Aspiration failure, AF flag in BM800

AF flag during sample/control analyze is an indication that sample detection is not working ok or that
no blood can be aspirated inside shear valve.

In case AF flag appear , usually below display picture will be shown with similar results as from a
background count.

Note!! AF flag appear in case customer performs background from blood profile and this is not an
instrument problem.

Likely cause for AF flag is probably an obstruction in aspiration line:

1. Loose 2 screws and remove metal tube holder on front of shear valve
2. Remove tubing from valve 27 and connect syringe with Hypochlorite to this tubing which is
connected to pipe 3 on shear valve. Gently push the syringe to see if liquid can move out to
open tube needle and in to wash bin
3. If the clot is still present somewhere, remove Teflon aspiration tubing as below and clean
shear valve and aspiration tubing.

When Teflon aspiration tubing should be mounted back, pay attention to that hard Teflon
tubing should be inserted inside pipe 1 and then soft tubing out side metal pipe to fix hard
tubing inside. Also a small piece of Teflon material should be visible in the end of the OT
needle. Length for this aspiration Teflon tubing is normally 14 cm

4. AF flag can also be related to that Shear valve is not correct aligned for Pos 1, check that
shear valve settings from yellow sticker which is mounted on motor/gearbox correspond
with settings from Advanced-Service menu 2-Shear valve. Check that you easy can push
liquid out of pipe 3 and and pipe 1 further to Open tube and in to wash bin.
 5. In case AF flag appear and instrument aspirate a lot of samples but results seems ok, then
problem is probably related to dirty conductive blood sensor between pipe 3 and pipe 1
inside shear valve. Connect a syringe as above and clean aspiration path with 2%
Hypochlorite for 5-10 min. Also check that blood detector responds well from Service menu
2-Blood detector.

6. Check that waste pump works ok, lower part of waste pump take care about the aspiration.
Go to Service menu-Pump&Valve-0.Waste pump. Hold and press start plate behind OT
needle to see that pump works properly. Vacuum for the lower part should be as for upper
part around 700 mbar. This can be verified with an external vacuum meter. Working range
can be down to 500 mbar. Normal aspiration time is usually around 0.3 to 1 sec. Incase
vacuum is lower then expected from pump, 1150521 Repair kit could be replaced to increase
capacity of pump.

Closed tube aspiration for Cap and Autoloader

AF flag from closed tube aspiration are probably related to an obstruction in aspiration path from CT
needle, aspiration tubing, between pipe 3 and pipe 5 on shear valve, valve 27 or lower part of waste
pump.

7. Connect a Syringe with Hypochlorite to pipe 3 as below, go to Service menu 2- Shear valve
and click Pos 3 button. Then pipe 3 and pipe 5 on shear valve will be connected together.
Push the syringe gently to see if liquid can move in Teflon aspiration tubing.
 8. In case AF flag or various result persist, then remove close tube needle and wash this
separate with Hypochlorite.
9. Sometimes problem could be related to that a rubber piece from sample cap is stuck in shear
valve or aspiration line somewhere. Then we recommend to loose tubing’s from aspiration
between needle and shear valve to look for rubber part. Could also be a good idea to push a
metal wire (0.7mm) inside pipe 3 and pipe 5 and then back flush channel with a syringe to
see if some rubber comes out from shear valve. In case Teflon aspiration tubing (9970119)
needs to be replaced, length for autoloader is 30cm and for Cap 19cm. These complete
tubing’s with correct length and mounted silicon pieces can be order separate. 1091192_S
Sampler tubing and 1091171_S Cap needle. Also needles are available 1091437_S for
autoloader/sampler and 1091352_S for Cap.

2013-10-21 Boule Medical AB

Per Löfbom Service manager