Enable and Configure the Autosampler

There are two Autosampler pages in ICP Expert.

Access the Autosampler page specific to an open Worksheet by clicking Autosampler on the left navigation bar of the open worksheet. The Autosampler page of the worksheet only appears if you have selected an autosampler as the sample introduction system. Once you have opened a worksheet, control the autosampler from this page or from the menu bar (when no worksheets are open).
Access the manual control Autosampler page by clicking Autosampler in the menu bar on the Start page or on the toolbar.

Change the Autosampler Type With an Open Worksheet

When a worksheet is open, the display will indicate where each solution should be placed in the autosampler racks. Because an autosampler was already selected for this worksheet, if you then change the autosampler type in the File > Options > General tab, this page will not update unless you close, and then reopen ICP Expert. A message will appear asking to convert the worksheet to the new autosampler type and rack layout.

Enable and Configure Autosampler Communication

Click File > Options > General.
Select the autosampler type used with the ICP-OES from the drop-down menu.
Select Dual rinse if applicable.
- Dual rinse is only available on the Agilent SPS 4 autosampler.
- You must have the Dual Wash Reservoir on your SPS 4 autosampler to use this feature.
Select Connect to PC port and then choose the COM port for communication. This option is available for select autosamplers only.
- When using the ESI prepFAST autodilution system, it is important that this COM port selection in the ICP Expert software matches the COM port selected in the ESI SC software.

Enable the SVS 1 Accessory

Click File > Options > General.
Select the autosampler type used with the ICP-OES from the drop-down menu.
Select Using SVS 1.
Click OK and then close the Options window.
Open a worksheet.
Click Configuration.
Select Autosampler and then choose SVS 1 from the Accessory drop-down menu.

Enable ESI FAST method

ESI FAST method is used with ESI peripheral devices such as SampleSense and is automatically selected when choosing any of the ESI autosamplers available in the Autosampler list. It can be deselected when using ESI autosamplers without the prepFAST features only.

Enable Bubble Injection Rinse for Cetac Autosamplers

Bubble injection rinse ‘double-dips’ the probe of the autosampler into the rinse well. A small quantity of rinse is drawn up the probe, followed by an air bubble. It then draws rinse for the duration of the rinse time. The bubble separates the two solutions, avoiding mixing and dilution in the loop.

To enable bubble injection rinse:

Click File > Options > General.
Select the Cetac autosampler type used with the ICP-OES from the drop-down menu.
Select Bubble injection rinse.

Change the Autosampler Rack Type and Use

The racks can either be allocated as:

Standard racks - they do not change with changing pages
Sample racks - the number of samples on each rack can change when changing pages
Standards and samples

To change the rack type or use:

Open a worksheet.
Click Autosampler on the left side.
Right-click on a rack to change the rack configuration and allocation.

More Samples Than Racks

Click the arrows next to Page to move between pages when you have more samples than racks.

You will need to manually change the racks once they have been completed during the analysis.

Move and Lower the Probe

Open a worksheet.
Click Autosampler on the left side.
Select a rack and tube position in the ‘Go to tube’ section to move the probe to any location on the current page.
Click Move and Lower Probe.

Manually Control the Probe

Open a worksheet.
Click Autosampler on the left side.
Enter the probe depth to control how far down the probe is lowered. The measurement is measured from the top, so 0 is equivalent to the probe not being lowered.
Choose from Normal or Viscous. Selecting Viscous slows the probe movement in the X, Y and Z directions.
Double-click the location on the rack to move the probe.
Click Down to lower the probe to the specified probe depth.
Click Up to raise the probe to the top.

Rinse the Probe

Open a worksheet.
Click Autosampler on the left side.
Click Rinse to move the probe to the rinse station and then lower the probe into the rinse solution.
- The autosampler pump will turn on and the probe will be rinsed with rinse solution.

For the Agilent SPS 4 Autosampler, 'Rinse 1' and 'Rinse 2' positions will be displayed instead of 'Rinse' if 'Dual Rinse' is selected in File > Options > General.

Park

Moves the probe to the rinse station, but does not lower the probe into the rinse solution. The autosampler pump does not turn on and it will not rinse the probe.

Reset

Reset causes the autosampler to reset itself and performs a self test consisting of the probe moving to all four corners of the autosampler. Use this when the autosampler goes offline, or if you get a movement error due to the probe hitting something while it is moving.

Rinse Pump Control

Available for the SPS 4 only.

If the probe is in the rinse position, set the rinse pump speed to Off, Normal or Fast.
If 'Fast pump' is selected on the Conditions page for the 'Rinse time', the rinse pump speed will always be run as 'Fast' during the sample rinse during a run.
The 'End of run rinse' will always use this pump speed setting.

SVS 1 Control

This only appears if Using SVS 1 is selected on the File > Options page and also selected in the Autosampler Accessory drop-down menu the Configuration page.

Rinse

Solution from the autosampler is directed to waste; extra rinse solution is directed to the nebulizer.

Sample

Solution from the autosampler is directed to the nebulizer; extra rinse solution is directed to waste.

The valve will be triggered:

When the analysis is started (the valve switches to the 'Rinse' position).
At the start of the sample uptake delay (the valve switches to the 'Sample' position after the specified switching valve delay time).
At the end of solution measurement (the valve switches to the 'Rinse' position).

At the end of the analysis (the valve switches to the 'Sample' position).

Tools

- changes the orientation of the autosampler image

- opens the custom rack editor window

For autosamplers other than the Agilent SPS 3 and SPS 4 it is not always possible for ICP Expert to detect when the autosampler has gone out of alignment. Therefore it is not always possible for a run to be stopped in this situation.