Automated centrifuge for automatically receiving and balancing samples

摘要

An automated centrifuge includes a weighing station to weigh sample holding racks which arrive at the centrifuge and a rack handling robot to transfer the weighed racks to and from the centrifuge. A controller, which operates the rack handling robot, employs a novel balance method to have the rack handling robot load the sample holding racks in the centrifuge to obtain a best balance arrangement of the sample holding racks. If the balance method determines that the best balance arrangement will exceed one or more predefined balance thresholds, appropriate remedial action is taken by substituting a selected balance rack for a loaded sample holding rack.