We have a customer that is asking us to perform some basic service tasks.
Replace tips filters ( the noticed some leaking)
Perform an alignment check or zero check.
Run a test procedure to ensure no other issues are there.
We are located in San Diego. So if you are in the area I would love to pay for service and some training on site or even remote training would be great.
The systems we have a EVO and Fluent. I was able to figure out the EVO and found a service manual but the Fluent I cant find any information.
Hi Virgil,
If you are still on the lookout for someone, I would be glad to help you out as what you are wanting done is within my skillset
You can reach out to me on my email here
Colin
There are some repercussions to doing so, including channel alignment in X,Y,Z and torque-controlled set screw. Other than that, you’ll need to order some non-standard bits like a 1.25 hex key and other than that it’s a pretty straightforward swap.
However, I wouldn’t consider this an entry-level maintenance task.
Agreed. I did one of the first customer hardware trainings back in the day and it was tougher than it looked. It was easier to learn to swap an MCA than it was an FCA channel.
Also @Shinedalgarno do you need to swap the whole channel or just the part with the piston?
Since yesterday, we have exactly the same issue with our fluent … I do have access to an EVO where I could scavenge this part from (has the same part number). But I cannot remove the tip adapter after opening the set screw. Can anyone tell me how it is attached to the piston? It seems screwed to me but I don’t want to apply too much force.
Fluent and EVO unfortunately have different channels. Air FCA has a combined adapter/channel whereas EVO air LiHa this is separate. They are not interchangeable. To remove, you need to pry off the black plastic “Y” looking piece on the reverse side of the set screw holding the ILID cables - and !! Don’t lose it !! because it is a small, essential part. Also a P.I.T.A. to get back on correctly. After removing there’s a slight rotation of the channel piston required before it will slide out without resistance.
Depending on your region, might want to consider reaching out to service folks.
Dear Evan,
thank you very much for the info and the warning.
Let’s see what the Tech is going to say then.
Just a heads up to other users. We narrowed the cause down to the following:
We were using the gripper arms for the FCA but one of the to grippers was installed the wrong way (180°) in it s base.
I guess the adapter broke when the FCA was trying to pick up the gripper arms.
It’s a pitty that there is no foolproofing of this part like a notch in the hanger.
When I was a Field Eng for Tecan, I was advised not to up-sell customers to use the FCA grippers. Should tell you everything you need to know. The raster is controlled by cantilever actuated by two motors acting on a long drive axis, so it’s really not designed to sustain that sort of “pinching” force. I think the idea was to move tip wafers and not much else, and even then just as a way to compete with CO-RE grippers in functionality.
