Find the PathFinder solution that fits your needs

PathFinder™ benchtop systems are designed to automate the receipt, handling, distribution and storage of incoming samples in the Pathology Laboratory.

PathFinder™ 350A

The PathFinder™ 350A is a benchtop robotic workstation designed for the post analytical management of sample tubes.

The PathFinder™ 350A Archiver is a compact benchtop robotic workstation designed for the post analytical management of sample tubes (either open top or capped). The system is used for automating the capping, sorting and archiving of sample tubes into storage racks. It uses the same sorter module as the PathFinder™ 450S but in addition, can cap tubes with a laminated foil seal which seals the tube from leakage during transport or freezer storage.

Brooks PathFinder 350A Archiver benchtop robotic workstation for post analytical management of sample tubes.

    • Automatically caps and stores tubes in one step.

    • Archives samples in low-cost storage racks.

    • Eliminates RSI injuries from manually capping tubes.

    • Prevents samples being sent to storage prematurely.

    • Eliminates manual handling errors.

    • Reduces biohazard exposure.

    • Low cap costs compared to other alternatives.

    • Optimizes storage requirements by sorting to different storage racks.

  • Effective and economical capping
    Tubes are foil sealed and sorted to racks for storage or send outs or even for transfer to another department. The foil seal is generated in situ from a roll of capping foil and heat welded onto the tube. Sealed tubes can be stored at temperatures down to -80 deg C without leakage.

    Improved Safety
    Automating the unloading and processing of tubes not only reduces handling of tubes but eliminates RSI injuries from manually capping tubes with push on caps.

    Convenient storage
    Samples are automatically unloaded directly from analyser racks, capped and archived into low-cost storage racks without any manual intervention. Each storage rack is uniquely bar coded so a particular sample tube can be recovered from storage if required in less than a minute.

    High-Capacity Version
    The PathFinder™ 128 well (PF128) rack is a storage rack developed to maximise the number of foil capped 5 ml sample tubes in a compact footprint to reduce precious refrigerated storage space. The High Capacity PathFinder™ 350A is a specifically designed for archiving 12-13 mm diameter tubes and is fitted with a custom set of grippers to access the close spacing of the wells in the PF128 sample rack.

PathFinder™ 450S

Your answer to sample tube sorting, storing and tracking.

The PathFinder™ 450S is a compact benchtop workstation that registers and sorts presented specimen tubes into a number of different destination sample racks based on user defined rules. It can be used to automate any manual task in the laboratory where a decision needs to be made regarding the routing of a tube for testing or storage.

Brooks PathFinder 450S benchtop workstation for sample tube sorting, stacking and tracking.

    • Improves sample Turnaround Time.

    • Frees up valuable lab staff for more productive tasks.

    • Reduces manual sample handling errors.

    • Avoids missing test orders.

    • Eliminates lost or misplaced tubes.

    • Simplifies training for new staff.

    • Improves workflow and efficiency.

    • Pre-analytical or post-analytical pick-and-place sorting.

    • Auditing test panel completeness.

    • Archiving samples before storage.

    • Sample receipt and distribution.

PathFinder™ 350D

The PathFinder™ 350D Decapper Sorter is a compact benchtop robotic workstation designed for the pre-analytical management of incoming sample collection tubes.

The system is used for automating the decapping and sorting of sample tubes into different destination racks – either analyser racks (such as those used on various chemistry or immunochemistry analysers), PathFinder™ sample racks or third-party racks (including Hettich centrifuge inserts). The PathFinder™ 350D registers the receipt of incoming tubes and relays this information to the LIS.

Brooks PathFinder 350D Decapper Sorter for pre-analytical management of incoming sample collection tubes.

    • Automates repetitive manual processing.

    • Takes away tube processing decision making.

    • Eliminates RSI injuries from manually decapping tubes.

    • Reduces manual handling errors.

    • Reduces biohazard exposure to lab staff.

    • Automatically records and distributes incoming tubes.

  • Wide range of tube types
    The PathFinder™ 350D has the ability to decap primary tubes from all major tube manufacturers, be these screw type or plug type caps. Incoming primary tubes of varying sizes are presented in an input rack from where they are transferred to a processing carousel – first for identification and then, if required, for decapping. The tubes, whether decapped or not, are then sorted into various destination racks ready for testing or distribution.

    Improved Safety
    Automating the unloading and processing of tubes not only reduces handling of tubes but eliminates RSI injuries from manually removing caps from primary tubes.

    Flexible upgrade path 
    The PathFinder™ 350D is a compact workstation with a sample throughput of 350 samples per hour. Both input and destination racks are accommodated on the deck of the sorter module. If workloads increase, it is possible to upgrade the system with an additional sorter module to increase both the rack capacity and the sample throughput.(see  PathFinder™  350D Plus)

    Tube Bar code alignment
    The PathFinder™ 350D has the ability to not only place samples tubes into analyser racks but also to align the tube bar code label on the sample tube with the viewing window in the analyser rack if required.

    PathFinder™ Racks 
    PathFinder™ sample racks have been designed to compliment PathFinder™ laboratory automation platforms for automating the processing of sample collection tubes in a pathology laboratory. The PathFinder™ rack design has been optimized for:

    • High positional accuracy required for reliable, high-speed automation.

    • Robust construction to give long operational life.

    • High volume manufacturing to keep the cost affordable.

    Key Benefits of PathFinder™ Racks

    • Indexed sample well positions.

    • Provision for barcode labeling.

    • Multiple re-use.

    • Suitable for low temperature storage (down to -80 deg C).

    • PF20, PF50 and PFC50 racks have poka-yoke feature to ensure the rack is locked in the correct orientation. High positional accuracy required for reliable, high-speed automation.

    Types of PathFinder™ Racks

    • 20 well “PF20” rack for use as a generic low volume automation rack.

    • 50 well “PF50” rack for use as a generic high-volume automation and storage rack.

    • 128 well “PF128” rack specifically for use as a high-capacity storage rack for PathFinder™ foil sealed 12 – 13mm diameter sample tubes.

    • 50 well self-centering rack “PFC50” for use as an input rack on PathFinder™ systems fitted with high force grippers*

PathFinder™ 350D Plus

The PathFinder™ 350D Plus Decapper Sorter is a benchtop robotic workstation designed for the pre-analytical management of incoming sample collection tubes.

The PathFinder™ 350D Plus Decapper Sorter is a benchtop robotic workstation designed for the pre-analytical management of incoming sample collection tubes. It consists of 2 sorter modules on either side of a decapper module.

The system is used for automating the decapping and sorting of sample tubes into different destination racks – either analyser racks (such as those used on various chemistry or immunochemistry analysers), PathFinder™ sample racks or third-party racks (including Hettich centrifuge inserts). The PF350D Plus registers the receipt of incoming tubes and relays this information to the LIS.

Brooks PathFinder 350D Plus Decapper Sorter for pre-analytical management of incoming sample collection tubes.

    • Automates repetitive manual processing.

    • Takes away tube processing decision making.

    • Eliminates RSI injuries from manually decapping tubes.

    • Reduces manual handling errors.

    • Reduces biohazard exposure to lab staff.

    • Automatically records and distributes incoming tubes.

  • Wide range of tube types
    The PF350D Plus has the ability to decap primary tubes from all major tube manufacturers, be these screw type or plug type caps. Incoming primary tubes of varying sizes are presented in an input rack from where they are transferred to a processing carousel – first for identification and then, if required, for decapping. The tubes, whether decapped or not, are then sorted into various destination racks ready for testing or distribution.

    Improved Safety 
    Automating the unloading and processing of tubes not only reduces handling of tubes but eliminates RSI injuries from manually removing caps from primary tubes.

    Increased Capacity
    The PathFinder™ 350D Plus has been designed for higher pre-analytical workloads than the PathFinder™ 350D. It has twice the deck capacity along with a higher sample throughput up to 600 tubes per hour. The extra deck capacity allows for additional input and destination racks, which increases the walk-away time and maximises the overall system throughput.

    Tube Bar code alignment
    The PathFinder™ 350D Plus has the ability to not only place samples tubes into analyser racks but also to align the tube bar code label on the sample tube with the viewing window in the analyser rack if required.

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