System - 11.2 - Manual controls

You can directly control the separate firefly modules using the Manual Controls. You may need to do this to reset firefly after stopping a protocol: specific instructions for resetting are shown for the firefly modules you would need to use to do this.

A brief overview of these controls is included here for reference.The appearance will be specific to your instrument type e.g. only 3 dispense heads are shown for 3 head instruments, with the other 3 greyed-out. #

If you access the manual controls during protocol execution e.g., after you have stopped firefly to resolve a problem, they will show the current arrangement of labware.

You can remove labware and reservoirs as you would normally, but you will need to purge and
unload any syringes or pipette tips that were in use when execution stopped, and you may also
need to reset other modules.

11.2.1 General

11.2.2 Pipette Head

Manual controls work differently depending on whether you have EZL or ATL tips loaded.

EZL tips

Empty loaded tips:

1. Select a deck location from the dropdown list. Make sure there is a plate in that location, which you can dispense the liquid into.
2. Select the plate type from the dropdown list.
3. Select the tip type present on the pipette head from the list.
4. Click 'Purge tips' to empty them.

Unload tips:

1. Select the deck location from the drop-down menu that contains the tip stand you will unload tips into.
2. Click the unload tips button.

Pick up tips:

1. Select the deck location of the tip set to pick up, from the drop-down menu.
2. Select the correct tip type from the drop-down menu.
3. Click the pickup tips button.

ATL tips

Empty loaded tips:

1. Select a deck location from the dropdown list. Make sure there is a plate in that location, which you can dispense the liquid into.
2. Select the plate type from the dropdown list.
3. Select the tip type present on the pipette head from the list.
4. Click 'Purge tips' to empty them.

Unload tips:

1. Select the deck location from the drop-down menu that contains an empty tip box. It must be completely empty. The tips will be right-align to the right hand side of the tip box.
2. Click the unload tips button.

The pickup tips button is not available for ATL tips. 

11.2.4.ii Reservoir thermal module

11.2.4.ii Plate thermal modules

11.2.5 Deck

The deck functions relate to repositioning labware e.g., to work around a problem during protocol
execution. You can use the grippers to reposition labware, then 'Apply Changes' to update firefly.

11.2.5.i Gripper

11.2.5.ii Plate clamps

11.2.5.iii Lights

11.2.6 Manual controls firefly+

If you are using firefly+, use the icons to switch between the firefly deck controls
and firefly+ shelves and gripper.

The deck controls give you access to the firefly+ gripper and the ODTC. It can be used to run the ODTC without having created a firefly protocol around the Inheco protocol.

Gripper

ODTC

If you are viewing the manual controls for a simulated instrument, they will show implausibly high values for the lid, target and current temperatures. This is intentional: to readily differentiate actual and simulated instruments.

You can use the manual controls to run an ODTC protocol in isolation, by using Run. However, you will need to reach into firefly+ to load the plate in the ODTC.

Alternatively, you could create a firefly protocol with the minimum four steps. This way you can load the ODTC without needing to reach into firefly. It is possible to connect to the ODTC directly, using the Device Manager software on the firefly tablet, but only after shutting down firefly software. The connection between firefly and the ODTC will be lost if you connect to the ODTC using Inheco's Device Manager; you will need to use the Reboot function in firefly Manual Controls to reconnect the ODTC to firefly.

Next Article - System - 11.3 - Machine logs