Ensure that the wash bottle (DI water container) is filled.
Ensure that the waste bottle is empty.
Ensure that the system liquid bottle is filled to appropriate level, marked by sticker on spotter.
Use filtered (0.22 um) freshly degassed millipore water (do not let water sit for more than 2 days)
Clear the stage of any obstacles.
Close all cover hood doors
The doors must be closed to activate the magnetic door sensors. The magnetic door sensors can also be activated by putting a metal paper clip on the magnet.
Ensure that the 2 emergency stop switches are armed.
The switches must be pulled out.
Powering Up
Change the multi-outlet power strip switch to "On".
Wait until a "Clunk"-sound is heard.
~20 seconds after powering.
Turn the computer on.
Open the sciFLEX program and choose button "Init Axes".
Ensure that the software starts up without any error messages and then proceed".
If printing with a nozzle continue on with the Prime run. If you are not using a nozzle or printing, the system can now be used.
Prime Run
In the main window, click the "Prime" button.
In the window "Nozzle Selection", select the number of nozzles and where they are located.
Follow the instructions in the pop-up window. During the prime run, deactivating the magnetic door sensor with a paper clip makes the process easier.
Drop Optimization
Click the Camera button in the "Nozzle Setup" tab to move the nozzle to the camera.
In the Snap Window (window with camera feed of nozzle), click: Image > Show Center, to obtain a centered green cross.
For better visibility, activate the strobe LED by setting a pulse of 1 us and select Continuous Dispensing and click Start (image will go bright).
Adjust the nozzle position offset values in the Nozzle Offset Tab. Adjust the nozzle position until the green cross is centered on the orifice of the nozzle.
The buttons which change the position move the nozzle relative to the home position (top left) and not the nozzle image in the camera. Thus offsetting the nozzle "Up" or "Down", moves the nozzle in the z-axis, but moves the nozzle in the Snap Window right or left.
Ensure that none of the offsets are greater than 300. If greater than 300 try reinserting the nozzle and nozzle holder into system.
Set the parameters or Voltage and Pulse obtained for the nozzle into the according fields.
Numbers on nozzle box are meant for water. Refer otherwise to the nozzle inventory sheet for correct parameters.
Select Continuous Dispensing in the dispense mode window and click "Start". A drop should be visible.
Tune the parameters (voltage and pulse width) until the drop distance is within 450 (+- 25) um of the orifice.
Click: Image > Draw > Line, to draw a line on the Snap Window, and to measure distance.
After an optimal drop has been achieved, click "AutoFocus" in the Nozzle Offset window.
Save the parameters by clicking Nozzle Parameter button.
