Cartridge

3. Electronics – Storage PCB
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Electronics – Storage PCB
The Main Board controls and monitors this PCB
The Storage PCB includes the following circuits/functions:
Stepper motor drivers
Buffers for photo interrupters
Amplifier
A/D Converter
Local power supply

4. Electronics – Storage PCB
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Electronics – Storage PCB
TIR Interface
PCB
Storage PCB

5. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Cartridge Lock
When inserting a cartridge the cartridge lock is activated manually.
When ejecting a cartridge a stepper motor releases the cartridge lock and pushes the cartridge partially out
Cartridge Lock
Position Indicator
Cartridge Lock
Detector
Cartridge Hook
(reverse side)

6. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Storage Wheel
Driven by a stepper motor, which has a rubber wheel attached to its axle. The rubber wheel is pressed (spring loaded) against the perimeter of the wheel.
The wheel has 30 slits (one for each row of cups, that is, two slits per cartridge). One photo detector detects the exact position of a slit (and thereby a row of cups).
Drive wheel
Cup row position

7. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Wheel Lock
May lock the storage wheel in a certain position prior to loading a new cartridge or ejecting a used one.
May lock both the storage wheel and the incubator wheel in certain positions prior to moving a cup from the storage wheel to the incubator wheel.
Incubator wheel lock
Storage wheel lock
Driven by a stepper motor.
Three photo interrupters monitor its position.

8. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Cartridge Tray
A stepper motor and a toothed bar, which engages with the cartridge, move the cartridge back and fourth.
The system has eight positions (one for each cup in a row positioned at punch down) and a home position (cartridge pushed completely into the storage wheel). One photo detector detects the eight cup positions and a second one detects the home position.
Cup Position
Cartridge Home

9. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Punch down, Storage/Incubator
A stepper motor moves the cup puncher vertically to move a cup from the storage wheel to the incubator wheel.
A photo interrupter detects whether the cup puncher is home (up) or away from home.
A reflective sensor (below the incubator wheel) detects that the cup is actually punched down.
Puncher Home

10. Electronics – Cup Transport front PCB’s
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Electronics – Cup Transport front PCB’s
Cartridge
Lock PCB
Cup Transport
Front PCB
Fuse

11. Electronics – Cup Transport Rear PCB’s
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Electronics – Cup Transport Rear PCB’s
Cup Transport
Rear PCB
Process
Wheel

12. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Incubator Wheel
Driven by a stepper motor, which has a rubber wheel attached to its axle. The rubber wheel is pressed (spring loaded) against the perimeter of the wheel.
The wheel has 32 slits (one for each of the cup position). One photo detector detects the exact position of a slit.
Slits
(underside of incubator wheel)
Drive wheel
Slit detector
Cup detector
(not visible)

13. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Incubator Wheel, cont.
The perimeter of the incubator wheel is encoded in such a way that the output of a reflective sensor array (five sensors) indicates which of the 32 cup positions is at the photo detector.
Encoding
Reflective sensors

14. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Heaters
Incubator Wheel, cont.
The Incubator wheel is thermostatted to 37.0 °C ± 0.5 °C.
Four power transistors are used for heating
An IR thermometer measures the temperature
IR thermometer
Cup detector
Reflective sensor
Heaters

15. Cup Transport – Control
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cup Transport – Control
Process Wheel
Driven directly by a stepper motor.
The motor driver locks the wheel in specific positions (hold).
The wheel has 15 slits (one for each cup position).
One photo detector detects the exact position of a slit.
A second photo detector is used for detecting the home position for the wheel.
Home Position
Cup Positions
Home
Detector
Cup Position
Detector
Direct Drive

16. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Safe Positions

17. Interferences and Safe Positions
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Interferences and Safe Positions
Interference
The AQT90 contains many moving parts, which move relative to, interact or engage with each other.
For this reason it is desirable to be able to move all (or just one specific part) to well defined positions where they do not interfere with the movement of other parts.
These positions are called Safe Positions.

18. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Flows

19. Flows – Cup Transport Start the test
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Flows – Cup Transport
Start the test
Insert the Blank Tests Cartridge
Enter the cup number for the first cup to be used
Select how many cups should be used
Remove the Blank Tests Cartridge after the test

20. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Storage Door

21. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cartridge Lock

22. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Cartridge Slider

23. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Wheel Lock

24. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Punch Out

25. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Process Wheel

26. 14/09/2019
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
Process Unit

27. Cup Transport RADIOMETER PRESENTATION
End of session
Cup Transport
14/09/2019
RADIOMETER A/S
RADIOMETER PRESENTATION