Process for putting into operation and for operating a measuring device

A measuring device for measuring a test sample in a test sample holder, the device comprising:

• a housing;
• a tempering zone arranged in said housing, said tempering zone being receivable of the test sample holder, said tempering zone being capable of adjusting a temperature of the test sample holder when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone;
• a fluid tank arranged in said housing to flow a developer fluid to the test sample holder, when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone;
• an optical analysis unit arranged in said housing, said optical analysis unit including an optical reading element arranged to read the test sample holder when the test sample holder is in said tempering zone, said optical analysis unit measuring details of the test sample in the test sample holder;
• a first temperature sensor connected to said housing and measuring an ambient temperature of air inside said housing;
• a second temperature sensor connected to said housing and measuring a temperature of said tempering zone which adjusts the temperature of the test sample holder;
• a control unit connected to said tempering zone, connected to said first temperature sensor and connected to said second temperature sensor, said control unit selectively setting a temperature of said tempering zone based on the ambient temperature.

A process for operating a measuring device comprising an electronic unit including a central control unit, a sequential control and a control chart, an optical analysis unit with an optical reading element, a metering unit, a fluid tank containing a developer fluid, a holder for the fluid tank, a temperature regulating unit, a test sample holder, a heating/cooling element with a tempering block for generating a tempered zone of the test sample holder, temperature sensors for detecting the ambient temperature and the temperature of the tempering block and a contact means for controlling the measuring operation, the process comprising the steps of:

• transferring a section of a process control from the central control unit to the sequential control and to the temperature regulating unit;
• polling first and second of the temperature sensors and preparing the temperature regulating unit;
• inserting the test sample holder into the measuring device;
• closing the measuring device by closing a measuring device housing door;
• polling one or more contact elements;
• polling a code on the test sample holder;
• using the control chart, the code and the measured values of the temperature sensors to determine control parameters for tempering;
• tempering of the tempering block and setting the temperature of the tempering block by the temperature regulating unit based on the ambient temperature;
• metering the developer fluid onto a sample by means of the metering unit;
• additional tempering of the tempering block and setting of the temperature of the tempering block by the temperature regulating unit is performed after said metering;
• ending tempering;
• and
• transferring the process control to the central control unit.