The user works in normal ambient temperature and removes the samples conveniently from the large drawer. There is no direct contact with the cold or ultra cold area.
Compared to conventional cryo cooling methods, the HCP CryoNoster does not require manual searching, restacking of samples or ice scraping. Instead, quick access to the material is possible even without expert knowledge.
Ice and ice-crystal growth are a common problem in cryo-refrigerators. A specially designed cooling and drying system ensures ice-free operation. In addition, the patented double door system protects against the ingress of humidity.
Direct contact with ultra-low freezers is harmful to health. Thanks to automation and the CryoBridge system, contact between employees and the cooling system is eliminated. Ordering and taking samples from the HCP CryoNoster is done conveniently by mouse click or push of a button. The transfer of the samples in the CryoBridge is carried out by Delta robots of the latest generation. With up to 1000 storage and retrieval operations per day, the system is one of the fastest on the market. The robots work at both low and ultra-low temperatures. The HCP CryoNoster can dispense the material in any desired way – individually or in large quantities, in open or closed transport containers, SBS boxes or HD racks with up to 1500 vials per plate. Samples are conveniently dispensed via a drawer.
HCP CryoNoster has a redundant and crisis-proof cooling concept – even in the event of a power failure, vital system functions are ensured. The design of the system with its double vacuum insulation – separate for each individual paternoster – ensures low losses over a long period of time. The operation of the computers and the access to the material can be done by UPS batteries and gensets.
All areas of the HCP CryoNoster are monitored around the clock by a remote-controlled HD camera system. All important functional data are documented by the BMS system, the system automatically detects malfunctions. All vital parameters of the chilled goods (work performed, time and duration of removal) are documented individually for each sample.
Software and sample management
The HCP CryoNoster system is controlled digitally. The samples can be retrieved from the LIMBS system from the workplace or directly from the device.
The system technology is based on standard industrial software. Database and sample management are carried out by an individually tailored API. It is compatible with all standard systems such as Mosaic or LabWare. Depending on the system, the samples are coded using either RFID or ISBT codes.
At room temperature, the chilled goods can be removed from the drawer and immediately used or further processed. The goods to be cooled are stored in the reverse order.
In the fully automated handling area, a pick-and-place robot transfers the chilled goods from the paternoster to the dispensing drawer at temperatures as low as -80°C. The system can operate up to three paternosters simultaneously.
In the double vacuum-insulated cryogenic area, the chilled goods are stored in the space-saving paternoster system. The system rotates to the desired container when it is accessed. This ensures fast access times.
Safety through airflow management: Temperature fluctuations are one of the greatest challenges in ultra-low freezing. The HCP CryoNoster achieves its unrivalled temperature stability of +/- 0.5°C with its patented paternoster system and optional airflow management.