Title: 1 What to send and from where to where
11 What to send and from where to where? 2 How
often? 3 Peak-hour situations. 4 Dimensions of
the carrier 5 Physical situation in the building
complex 6 Future growth, expansion capacity and
new user groups. 7 Safe and soft arrival
aspects. 8 Practical user aspects like time
slots, priority sends, waiting times 9 Returning
of empty carriers 10 Choices in station types and
configurations
By going through these 10 aspects in detail you
can be sure the system will meet the demands.
2EXPLANATIONS -1-
CAPACITY This is always the formula distance
switching time total time to move from A to B.
speed In a single zone system 1 carrier can
travel at the same time. 250 m 50 s.
switching time 10 s. 60 s. per sending. 5
m/sec.
3EXPLANATIONS -2-
Capacity per hour total available 3600 s.
60 sendings. per transaction
60 s. We advise an occupation level of 50
for capacity calculations. A higher occupation
level results in too long waiting times for the
users. Not in system speed, but the physical
access to insert a next carrier in the
station. To explain 50 x 60 30 x 60 s.
1.800 s. is 30 minutes. This means, if 30
carriers are sent over 250 metres at a speed of 5
m/sec., it takes a half hour to send all carriers
to their destination.
4EXPLANATIONS -3-
- If the distances are longer this automatically
means that less carriers can be sent,
consequently more carriers over shorter
distances. The second half hour is needed to
return the empty carriers. - It is important to look at
- capacity the number of sends that can be
realised in a single line layout. - time slots the time between sending and
receiving. - waiting times at the station for the user.
5Explanations -4-
6SOLUTIONS -1-
SINGLE-LINE LAYOUT This means all stations and
diverters are in one zone. One carrier can fly at
the time, carriers can be set for dispatch in
fully automatic stations. The system is prepared
to be expanded with more zones in the future.
7SOLUTIONS -2-
MULTI-LINE LAYOUT This means cutting the system
into sections, so more carriers can travel at the
same time. We can go to 5/10/15 lines, meaning
5/10/15 carriers can fly simultaneously. Projecti
ng stations, groups of stations and lines
requires a careful study for which your help is
essential.
8SOLUTIONS -3-
- At first sight it may look somewhat confusing
- The system is not the lowest in price, however it
can handle the required capacity. - On the drawing it is not the most logical layout.
One has to be informed about the why. - In some cases parallel tube runs are needed to
handle the required capacity and lower the
waiting times for users.
9Diverter coupler, 2 zones
10Diverter coupler, 3 zones
11Linear coupler
12Linear coupler 5 zones
132 zones with short cut
14Linear coupler with short cut
15Linear coupler 10 zones
16Linear coupler 10 lines PYNEH
17What can be transported (1)
18What can be transported (2)
Laboratory Specimens, blood (vacutainers,
transfusion, cultures, gases), smears, scraps,
urine, stools, swabs, spinal fluid, culture
tubes, plasma, whole blood, frozen sections,
requisitions, purchase orders, reports, etc.
Pharmacy Requisitions, medications, IV
admixtures (bottles and bags), narcotics,
chemotherapeutic drugs, etc. Radiology
Requisitions, appointment confirmation, reports,
x-rays, etc.
19What can be transported (3)
Operating Suite Procedure schedules, hemostats,
tissue dressing forceps, knife handles,
blades, caps, masks, holders, small instrument
sets, transfusion blood, solutions, empty
blood packets, culture tubes, light handles,
minor needle set, treatment trays. Miscellaneous
Medical supplies, general office items,
medical reports, mail, etc.
20USER ASPECTS -1-
- EXAMPLE
- Someone wants to make a send and there is no
carrier at the station. - PRACTICE SHOWS
- The user start calling around and asks for an
empty carrier or he does not use the system and
goes walking.
- WE CAN OFFER
- Empty carrier storage
- An empty carrier can be called off from the
system storage line. So a no carrier situation
will never occur.
21USER ASPECTS -2-
- Security on sends
- WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH CARRIERS WAITING FOR
TRANSMISSION ? - Public areas are nice play grounds and do not
forget curious patients, so - People passing-by can take out the carrier
containing samples, medicines, confidential files
etc. - The carrier can be re-addressed by accident or on
purpose.
- WE CAN OFFER
- A front door type of station with automatic door
lock. - RESULT
- An inserted carrier cannot be taken out while
it is waiting to be accepted by the system. - Punched in station numbers cannot be changed
22USER ASPECTS -3-
- Security on receive
- Carriers with contents lying around in public
areas arouse curious peoples interest, tempt
less honest people to theft etc.
- Solution
- It is possible to have under the station a box
with key lock or touch key access.
23USER ASPECTS -4-
- Confusion whether a carrier has been sent or not,
to whom and at what time it was sent. - Extracts of discussions I did not send that
carrier, I did send the carrier and I sent it
in time at 09.00 h and not 10.00 h.
- Our control centre keeps complete send and
receive records in real time which is also very
effective for management control of the system. - Full monitoring raises the discipline of the
users. - As an option we can give stations so-called
touch key (an electronic key) access facility.
The touch key is programmed with the name of the
user.
24USER ASPECTS -5-
Keypad on the station In former days the user
could not see what he/she has done. Nowadays the
display shows the selected destination and where
the last arrived carrier came from. It shows in
text information like wrong selection,
service/maintenance, purge and selection OK. All
the texts are in the selected language
(N/D/E/F/). The led s and the buzzer are extra
indicators regarding the status of the station.
25USER ASPECTS -6-
Carriers with swing cap No inconvenient screw
caps flying off or lying around any more. Swing
cap cannot get open during the flight. The
carriers bodies are transparent. Various length
of carriers can be used. High attention carriers
can be in a different colour.
26USER ASPECTS -7-
Arriving Signal Units If a station is not near
the workplace or people share the same station,
the station can have a number of remote
indicators which are related to rooms or
departments. The system sends the carrier to the
station and automatically activates the lamp and
buzzer of the SAM, so the carrier does not
arrived unnoticed. Up to 15 arrival signal units
with their own user number can be connected to
each station.
27HYGIENIC AND CLEANING ASPECTS
- All station keypads are easy to clean, they have
a protective film. - All stations and diverters are made from
materials with a closed cell structure. - All units are easy to clean and easy accessible
no small rubbers, springs, rings etc. - All units withstand chemical spillage's and are
water resistant. - Packing advice's for samples.
- Layouts/station types without air output or air
input for semi sterile surroundings are
available.
28EFFECTS ON BLOOD SAMPLES AND SPECIMENS IN THE
SYSTEM
Chemical analysts have different opinions about
the transport speed of the specimens and blood
samples in the system. Therefore we developed
several options to meet all require-ments. Softwa
re features Programmable speeds all sends to the
labs go automatically at reduced speed (approx..
3 m/sec.) and all the other sends fly
automatically at normal speed ( 5-7 m/sec.). Or
all sends go at reduced speed or all at normal
speed.
29EFFECTS ON BLOOD SAMPLES AND SPECIMENS IN THE
SYSTEM
Telecom can give you a detailed study on the
effects/ deviations of blood samples transported
in a tube system. From this study it appears that
the effects on the samples are less than when
manually carried. These tests have been performed
by an independent official source. Ask for a
copy of this Telecom blood manual/study. Note
this study only applies to Telecom designed
systems and equipment.
30SYSTEM FAILURES
Future users of a Telecom system often ask if
anything can go wrong. The answer is yes. Every
piece of technology or system can
malfunction. There are 2 types of failures
possible - Technical errors we return to this
issue when we come to the controls. - User
faults.
31SYSTEM FAILURES
User faults These are quite difficult to create.
The design has been developed with 30 years of
experience. Over the years the system has become
98 fool-proof. - The construction is light
and strong, the control is self- correcting - Fu
ll baskets the station is provided with sensors
so that this will not damage the station. - It
is practically impossible to send more than 1
carrier at a time. - Playing/sabotage can be
traced by additional software
32SYSTEM FAILURES
User mistakes beyond our influence - If fragile
items are sent in the system, they have to be
securely packed. - Broken/defective carriers
cannot be used. - We cannot avoid wrong selections
33INDUSTRY STANDARDS
CE All units are build in accordance with the CE
guidelines for safe machinery. Only systems
completely based on Telecom materials may carry
the CE sign. EMC This is the European standard
(an EEC law) for Electrical Magnetic
Compatibility and stands for influence free
electronic cards and cable design.
34INDUSTRY STANDARDS
German Standards - DIN All dimensions and
material specs in accordance with DIN numbers and
references. Building Class -B1 The PVC tube has
the highest ranking.
35FIRE PRECAUTION ASPECTS 1
The tube system is connected to the alarm system
and is switched off in case of a fire. The blower
stop, there is no more airflow and no smoke
transportation.
36FIRE PRECAUTION ASPECTS 2
Fire sleeves are installed around the tube in
floor/wall crossings. In the event of a fire
they close the hole for 60/120 minutes depending
on the local fire regulations.
37FIRE PRECAUTION ASPECTS 3
We can offer smoke valves. This are motor opened
valves which close with a spring in case of fire
alarm