Reduction of sample size on the Technicon SMA 6/60 continuous-flow analyzer

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Chemistry
• Laboratory Automation

Background:

• The Sequential Multiple Analyzer SMA 6/60 is a widely used automated clinical chemistry analyzer.
• Reducing sample volume and operating costs are key goals in laboratory diagnostics.
• Existing SMA 6/60 models require significant reagent and sample volumes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify the SMA 6/60 analyzer manifold to decrease serum sample size.
• To reduce reagent consumption and operating costs.
• To simplify instrument maintenance without compromising analytical performance.

Main Methods:

• Modified the analyzer manifold to utilize a common diluent for all six channels.
• Implemented a system for recycling dialyzer discard into subsequent analyses.
• Performed modifications requiring less than 4 hours and no additional parts.

Main Results:

• Reduced serum sample volume requirement to 90 microliters.
• Decreased the number of pump lines by one-third.
• Lowered reagent usage and operating costs.
• Maintained the precision, speed, low carryover, and linearity of the original model.

Conclusions:

• The modified SMA 6/60 manifold offers a cost-effective and efficient solution for clinical laboratories.
• The modifications simplify maintenance and reduce environmental impact through decreased reagent use.
• This optimized analyzer configuration retains high analytical performance for reliable diagnostic testing.