A Brief Introduction to IM3 – Status Messages

On its Status page, the IM3 has a series of status indicators to show when the various components of a CGF system perform out of range. In this video, we demonstrate this by introducing planned deviations in normal ranges of key CGF components. This will help researchers to recognize and correct the deviations and ensure that their system consistently yields reliable and trusted data.

To inspect the status messages within the IM3, click on the Status menu. This brings up the Status page. Immediately, we can see the gas analyzers, the air flows, and the ESA. They’re all green. That means that they’re within normal ranges. But the cages section shows four out-of-range messages. Opening the Cages tab shows that four mass monitors are reading out of range. Cage 1, the food mass monitor, cage 3, the water mass monitor, and cage 5, the body mass monitor. These three cages mass monitors are showing consistent out of range values. The likely cause is that the mass monitor units are mis-calibrated. The solution is to calibrate them.

By contrast, the mass monitor in cage 12 fluctuates in and out of range. The likely cause for this is that there’s extra food or nest material in that body mass hopper. The solution is to clean the material from the body mass hopper. After that, the mass monitor should return to within range mass measures.

If a mass monitor unit is disconnected, it will show a red error status. This red status will appear in the specific cage status and in the main cage status tab. The solution is to check and restore the mass monitor connection. These disconnections will consistently show a red status for the affected mass monitor. And they’ll return to green once the connections are restored.

Other red status messages unrelated to mass monitors could also appear. Thus, expand cage 9’s Status tab to inspect the other components. In this case, it indicates that there’s a disconnected access control door. The solution is to check and restore the access door connection. Multiple red messages unrelated to mass monitors indicate beam break disconnects. Double-clicking on cage 9 will open the Detailed Cage Status page. The Beam Break Visualizer confirms that there are no active beams. This is represented by all of the blue lines. Restoring the beam break connections sets the statuses back to green. And the Beam Break Visualizer confirms that the beams are active, represented by the yellow lines.

If the cage controller is disconnected, all of the components within the cage will show a red status. And the cage’s Detailed Status page will show no measures or beam break visualizations. Restoring the cage controller connections sets all statuses back to green.

Let’s look at the ESA status. One environmental sensor array, or ESA, is connected to each bank of eight cages. Expanding the ESA tab reveals an out-of-range status, yellow, for the sound sensor. The likely causes are that a nearby researcher’s activity is disturbing the ESA, or that the ESA is placed too close to the convection fans inside a thermal cabinet. The solution is to move the ESA from excessive sound sources or otherwise minimize noise. The sensors within the ESA are all hardwired, thus actual faults are highly unlikely. Disconnecting the ESA will cause red statuses across all sensors. Restoring the ESA connection will return all of the statuses to green.

Let’s look at the CGF airflow status. A yellow status on the Flows tab indicates an out-of-range flow rate. The likely causes are disconnected tubing, a leak, or other obstructions, perhaps a clogged cage filter. The solution is to fix the connection, seal the leaks, or remove any material that could block airflow. Restoring cage airflow rate will return the status to green. A disconnected or a failed pump would yield yellow statuses across all cages. Restoring the functionality of the pump will return green statuses across all of the cages.

Let’s look at the CGF analyzer status. The two yellow statuses on the Analyzers tab indicate two out-of-range components. Opening the Analyzers tab shows that both subsample flow rates are out of range. The likely causes are disconnected tubing, leaks, obstructions, or pump issues. The solution is to fix the connections, leaks, obstructions, or the pumps in order to restore the airflow. And interference with air quality, for example adding nitrogen, can also generate a yellow status. Take note, such interference often affects other systems such as cage flows and ESA sound.

Opening the Analyzers tab shows the oxygen and the CO2 analyzers are out of range. This scenario also mimics oxygen and CO2 analyzers that are also out of calibration. Solution one could be restore good quality air supply to the animal cages. Solution two could be to recalibrate the oxygen and the CO2 analyzers. Maintaining reliable analyzer operation requires stable operating temperatures of each sensor.

If the thermal insulation case around the analyzer blades isn’t closed properly, the analyzer temperatures could drift out of range. This could result in a drift in the signal of the oxygen or the CO2 analyzers. Readings may not actually drift out of range, but their measurements could still be unreliable. The solution is to seal the thermal insulation box appropriately and the green status will be restored. If the analyzer’s blade on one analyzer bank is disconnected, it will yield red statuses across all of the sensors on that blade. This will also generate red statuses for flow control. Restoring the analyzer blade connection will restore green statuses across all of the sensors.

In summary, these status indicators have shown us how we can manage key components within a CGF system. Our planned introduced deviations also showed how to recognize and correct key operation of CGF components and to maintain a system to yield accurate, consistent, and reliable data.