Presto Software Control | Velaris knowledge base

Presto Software Controls

The Presto has a simple touch interface that can store up to 100 methods with 100 lines each. Controls are intuitively designed and arranged as shown below:

Flow rate limits (maximum):

Rinse = 70 mL/min
Other Actions (not rinse) with cartridges = 20 mL/min
Other Actions (not rinse) with disks = 70 mL/min
Please contact PromoChrom support at support@promochrom.com if you plan to exceed these limits.

Creating a New Method

Tap the “Save As” icon.
Input the new method name and description and tap “OK”.
The new method is now ready to be run.

Delete Step

Select the step you wish to delete and tap the red “X” icon.

Insert Step

Select the step you wish to insert above and tap the green “+” icon.
The method editing page is displayed. Values are populated based on the selected step.
Choose the new action and parameters, then tap “OK”.
The new step is now inserted before the previously selected step. If the “Add Air Purge” is selected, an additional Air-Purge step is added.

Edit Existing Steps

Select the step you want to edit and tap the pencil icon.
The method editing page is displayed. Values are populated based on the selected step.
Edit the step parameters, then tap “OK”.
The step parameters have been updated.

Add a New Step at the End of a Method

Tap “Add New”, which is the bottom line of the method.
The method editing page is displayed. Default values are populated.
Edit the step parameters, then tap “OK”.
The new step is now appended to the end of the method.

Save Method

Tap the “Save” icon to save your changes.

Select Samples

Use the sample checkboxes to choose which samples to run.
Sample numbering corresponds to the port numbers on each side of the instrument.
Activating any position from 1-4 will enable syringe pump 1, while activating any position from 5-8 will enable syringe pump 2.

Settings

Tap the “Settings” icon to bring up the settings window. Enabled when the system is idle or paused.
There must be no active or paused method for changes made in “Settings” to be applied

Use the “Direct Control” buttons to directly control the pump and tray. This can be used when troubleshooting to handle blocked SPE columns or during a pause to remove collected fractions.

Direct Control or Setting	Result or Action
Pump Draw/Push	Draws or pushes the pump syringes. Can be used to test the pump function.
Tray in/out	Moves the tray in or out. Can be used to test the tray function.
Shaker On/Off	Turns the resonators on and off. Can be used to test shaking resonator function.
Shaker Level	Sets the resonators’ shaking strength. Level 3 is recommended for most applications.
Show run info	Checking will show the information on the bottom of the Presto program screen during a run. The information includes how much sample has been added and more.
Shake during rinse	Checking will allow the resonators to turn on during rinsing and rinsate delivery. By default, this box is checked.
Ramp nitrogen	Checking will enable the N2 flow rate to ramp incrementally every 10 seconds for the first 30 seconds of an N2 blow time-based action step.
Troubleshoot	Checking will allow the Presto to bypass initialization when powered on. This box should always remain unchecked except when actively troubleshooting.
Sample Draw Speed	Can be increased or decreased using the arrows.
Exhaustive Loading	Enable the Presto Pumps to automatically continue Add Samp+ for an additional 30% of the set volume if dryness is not detected. This mode is recommended to be turned on.
Optical Sensing	This will enable the system to detect when the sample has been loaded completely. If the Optical Sensing is enabled, you can adjust the time window where the Presto Pumps will stop and issue a dry detect warning, instead of treating it as sample loading completion. This setting is adjustable in the “Raise warning if detected before loading X% of target sample volume” toggle window.
Software Sensing Sensitivity Compensator	Displays the sensitivity of the error warning thresholds. Increasing this number using the arrows increases the sensitivity.
Declogging Interval The purpose of this auto-declogging feature is to temporarily clear inline filters and anti-clogging tips of built-up debris coming from samples. The Declogging Interval feature works by drawing up 3mL of sample and then pushing it back into the respective sample bottles at a flow rate of 15mL/min. Open the “Settings” tab from the Presto main screen. Change the “Declogging Interval” value from 0 The Declogging Interval will automatically operate whenever Inlet 1 is set to Sample (e.g., Add Sample, Collect from sample). It can be set to run at regular intervals from every 5mLs to every 255mLs. For example, if the declogging interval was set to 200mL and 1L of a sample was being run, it would activate at 200mL, 400mL, 600mL, 800mL, and 1L.

Start

Once you have selected your method and samples, press the “start” button to begin the run.
The “pause” button becomes visible, the current step is highlighted, the time begins countdown, and the run status is displayed at the bottom.

Pause

Pausing allows users to perform actions like changing SPE cartridges, removing blockage, and controlling the pump/tray through the settings window.

After pressing the pause button, the system will wait until the current stroke is complete.
Refer to the status displayed at the bottom of the screen and refrain from doing anything until the system has fully paused.
After the system has paused, pressing the start button will resume the run. Pressing stop will exit the run.

Stop

Stopping will fully exit the run.
After pressing the stop button, the system will wait until the current stroke is complete. Refer to the status displayed at the bottom of the screen and refrain from doing anything until the system has fully stopped.

Start from Anywhere

A method can be started from any step.

This function is useful for situations where a method was stopped partway through, but it is still desirable to complete the remaining steps of the method. The Log feature can remind operators which step was running before the shutdown, and the following steps will allow the user to finish the run from there.

When launching the software again, an “Incomplete method run detected!” warning will pop up.
1. Tap “Yes” if you would like to return to the last step before the unexpected shutdown or restart and continue to follow the steps below.
2. Tap “No” to return to normal operations.
The Recovery Advisor window will then open. Record the volume remaining in the step.
Tap “OK” to proceed to the corresponding step.
Then tap the blue “Start” button to proceed to step editing.

Presto Pump Menu

Active Run

When a system is performing a (+) Action step, the status of the pumps can be monitored by clicking the Presto Pump Calibration icon.

The information displayed in this window will show any active Presto Pumps (Pumps 1-8 are activated in this example), their set flow rates, the volumes that have been delivered, and the status of the pumps.

When Exhaustive Loading is activated, the status of each pump will change as sample addition nears completion (as defined by Sample Line Empty Detection), and the software will display the following:

Pumps will detect when the sample lines are empty, reading “Dry Check” in the Flow column.
After detecting dryness, that Presto pump will draw an additional 25 mL of sample/air before reading “Done” in the status column
The remaining Presto pumps will continue running.
Once all Presto Pumps have stopped, there will be a brief pause before the system continues to the next step.

Pump Status During an Active Run

Five colour indicators determine the status of the pump:

Green – Indicates that the Presto pump is carrying out the expected operation.
Blue – Indicates that the Presto pump is stopped due to detecting sample loading completion.
Yellow – Indicates that the Presto pump is experiencing medium downstream pressure. This indicator is normal at the beginning of Add Samp + while stable running conditions are being established.
Orange – Indicates that the Presto pump has detected abnormal running conditions, such as high pressure or dry sample lines. The pump is still running while this indicator is on.
Red – Indicates that the Presto pump has encountered an error, resulting in a stopped run until the operator determines the cause of the error.

Calibration

If, after completing all other troubleshooting steps, Presto pump performance still doesn't match the flowrate specified in the software, each pump's calibration can be adjusted individually.

Increasing the calibration value increases the pump's drive signal, making it draw faster.
Decreasing the calibration value decreases the pump's drive signal, making it draw slower.

To correct pump flowrate, adjust the calibration values incrementally — typically in steps of 2-3 units until performance is aligned (within ±10% of the specified volume)

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