Abstract: A method for monitoring the sealing of a container in a system or device is described. The method includes the following steps: controlling the heating element to heat a heating stamp to a predetermined sealing temperature, monitoring the temperature of the heating stamp, determining a temperature over time curve of the heating stamp by means of at least one temperature sensor, determining at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve, comparing the determined at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve with a reference value, and determining a sealing property of the sealing of the container based on said comparison of the determined at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve with the reference value.

Abstract: A method to monitor and control the temperature of a sample holder of a laboratory instrument during execution of a temperature profile on the sample holder is presented. The laboratory instrument comprises a sample holder with high temperature uniformity and at least three identical temperature sensors. The measured actual temperatures of the sample holder are processed in order to determine if the execution of the temperature profile should be continued or aborted. Furthermore, temperature sensors which measure actual temperatures that do not fulfil certain requirements are excluded from further monitoring and controlling the temperature of a sample holder.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the sealing of a container in a system or device is described. The method includes the following steps: controlling the heating element to heat a heating stamp to a predetermined sealing temperature, monitoring the temperature of the heating stamp, determining a temperature over time curve of the heating stamp by means of at least one temperature sensor, determining at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve, comparing the determined at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve with a reference value, and determining a sealing property of the sealing of the container based on said comparison of the determined at least one characteristic of the temperature over time curve with the reference value.

Abstract: A method for introducing a sample rack holding a plurality of sample receptacles into a receiving bay in a housing of an automated analytical system is disclosed. The method is carried out by manually moving the sample rack from a loading position towards a processing position along a lane in the receiving bay, pausing the movement when the rack reaches a focusing position, moving a reader to focuse onto the lane, resuming the movement of the sample rack and detecting features of the sample rack during the movement, positioning, detecting, and locking the sample rack in the processing position, and processing the content of the sample receptacles.

Abstract: A method for detection of a bottom of a well of a multiwell plate for a pipetting device is disclosed. The pipetting device includes a pipetting head configured for being coupled to a plurality of pipetting tips. A force sensor configured for measuring a resistance force depending on a force on a pipetting tip exerted by the bottom is used. The method includes measuring the resistance force during movement of one of the pipetting tips from a start position downstream towards the bottom of the well and stopping the movement at a bottom position. The method further includes storing the bottom position together with a corresponding logical position of the well in the multiwell plate in a database. Further disclosed is a pipetting device, a laboratory instrument for processing and/or analyzing a sample and a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium for performing the method.

Abstract: A method to monitor and control the temperature of a sample holder of a laboratory instrument during execution of a temperature profile on the sample holder is presented. The laboratory instrument comprises a sample holder with high temperature uniformity and at least three identical temperature sensors. The measured actual temperatures of the sample holder are processed in order to determine if the execution of the temperature profile should be continued or aborted. Furthermore, temperature sensors which measure actual temperatures that do not fulfil certain requirements are excluded from further monitoring and controlling the temperature of a sample holder.

Abstract: A method to monitor and control the temperature of a sample holder of a laboratory instrument during execution of a temperature profile on the sample holder is presented. The laboratory instrument comprises a sample holder with high temperature uniformity and at least three identical temperature sensors. The measured actual temperatures of the sample holder are processed in order to determine if the execution of the temperature profile should be continued or aborted. Furthermore, temperature sensors which measure actual temperatures that do not fulfil certain requirements are excluded from further monitoring and controlling the temperature of a sample holder.

Abstract: A laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport plane in which the transport plane is covered by an electrically conductive material is presented. A laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Abstract: A transport device for a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The transport device comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators and a driving surface arranged above the actuators, in which the driving surface is configured to carry sample container carriers. The driving surface is tiled and comprises a plurality of driving surface modules with driving surface elements. Support elements arranged in a grid pattern are provided. Each driving surface module is detachably mounted to a subset of the support elements. A laboratory sample distribution system and to a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system are also presented.

Abstract: A transport device unit for a transport device assembled using a plurality of transport device units is presented. The transport device unit comprises a base plate module with a base plate for fixing the transport device unit to a support frame, an actuator module with a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, where the actuator module is supported by the base plate module, and a driving surface module with a driving surface element, where the driving surface element is arranged above the actuator module covering the actuators and configured to carry sample container carriers. A transport device, a system for at least partially disassembling the transport device, and a laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport device are also presented. In addition, a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Abstract: A method to monitor and control the temperature of a sample holder of a laboratory instrument during execution of a temperature profile on the sample holder is presented. The laboratory instrument comprises a sample holder with high temperature uniformity and at least three identical temperature sensors. The measured actual temperatures of the sample holder are processed in order to determine if the execution of the temperature profile should be continued or aborted. Furthermore, temperature sensors which measure actual temperatures that do not fulfil certain requirements are excluded from further monitoring and controlling the temperature of a sample holder.

Abstract: A transport device for a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The transport device comprises a plurality of actuator modules. Each actuator module comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators. A plurality of base plate modules arranged in a pattern is provided. The base plate modules are coupled to each other and aligned by support elements. The number of base plate modules at least equals the number of actuator modules and each base plate module is configured to support one of the plurality of actuator modules. A laboratory sample distribution system and to a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system are also presented.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for the thermally controlled processing of biological material in a liquid sample in a multiwell plate using magnetic particles. Also disclosed is a corresponding method for the thermally controlled processing of biological material in a liquid sample.

Abstract: A sample container carrier for transporting sample containers, for example test tubes and/or vials, in a laboratory automation system is presented. The sample container carrier comprises a body having a hollow center with a central axis. The hollow center accommodates a lower end of a sample container. The sample container carrier also comprises three resiliently deformable and/or displaceable first retaining elements mounted to the body. The first retaining elements, distributed about the central axis, clamp a sample container inserted in the hollow center. The sample container carrier also comprises three resiliently deformable and/or displaceable second retaining elements mounted to the body. The second retaining elements, distributed about the central axis, clamp the sample container inserted in the hollow center underneath the three first retaining elements. The second retaining elements are arranged at least partly inside the hollow center.

Abstract: A laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport plane in which the transport plane is covered by an electrically conductive material is presented. A laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Abstract: A transport device unit for a transport device assembled using a plurality of transport device units is presented. The transport device unit comprises a base plate module with a base plate for fixing the transport device unit to a support frame, an actuator module with a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, where the actuator module is supported by the base plate module, and a driving surface module with a driving surface element, where the driving surface element is arranged above the actuator module covering the actuators and configured to carry sample container carriers. A transport device, a system for at least partially disassembling the transport device, and a laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport device are also presented. In addition, a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Abstract: A transport device for a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The transport device comprises a plurality of actuator modules. Each actuator module comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators. A plurality of base plate modules arranged in a pattern is provided. The base plate modules are coupled to each other and aligned by support elements. The number of base plate modules at least equals the number of actuator modules and each base plate module is configured to support one of the plurality of actuator modules. A laboratory sample distribution system and to a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system are also presented.

Abstract: A transport device for a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The transport device comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators and a driving surface arranged above the actuators, in which the driving surface is configured to carry sample container carriers. The driving surface is tiled and comprises a plurality of driving surface modules with driving surface elements. Support elements arranged in a grid pattern are provided. Each driving surface module is detachably mounted to a subset of the support elements. A laboratory sample distribution system and to a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system are also presented.

Abstract: A sample container carrier for transporting sample containers, for example test tubes and/or vials, in a laboratory automation system is presented. The sample container carrier comprises a body having a hollow center with a central axis (A). The hollow center is adapted for receiving a lower end of a sample container. The sample container carrier also comprises at least three resiliently deformable and/or displaceable upper retaining elements. The upper retaining elements are distributed about the central axis (A) and adapted to clamp a sample container inserted in the hollow center of the body. The upper retaining elements are made of plastic. A method for manufacturing a sample container carrier is also presented. At least the upper retaining elements are formed by injection molding. A laboratory sample distribution system having a number of sample container carriers and a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system are also presented.

Abstract: A sample container carrier for transporting sample containers, for example test tubes and/or vials, in a laboratory automation system is presented. The sample container carrier comprises a body having a hollow center with a central axis. The hollow center accommodates a lower end of a sample container. The sample container carrier also comprises three resiliently deformable and/or displaceable first retaining elements mounted to the body. The first retaining elements, distributed about the central axis, clamp a sample container inserted in the hollow center. The sample container carrier also comprises three resiliently deformable and/or displaceable second retaining elements mounted to the body. The second retaining elements, distributed about the central axis, clamp the sample container inserted in the hollow center underneath the three first retaining elements. The second retaining elements are arranged at least partly inside the hollow center.