Diagnosable remotely - YES
Fixable remotely - YES
This will most likely manifest as a report from the customer that either:
- The instrument cannot reach maximum process pressure, or:
- Particle size reduction or cell lysis is not as effective as it used to be.
The most likely cause of this issue is a worn chamber.
All other bases should be covered first, for example, getting the customer to check everywhere for signs of any leaks which could also cause a drop in process pressure and therefore performance.
If the customer is certain there are no leaks or anything else out of the ordinary, a new chamber is likely to be needed.
SOLUTION:
Ask the customer to check for leaks first.
If no leaks, we should offer for them to send their suspect chamber to us for Analytik or Microfluidics to check and verify they believe the problem to be a worn chamber. Chambers are very expensive parts so it is good due diligence to be absolutely certain this is required before quoting the customer and proceeding.
If the customer does need a new chamber, they can install this themselves without a site visit, with guidance from an engineer.