Error Recovery

The system senses clog in tips (e.g. clumps, or other solid substances) while aspirating, dispensing, or mixing liquid. Clogs block the liquid flow, resulting in failure to aspirate or dispense the full commanded volume.

When the system detects clogging, the Pipetting Error Detection window pops up to provide detailed information about the error. Select an option from the Recovery Options list to handle the issue. You can choose different options in the event that multiple clogs are detected.

Clog Detection Recovery Window

The recovery options are provided differently according to the Status (e.g. Clog Detection - Aspirate) in which the error occurs . The statuses are aspirate, dispense, mixing before aspirate, mixing after dispense, and dispense (multi dispense). You can find the error recovery options for each status below.

Clog Detection - Aspirate

Clog can occur when the tips aspirate liquid from the source well. When the error occurs, there are seven recovery options available for you to choose from, including Continue Anyway, Recover & Retry, Eject & Retry, Recover & Skip Source, Skip Source, Recover Source and Skip Affected Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

Clog Detection - Dispense

The flow of liquid during dispense to the destination well can be disrupted by clogs. To solve the issue, you can choose four recovery options, including Continue Anyway, Retry, Skip Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

After selecting the recovery option(s) according to the clogging status, you can proceed to select EXECUTE. Or you can forgo recovery and end the protocol by selecting ABORT.

The system senses unexpected aspiration of air. This can occur if there are bubbles in the source, or if the end of the tip is not submerged in the liquid.

The FLO i8 system automatically pauses any task whenever it detects air entering the tips. You can see the details of the occurring Air Aspiration in the recovery window that pops up after the protocol is paused.

Air Aspiration Recovery Window

The Pipetting Error Detection window provides the details of the Air Aspiration error. The icon in the Volume in the tip indicates that the stated volume may not be accurate due to the presence of air.

Subsequently, the provided recovery options for this error depends on the execution status in which the error happens, as seen in the Status column (e.g. Air Aspiration - Aspirate). The statuses are aspirate, mixing before aspirate, and mixing after dispense. The following sections provide the lists of Air Aspiration recovery options according to the error status.

Air Aspirate - Aspirate

There are seven recovery options available for this error status, including Continue Anyway, Recover & Retry, Eject & Retry, Recover & Skip Source, Skip Source, Recover Source and Skip Affected Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

Air Aspirate - Mixing After Dispense

Similar to mixing before aspirate, air aspiration can occur when the pipettes mix sample liquid. See the Using the Pipetting Parameters topic to find out more about Mixing.

There are four recovery options available for this particular status, including Continue Anyway, Retry, Skip Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

After selecting the recovery option according to the status in which Air Aspiration occurs, you can proceed to select EXECUTE or ABORT.

Pipetting Time Out occurs when it takes longer than the estimated time to execute a pipetting task. When Pipetting Time Out occurs, the Pipetting Error Detection window appears with recovery options to fix it.

Pipetting Time Out Recovery Window

The recovery options are provided according to the system status when an error occurs. Pipetting Time Out usually occurs during aspirate, dispense, mixing before aspirate, and mixing after dispense. To find the error status, you can take a look at the Status column in the Pipetting Error Detection window.

The lists of recovery options for each status are available in the following sections.

Pipetting Time Out - Aspirate

The pipetting channels can aspirate liquid from the source well longer than the expected time, resulting in Pipetting Time Out. There are seven recovery options you can choose, including Continue Anyway, Recover & Retry, Eject & Retry, Recover & Skip Source, Skip Source, Recover Source and Skip Affected Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

Pipetting Time Out - Dispense

The pipetting channels can take longer in dispensing liquid to the destination well, triggering Pipetting Time Out. The available recovery options for this particular status are Continue Anyway, Retry, Skip Source, and Skip Source and Skip Affected Source.

After selecting the recovery option according to the error status, you can choose EXECUTE or ABORT.

Eject & Retry Recovery Option That Requires Source Refill

When you select Recover & Retry or Eject & Retry, you are required to refill or replace the insufficient source labware. You can complete the recovery procedure through the following steps.

1. Select the recovery options you prefer for each insufficient source liquid on the Insufficient Source Volume Recovery window.
2. Take a look at the message under the table. You can find the type and the slot position of the liquid source labware that requires refills.
3. Open the instrument door. The deck will move closer for you to easily reach the labware.
4. Take the labware and refill the source liquid according to the volume of your protocol design.
5. Place the labware back in the deck slot. Then, close the instrument door.
6. Click the EXECUTE button.
7. Wait for the system to validate the labware position. If the labware is placed correctly, the recovery procedure will continue based on the option you choose.

Recoverable motor error covers errors that do not disable the system from operating, so the issue can be immediately handled. An error message, as well as the RETRY and ABORT buttons, are available for you to handle the issue. The description of each option is available in the following table.

Retry Button in a Motor Error Message

In some cases, collision can cause actuator error, specifically when the contacts are too harsh or the collisions occur in multiple pipetting channels. Due to the collision, the actuator encounters emergency stops that result in a motor error. If you still see the RETRY button, the actuator might be able to be recovered.

However, the recovery tends to fail if the collision causes a fatal error. Alternatively, you can create a log package and report the issue to support at support@formualtrix.com.

Fatal error covers unrecoverable actuator errors that disable the instrument from operating. We suggest creating log packages and contacting the support team at support@formulatrix.com. The error codes for fatal actuator errors are usually ActuatorEncoderError, ActuatorMecNoMove, ActuatorEnableFailed, ActuatorUnknownError, ActuatorIllegalPos, ActuatorNotReady.

Actuator Fatal Error Message

In the error message, you can find the REPORT and CLOSE buttons that direct the system to take action regarding the issues. The instrument's overall status on the status bar is also red. The details are listed below.

As an early measure to handle the issue, you are suggested to restart the FLO i8 instrument manually by switching the instrument’s power button off, then switching back to on.

Restart Suggestion in the Actuator Fatal Error Message

An error message appears when the system detects there are not enough tips on the deck to continue the protocol execution.

The error message will appear whenever the tips run out, consisting of the deck position number, the type of the tip, and the remaining amount of tips needed.

Insufficient Tips Error Message

The empty tip boxes have to be replaced with the full ones. You can follow the listed steps in changing the tip box.

1. Open the instrument door. Then, take out the empty tip box and replace it with a new one on the deck.
2. Close the instrument door and wait for the instrument to validate the labware positions. If you place the new tip box on the wrong deck slot, or you still put insufficient tips on the deck, the protocol cannot be continued. Please do the following suggestions.
   1. Take a look at the Preparing Required Labware page. The slot highlighted in red shows the correct tip box position with specific required tip type and numbers.

      

      Tip Box Position Error on the Preparing Required Labware Page

   2. Open the instrument door. Then, move the tip box to the slot with the blue highlight.
   3. Close the door again and wait for the instrument to validate labware positions.
3. If the system can validate that the tip box with the required tips number is positioned according to the correct slot, the protocol is automatically resumed.

The FLO i8 system can detect when a tip box on the deck does not match the expected type. In designing a protocol, the FLO i8 system calculates the liquid volume with the number of tips needed according to the tip type. You can see the tip types recommendation on the Preparing Required Labware page.

When you place the incorrect tip type, the system cannot proceed to execute the protocol after you click the RUN button. The Incorrect Tip Type window will appear on the screen to provide information about expected tip types and the ones detected by the system.

Incorrect Tip Type Window

Simultaneously, placing incorrect tip types can also happen when replacing empty tip boxes in the middle of protocol execution. The Incorrect Tip Type window will pop up when the system attempts to validate the replaced tip boxes and finds the unmatched tip types.

To handle the issue, follow the tutorial of changing incorrect tips on the deck below.

1. Take a look at the Expected Tip and Detected Tip columns on the Incorrect Tip Type window to see which tip types and boxes should be replaced.
2. Under the table, select the checkbox of the tip type you actually have.

   Note: The system can recalculate the expected tip numbers according to the tip type you have.

3. Click the CONFIRM button. Wait for the system to update the tip type.
4. Open the instrument door. Replace the incorrect tip box with the tip box containing the recommended tip types.
5. See the Preparing Required Labware page to place the tip boxes on the correct deck slot.
6. Close the instrument door. Click the GO button.