Chromatography Data System: Control your Instruments

Editor's Notes

• #6: Chromeleon CDS provides the ultimate solution for third party instrument control with both the “printer driver” plugin concept and a Driver Development Kit (DDK) approach to address the needs of instrumentmanufacturers wishing to write their own instrument control drivers.The “printer driver” plugin concept simplifies the configuration of instruments by the addition of a driver for each module in the system. For each module in your system, you simply load the correct driver – similar to adding a printer to your computer.Integrated within Chromeleon CDS are the wrapped driver plugin solutions provided by leading instrument manufacturers including the Agilent Instrument Control Framework (ICF) and the Waters Instrument Control Software (ICS). This ensures fast, comprehensive support for all drivers and functions released to these plugins.The Chromeleon DDK provides driver developers and instrument vendors with a straightforward approach to implementing instrument driver, configuration, and editor plugins for Chromeleon. All new drivers implemented by Thermo Scientific use the DDK.Chromeleon CDS is the undisputed leader in multi-vendor instrument control, currently controlling over 400 modules from 18 different manufacturers. Multi-vendor control is a core element of Chromeleon CDS and will continue to be so. With the new DDK tools available to external developers, the range of high quality instrument drivers will continue to expand.
• #7: Read the problem<click>Read the solution
• #8: The Instruments Category gives instant access to all the instruments in your laboratory in a simple interface. Just click the Instruments category, browse the list and select your instrument – you can even set favorite instruments!<click>Automatically generated ePanels provide a consistent look and feel for all your chromatography instruments with comprehensive controls for each instrument, including Smart Startup, launching of eWorkflows and monitoring detector baselines. The most common controls are available via the Home panel tab…
• #9: … while more advanced settings can be accessed from module-specific device ePanels. Anautogenerated ePanel tabset provides direct access to all the individual device ePanels and the Instrument Audit Trail and Queue.<click>Selecting a specific device panel, gives access to all commands available for that module.
• #10: Of course theseautogeneratedtabsets may not meet all your requirements so, uniquely, Chromeleon ePanels can be completely customized to allow you to create a personalized universal ePanel tabset that will work with all of your instruments. You can create a common look across your entire laboratory or just include all your corporate colors, reducing training effort and allowing users to work with different instruments in a similar way. You can add a whole variety of different controls to your ePanel. <Read the list>
• #12: Several components of Chromeleon CDS work together to give confidence that your samples will run right first time.eWorkflows provide a template to create a complete, correct sequence with predefined files and a well-defined structure according to your SOP requirements. They can be created for any application.The Ready Check checks your sequence and method files prior to the sequence start and each injection, catching any errors before an injection occurs.Smart Startup allows your instrument to be automatically initialized and equilibrated prior to running any samples.Built-in System Suitability Tests with Intelligent Run Control take automated, in-sequence pass and/or fail actions based on the actual chromatographic results.The combination of eWorkflows, Ready Check, Smart Startup and Intelligent Run Control (IRC) with System Suitability Tests (SST) ensures analyses are performed in accordance with your standard operating procedures, minimizing analytical errors and improving efficiency, giving you more ‘right first time’ analyses.
• #13: Read the problem<click>eWorkflows provide a template to quickly and easily create a complete, correct sequence with predefined files and a well-defined structure. eWorkflows minimize the amount of training required and take you from samples to reliable results in a minimum number of steps.They contain everything needed to successfully run, process and report an analysis, including <read from the list>
• #14: To run a procedure using an eWorkflow, all the laboratory analyst needs to do is select the desired eWorkflow, select an idle instrument, and click Launch……and then specify the number of samples to be run and the vial position in which the first sample is located in the autosampler. When the analyst clicks Finish…
• #15: …the eWorkflow automatically generates the Sequence required to run the analytical method, complete with all the required blank injections, calibration standards, check standards, and unknowns (in groups per method requirements). The Sequence also includes all required instrument methods, data processing methods, and report templates, and it is now ready to run. One click on the Start button is all that is needed to start the Sequence running all the way to completion, including complete report generation. You may be thinking that an eWorkflow looks a lot like a Sequence wizard, and it does, but there are some important differences:An eWorkflow can be custom-configured for a specific application, so the eWorkflow wizard becomes contextual for each method.An eWorkflow is all-inclusive – it has procedure-specific rules for the construction of the Sequence, the instrument specifications, the instrument methods and data processing methods, and the report templates -everything that a minimally-trained analyst needs in order to run a set of analyses.The author of an eWorkflow has flexibility to either allow analysts some latitude (for example, to choose from a selection of different instrument methods or report templates), or require them to follow a very restricted set of conditions.A Sequence generated by an eWorkflow retains the rules of the eWorkflow, and will only allow modifications that comply with those rules.In short, eWorkflows enable lab staff can run analyses perfectly with minimal training , minimal time, and minimal effort.
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• #17: Chromeleon CDS performs the Ready Check automatically when you start a queue or when you add a sequence to a running queue. It runs in the background and the dialog only appears if an issue is found. The Ready Check is also run prior to each injection to verify that the Instrument is still ready for operation and the Instrument Methods used to run the sequences in the queue are still error free. In addition to these automatic checks, you can also manually run a Ready Check or consistency check on an Instrument Method in the editor.<click>Any issues are reported in a dialog box with a clear message and indication of the device if relevant. A hyperlink enables you to go to the problem immediately.<click>The Ready Check ensures only consistent, correct sequences are executed and picks up any issues with changes to the Queue or running sequences immediately, saving time and effort.
• #18: Before starting an analysis, your instrument must be initialized and equilibrated, but how can you be sure you selected the correct chromatographic conditions and it is fully equilibrated? This is usually a decision that must be made by the analyst and can therefore be highly subjective leading to wasted solvent, time and samples.<click>Smart Startup automatically initializes your instrument, and sets correct initial instrument conditions for Thermo Scientific Dionex HPLC and IC instruments. It then checks the instrument is properly equilibrated before automatically starting the run, preventing errors, giving you more ‘right first time’ analyses and most efficient instrument utilization.
• #19: Module settings for the Smart Startup procedure are automatically derived from the Instrument Method settings. These settings can be viewed and edited in the view of the Instrument Method Editor.Chromeleon CDS also provides procedures for automatically shutting down a chromatography system, or setting it into standby mode. These procedures are referred to as Smart Shutdown, and Smart Standby, respectively.The Smart Startup procedure usually involves two procedures: a wake-up operation that "wakes up" all modules that are currently in standby mode and ensures they are connected, and the actual startup procedure. The instrument preparation procedure can include the following operations:The pump is purged,The entire system, especially the column and sampler, is flushed until the system is free of any previous liquid composition. You can even run a gradient wash through the system.Any column oven valves are set to the correct positionAll temperature-controlled modules installed in the system are warmed or cooled to the starting temperature,The detector lamps are turned on.Once the system is purged and washed Smart Startup sets the correct initial conditions for all modules and equilibration begins.
• #20: After 10 minutes of equilibration, Chromeleon CDS automatically starts monitoring key parameters that indicate system readiness:The pump pressure ripple,The temperatures of relevant modules,The detector drift and signal noise.A dedicated Smart Startup ePanel is provided as part of the default ePanel tabset to show the status of these parameters.
• #21: Once the monitored parameters are within the limits specified (default or user defined), Chromeleon automatically stops equilibration and begins running the sequence.<click>Smart Startup can be easily programmed to run for specific modules (in the Instrument Method) and selected sequences (in the Queue). The Smart Startup option can also be activated as part of an eWorkflow. This can simplify automation of method switching on the same system within the same Queue for higher instrument utilization.<click>So in conclusion, Smart Startup ensures your first injection is always a good one. It takes the subjectivity out of deciding when the system is equilbrated and means the analyst can ‘fire and forget’ their sequences. By automating the process, Smart Startup eliminates excessive equilibration times or the need to add sacrificial injections, saving solvent, time and effort.
• #22: During the sequence run, decisions and actions often have to be taken based on in-run results and your chromatographic requirements. These are usually made manually by users and can therefore be subjective, error prone, and often too late, causing delays. <click>Built-in System Suitability Tests with Intelligent Run Control take automated, in-sequence pass and/or fail actions based on the actual chromatographic results. Test criteria and pass/fail actions are user definable enabling Chromeleon CDS to react unattended, minimizing analytical errors and improving efficiency with more ‘right first time’ analyses.The actions include inserting injections, re-injecting parts or the entire sequence, or performing post-run transformations on the data. These actions can be triggered conditionally or unconditionally depending on your requirements with built-in error handling in case any of the actions fail to execute correctly.
• #23: In the Processing Method, you can create a unlimited number of different tests that apply to any injections in your sequence. <click>You can check against any parameter that is available in Chromeleon CDS – and that’s a lot of parameters!! You can even check the calculated results against your specifications. A simple wizard guides you through selecting the type of test, which injections it applies to, what to check…
• #24: … and guides you through setting up the IRC actions. There are several actions available that allow you to re-inject or insert injections, or perform arithmetic processes or extract channels from your data. You can specify multiple actions to occur per test case and specify different actions for a pass or fail result.Each test case has associated error handling to ensure the sequence can continue (or be aborted) if the IRC fails to execute correctly.
• #25: An example of IRC is the re-injection of the check standards if the %RSD of a peak area is not less than 2. <click>In the evaluation tab, you set the parameter to be checked – in this case the %RSD of peak areas < 2.<click>In the Fail Actions tab, you set the re-inject action to re-inject the check standards.<click>So during the run, if the test fails…<click> IRC will automatically re-inject the check standard injections and number them as re-injections. <click> In conclusion – IRC combined with SSTs will ensure you get more right first time analyses and more confidence in your results once the sequence has finished – you know it has passed all the SST checks.
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