Beckman Coulter Automate 2550
Beckman Coulter · Model Automate 2550
- Measurement of each sample's volume prior to dispensing.- Decapping/cap disposal- Sample sorting and re-sorting- Automated measurement of sample diameter and height- Sample Aliquotting- Sample Barcode reading- Tube inspection unit (cap color analysis/cap coding detection)
Key tips
- ·Run QC controls before trusting any repair - an analyzer that passes self-test can still report clinically wrong results.
- ·Rule out a reagent lot change before opening the instrument - it can look exactly like a hardware fault.
- ·Centrifuge rotors have a hard retirement age/cycle limit regardless of visible condition - don't eyeball it.
Typical Failure Modes
Failure patterns typical of this equipment class - general BMET reference, not verified against this exact unit's own service history unless flagged. Severity is a category-level estimate.
Centrifuge imbalance / bearing
HighSymptoms: Vibration, loud noise, stop error.
Root cause: Worn bearing or unbalanced rotor.
Reagent / wash flow fault
MediumSymptoms: Clogs, high blank, QC fail.
Root cause: Pump tube wear, air in line.
Temperature control fault
MediumSymptoms: Incubator out of range.
Root cause: Failed heater/fan or sensor.
Optics / lamp degradation
LowSymptoms: Low signal, wavelength drift.
Root cause: Lamp/LED or monochromator aging.
Serviceable Parts & Consumables
The parts a BMET typically services on this class of equipment. Service class and relative cost are general engineering estimates for the category, not figures from this unit's documentation. Part numbers appear only when pulled from this unit's own service manual. Always confirm intervals and pricing against the manufacturer.
Incubator heater / fan
Class Periodic replacementRel. cost $$R&R Moderate
Sample aspiration probe
Frequent R&R on high-throughput analyzers.
Class Periodic replacementRel. cost $$$R&R Moderate
Peristaltic pump tubing
Consumable - replace proactively.
Class Frequent wear itemRel. cost $R&R Easy
Xenon / LED light source
Class Periodic replacementRel. cost $$$R&R Moderate
| Part | Service class | Relative cost | R&R difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incubator heater / fan | Periodic replacement | $$ | Moderate |
| Sample aspiration probe Frequent R&R on high-throughput analyzers. | Periodic replacement | $$$ | Moderate |
| Peristaltic pump tubing Consumable - replace proactively. | Frequent wear item | $ | Easy |
| Xenon / LED light source | Periodic replacement | $$$ | Moderate |
Relative cost: $ lowest · $$$$ highest service-part cost for this equipment class. Not a price.
PM Checklist
Preventive-maintenance tasks typical of this equipment class. Perform to the manufacturer's procedure and your facility's policy - this is general reference, not a schedule for this specific unit.
- ·Daily QC controls run and reviewed
- ·Calibration verification per assay
- ·Routine cleaning and decontamination
- ·Scheduled reagent-path and pump-tubing maintenance
Troubleshooting Approach
A structured starting point derived from the failure modes above. Follow the manufacturer's service documentation for the actual procedure.
Symptom: Sample probe / pipette clog
- Confirm the presentation - typically aspiration error, short sample, carryover - and note the exact alarm or message and the conditions when it occurs.
- Check the most likely cause first: clot/crystal obstruction.
- Isolate the affected subsystem using the manufacturer's functional check or self-test, where one is provided.
- If the fault is confirmed and not a field adjustment, service or replace the sample aspiration probe per the manufacturer's service documentation.
- Return the device to service only after the manufacturer's functional and applicable electrical-safety checks pass.
- Record the findings, any parts used, and the verification results in the maintenance history.
Symptom: Reagent / wash flow fault
- Confirm the presentation - typically clogs, high blank, QC fail - and note the exact alarm or message and the conditions when it occurs.
- Check the most likely cause first: pump tube wear, air in line.
- Isolate the affected subsystem using the manufacturer's functional check or self-test, where one is provided.
- If the fault is confirmed and not a field adjustment, service or replace the peristaltic pump tubing per the manufacturer's service documentation.
- Return the device to service only after the manufacturer's functional and applicable electrical-safety checks pass.
- Record the findings, any parts used, and the verification results in the maintenance history.
Typical Location
Where this class of equipment is typically deployed - general reference, not this unit's own placement record.
- Central / core laboratory
- Point-of-care testing stations
- Blood bank
- Microbiology lab
Documents & Manuals
Safety & Recalls
Synced live from the FDA openFDA API.
- RECALL
Customers have reported incidents where two sets of results report the same Specimen Identifier (Specimen ID) with different results, different Medical Record Number (MRN) and different patient identification (demographics).
- RECALL
Beckman Coulter has identified a case where a customer using the microltiterplate kit option without a sorting drive encountered a cross-contamination of samples when a connection time-out occurred between the system and Laboratory Information System (LIS) .
- RECALL
The Strip Provider Modules (SPM) on some of the instruments had not been inspected during manufacture for correct seal placement and integrity.
- RECALL
Beckman Coulter has determined that there is a potential for incorrect settings to be installed on North American iChemVELOCITY Urine Chemistry Analyzers. 1. The installation of International settings can result in the generation of erroneous, false low results for some of the analytes at some concentrations. 2. The installation of colors different from those stated in the Instructions for Use (Colorless, Straw, Yellow, Amber, Red, Blue) for output settings will result in incorrect reporting of colors. For example, if Green is the color choice for the output setting instead of Blue, Green will be reported.
- RECALL
Belts on the x-axis (and on the y-axis, to a lesser extent) manufactured from 2015 are showing premature failure, posing the remote risk of cross-contamination.
- RECALL
A misaligned pipette tip sensor poses the remote risk of cross-contamination when failing to cause a no-tip error, resulting in pipetting patient samples without pipette tips.
- RECALL
A subset of Lot 7212154 A of the iChem VELOCITY Urine Chemistry strips has an incorrect pad placed in the location of the leukocytes pad. This will result in control CB failure for leukocytes and may generate false negative erroneous results for leukocytes.
- RECALL
Beckman Coulter initiated a design change to update the Automate PC image to accommodate the operating system change to Windows 10.
- RECALL
The recall was initiated because Beckman Coulter has confirmed customer reports of secondary tubes being labeled with two different barcode labels on the AutoMate 2500 Family (previously referred to as OLA2500 Systems) units which can cause misidentification of a sample when software versions lower than version 4.1 is used.
- RECALL
The recall was initiated because Beckman Coulter has confirmed an issue with the AutoMate Sample Processing Systems. If during the recovery from Error 81201001, a stuck sample carrier with a tube is moved backwards to the loading position, sample tube/input tray information will become mismatched for samples being loaded onto the AutoMate.
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