Immunoassay Mixing Assemblies Parallel Flow Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional immunoassay analyzers face challenges in achieving high test throughput due to bottlenecks in the flow rate at middle processes, which affect work efficiency and make it difficult to meet requirements for higher test throughput.
Innovation Solution
The immunoassay method involves optimizing the pipeline flow by synchronizing the movement of mixing assemblies and reagent supply units, allowing for staggered parallel operations to ensure continuous and uninterrupted processing, thereby improving test throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional immunoassay analysis methods are used, then the test process can be completed, but the test throughput is limited due to bottlenecks in the flow rate at middle processes
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing process is segmented into multiple mixing assemblies (first mixing assembly, second mixing assembly, etc.) that operate in parallel. Each mixing assembly handles a subset of reactors, allowing the system to process multiple reactors simultaneously and thereby increasing the overall flow rate through the middle processes without compromising mixing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-line sequential processing mode to a multi-line parallel processing mode by introducing multiple mixing assemblies arranged in different spatial dimensions. This dimensional expansion allows reactors to be processed simultaneously across multiple parallel streams, effectively increasing the throughput capacity of the bottleneck middle processes.
2Productivity
If the flow rate at middle processes is increased to improve throughput, then test throughput increases, but the pipeline flow balance is disrupted causing interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic coordination among multiple mixing assemblies where each assembly can independently adjust its processing节奏 to match the overall pipeline requirements. The control system dynamically balances the flow rates across different mixing assemblies to ensure that the increased throughput does not disrupt the pipeline flow balance, maintaining continuous operation without interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
By having multiple mixing assemblies operate in parallel, the system ensures that while one assembly is processing a batch of reactors, other assemblies are simultaneously processing different batches. This continuous parallel operation eliminates idle time and maintains uninterrupted pipeline flow, ensuring that the increased throughput is achieved without causing flow imbalances or interruptions.
3Productivity
If multiple mixing assemblies operate in parallel to increase throughput, then test throughput improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple mixing assemblies are designed with identical or highly similar structures and functions, allowing them to perform the same mixing task simultaneously. This universality means that the system can increase throughput by simply adding more copies of the same proven module rather than designing complex unique components, thereby managing device complexity through standardization and modularity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An immunoassay method, comprising the following steps: providing at least two mixing assemblies (120) used for carrying a reactor (20), so that the mixing assemblies (120) drive the reactor (20) to reciprocate between a first station (11) and a second station (12); and recording the shortest time window in which a sequence of actions performed by the mixing assemblies (120) may be cyclically reproduced as a first cycle, and recording a value obtained by dividing the first cycle by the number of mixing assemblies (120) as a second cycle, and from the time when the reactor (20) is first moved to one of the mixing assemblies (120), moving the reactor (20) into each of other mixing assemblies (120) in sequence at a successively staggered time interval of the second cycle; moving the reactor (20) that has been completely mixed out of the mixing assemblies (120) in sequence at the successively staggered time interval of the second cycle and placing a new reactor (20); and successively incubating, washing, separating and measuring the reactor (20).