Start with the handoff geometry, not the arm's reach figure. For each instrument station, identify the receiving position, the opening and the space needed by the loaded gripper during approach, placement, release and withdrawal. Record the drawing revision and the person who can confirm the instrument-side information.
An unscaled photograph is useful context, but it does not establish dimensions or show every obstruction. If image-based measurements are used, record their reference, method and limitations. An overall instrument width also says little about whether the fingers can open after the labware is seated. These questions should be closed before the platform layout is released.
Use one station reference
Give each station an identifier and agree a physical reference for the handoff. Record working height, receiving position and approach direction against that reference, with units. Keep the approach position separate from the final placement position: they answer different questions.
Identify whether the receiving fixture is fixed, slides out or changes position with an instrument door. Record the operating condition in which each dimension applies. If the instrument is relocated or its fixture is replaced, flag the affected information for another review.
Use the positioning error-budget guide when the geometry is defined and the team needs to agree the permitted position and orientation error. Do not fill an unknown station tolerance with a robot supplier's repeatability figure.
Review the loaded tool through the whole transfer
Include the labware, lid, labels, carrier and intended finger geometry. Review more than the final position. The tool needs an agreed approach, room to place the object, space to open or disengage, and a withdrawal path after release.
Check which parts of the instrument may move during the transfer and who controls them. A drawer-open command is not evidence that the drawer has reached the required position. Likewise, enough clearance in a drawing does not prove that the instrument is currently ready to receive the object. Geometry and permission are separate checks.
| Review point | Information to request | What remains unresolved without it |
|---|---|---|
| Station reference | Datum, receiving position, units and drawing revision | The teams may describe different target positions. |
| Work height | Height relative to the agreed reference in the operating condition | Platform layout and arm placement cannot be assessed against the actual station. |
| Entry opening | Usable width, height, depth and moving obstructions | A reach check may overlook interference at entry. |
| Approach | Permitted direction and the space occupied by the loaded tool | The object may fit at rest but lack a usable entry path. |
| Seating | Support surfaces, orientation and intended final condition | Placement success has no agreed physical definition. |
| Release and withdrawal | Finger opening or disengagement space and exit path | The gripper may reach the target without being able to leave it. |
| Readiness evidence | Source and meaning of access, occupancy and permission signals | The software may confuse a received command with permission to transfer. |
| Verification setup | Drawing review, representative samples, fixture or instrument availability | The team cannot distinguish reviewed assumptions from demonstrated behavior. |
This table is a review aid, not a completed compatibility assessment. Give missing inputs an owner and a required date. If a dimension is estimated, identify it as an estimate and record how it will be confirmed.
Assign the instrument-side responsibility
Agree who supplies the receiving fixture, who approves changes to the instrument and who provides its readiness information. LabCarry's work package covers the agreed hardware platform and external interface. Your team retains scheduling, laboratory workflow logic and the agreed instrument software integration.
Use the platform interface guide to define the states needed for the handoff. Do not treat a general software status or network connection as proof that the physical opening is clear.
For a station simulator, list what it represents and what it does not. A fixture may represent the opening and seating geometry without reproducing the instrument's door timing or communication behavior. Keep the remaining instrument and site checks visible in the acceptance plan.
Turn the review into a decision
Close the review with one of three documented outcomes: enough information to continue the layout review; a defined list of missing information; or a geometry or responsibility conflict that needs a design decision. Continuing the layout review is not the same as accepting the complete transfer.
Use the hardware FAT guide to define which station conditions will be demonstrated and which will remain open. For an OEM hardware enquiry, include the station outline and unresolved inputs in your project brief. Agree how restricted drawings will be exchanged before sharing them.