Avantik QS11 - 4-6 How to avoid malfunctions

Avantik Cryostat QS11 / QS11UV
Avantik
36 Commerce St.
Springfield NJ 07081 / USA
387 779 - English
54
4-6 HOW TO AVOID MALFUNCTIONS
To cut usable sections, the following points are
of utmost importance:
• Condition of the knife edge, probably move
it horizontally to the left or right side.
• Check adjustment of anti-roll guide and
correct it, if necessary.
• Carefully remove frost from front and rear
part of the knife and from the anti-roll plate
(i.e. with ethanol, acetone or the like).
• Tighten all clamping screws and clamping
levers on the knife carrier and specimen
holder.
• Select the appropriate cutting temperature
according to the specimen (see part 4-4).
• Select the appropriate freezing medium.
Note:
If the specimen was
frozen with
liquid
nitrogen or similar freezing
techniques, the specimen must
adapt itself to the cutting temperature.
• Carefully select the required knife material
and profile.
• Adjustment of knife height.
• Adjustment of proper clearance angle.
Select a clearance angle of 5-15° according
to the facet angle of a steel knife.
• Select a proper cutting speed:
The harder the material, the slower the
cutting speed!
• Take care in bringing specimen and knife
together.
WARNING:
During defrosting, remove the
specimens from the cooling chamber,
as the temperature inside the chamber
will increase.
Do not leave or store tissue inside the cryostat
over a longer period. Due to a power failure or
other unexpected malfunctions of the
instrument, the specimen might be damaged
.