Trimming / Sectioning - Leica CM3050 S Instruction Manual

5. Operation

5.5.6 Trimming / sectioning

Inserting the knife
• Insert the knife / disposable blade into the
knife holder.
• Select appropriate clearance angle at knife
holder (settings between 4° and 6° are suit-
able for the majority of applications).
For details on how to insert and ad-
just the knives, please refer to the
separate instruction manual(s) for
your knife holder(s).
See also chapter 2.2 'Integrated
safety devices' incl. subchapter
2.2.4 'Knife guard'.
Manual trimming
• Adjust knife / knife holder relative to speci-
men (see 'Knife holder' instruction manual).
• Unlock handwheel.
• Use motorized coarse feed to bring speci-
men close to knife (see chapter 5.4.5 'Coarse
feed functions').
• Select desired section thickness (see chap-
ter 5.4.7 'Setting the section thickness').
• Move anti-roll plate away from knife.
• Rotate handwheel to trim specimen down to
desired sectioning plane.
Motorized trimming
• Adjust knife / knife holder relative to speci-
men (see 'Knife holder' instruction manual).
• Unlock handwheel.
• Center handwheel grip (See chapter 2.2.2).
Leica CM 3050 S – Cryostat
• Use motorized coarse feed to bring speci-
men close to knife (see chapter 5.4.5 'Coarse
feed functions').
• Move anti-roll plate away from knife.
--> Next steps: see chapter 5.4.6 'Trimming'.
Sectioning
• Adjust knife / knife holder relative to speci-
men (see 'Knife holder' instruction manual).
• Place anti-roll guide onto knife.
• Orient specimen, if necessary (see chapter
5.5.5 'Specimen orientation').
• Select desired section thickness (see chap-
ter 5.4.7 'Setting the section thickness').
• Start sectioning at approx. 20 μm, reduce
section thickness gradually until reaching
the appropriate thickness for the type of
specimen to be sectioned.
• Discard the first 2 to 3 sections cut at the de-
sired section thickness.
When sectioning manually, rotate the hand-
wheel evenly and at uniform speed.
For all details on motorized sectioning, please
refer to chapters 5.4.1 to 5.4.4:
'Selecting a sectioning mode / Start and stop
sectioning', 'Setting the sectioning window',
'Selecting sectioning speed', 'Emergency stop'.
For advice on appropriate Sectioning tempera-
tures for different types of tissue, please refer to
chapter 6.3 'Reference chart for temperature
settings'.
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