Webinars and Sponsored Roundtables — Register Now
Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 11:00-11:30 AM CT
- Explain how transparency and manufacturer partnerships improve quality, consistency, and decision-making confidence in specimen management.
- Evaluate blood collection tubes beyond cost and commodity assumptions, incorporating clinical impact and risk into decision-making.
- Assess the potential risk points when using a blood collection device that has not been cleared for a specific purpose.
Roundtable presenters Nick Fingland, PhD, PMP, Senior Director, R&D Operations and Science, BD, and Chris Farnsworth, PhD, D(ABCC), Section Head of Clinical Chemistry, Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 1:00-2:00 PM ET
Learn about digital pathology technology that is future-ready, yet practical for today’s
laboratory needs.
Webinar presenters Scott Hammond, Senior Systems Consultant, Digital Pathology Division, Wexner Medical Center, Department of Pathology, and Ursula Hofer, Imaging Technologist, Pathology Digital Imaging Lab, Wexner Medical Center, Department of Pathology, and Sandra Banky, PA(ASCP), Director of Operations, Wexner Medical Center, Department of Pathology.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
Subspecialties
Interactive Product Guides
Product Spotlight
Werfen
| Company | Werfen |
|---|---|
| Instrument name | ACL AcuStar |
| Contact | Annie Lopatin |
| City State | Bedford, MA |
| Phone | 800-955-9525 |
| Website | |
| First year sold | 2010 |
| List price/Model type | —/benchtop |
| Dimensions (H × W × D)/Weight/Instrument footprint | 21 × 34 × 24 in./170 lbs./10 sq. ft. |
| No. of units in clinical use in U.S./Outside U.S. | 5/196 (available in most countries) |
| Composition of installs: Hospital lab/Reference lab/Other | 100%/0/0 |
| Targeted daily, monthly, annual test volume | daily: 20–150; monthly: 600–4, 500; annual: 36, 000–54, 000 |
| Operational type | random access |
| Country where analyzer designed/Manufactured | U.S./U.S. |
| Company manufactures instrument | no |
| FDA-approved clotting-based tests | — |
| FDA-approved chromogenic tests | — |
| FDA-approved immunologic tests | heparin-induced thrombocytopenia IgG, domain 1, anticardiolipin IgG, anticardiolipin IgM, B2GPI IgG, B2GPI IgM |
| Other FDA-approved tests | — |
| User-defined tests in clinical use | — |
| Tests in development or awaiting FDA 510(k) clearance | ADAMTS13, von Willebrand factor ristocetin cofactor, von Willebrand antigen |
| Methodologies supported | immunologic (chemiluminescent) |
| Number of different measured assays onboard simultaneously | 20 |
| Number of different assays programmed and calib. at one time | 20 |
| No. of user-definable (open) channels/No. active simultaneously | 0/0 |
| Factor assays require manual manipulation or dilutions | — |
| Test throughput per hour/Assay run time | 60 (1 test in throughput)/30 min. |
| Design of sample-handling system | samples loaded into carousel rack |
| Operates on whole blood or spun plasma | spun plasma |
| Reagent type | self-contained multiuse cartridges (liquid) |
| Reagent barcode-reading capability | yes, for all tests |
| No. of reagent containers held onboard/Reagents ready to use | 20/yes |
| Reagent lot tracking/Reagent inventory/Reagents refrigerated onboard | yes/yes/yes |
| Reagents, consumables loaded without interrupting testing | yes (reagents and consumables) |
| Instrument uses proprietary or third-party reagents | proprietary reagents |
| Maximum time same lot number of reagents can be used | 6 months |
| Walkaway capability/Walkaway duration | yes/30 specimens or 280 tests |
| Min.–max. specimen volume that can be aspirated at one time | 2–250 µL |
| Min. sample volume required for PT/PTT/Factor VIII activity | 50 µL/50 µL/50 µL |
| Types of disposables used | cuvettes, trigger, solutions |
| Primary tube sampling supported/Pierces caps on primary tubes | yes/no |
| Accommodates most standard tube sizes/Nonstandard sizes | yes/no |
| Sample barcode-reading capability/Autodiscrimination | yes/yes |
| Auto tracks product volume/Measures number of tests remaining | yes/yes |
| Short sample detection | yes |
| Clot detection as preanalytical variable in plasma sample | no |
| Auto detects adequate reagents for aspiration or analysis | yes (aspiration and analysis) |
| Detection or quantitation for hemolysis, turbidity, icterus, lipemia | — |
| Dilutes patient samples onboard | yes |
| Automatic rerun capability/Auto reflex testing capability | yes/yes |
| Lag time during which hypercoagulable sample not detected | — |
| User can adjust reagent volumes/Sample volumes | no/no |
| User can adjust No. of reagents/Sources of reagents | no/no |
| User can adjust incubation times/Reading times | no/no |
| Autocalibration/Calibrants stored onboard | no/no |
| Multipoint calibration supported/Recommended frequency | yes/6 months |
| • PT alone | — |
| • PT, PTT | — |
| • Fibrinogen | — |
| • Factor VIII activity assay | — |
| • D-dimer | — |
| Time delay from ordering stat to aspiration of sample | <1 minute |
| How labs get LOINC codes for results | functionality not provided |
| Onboard real-time QC/Onboard software capability to review QC | yes/yes |
| Information that can be barcode-scanned on instrument | specimen identifier, reagent lot No. |
| Compatible with laboratory automation systems | no |
| Data-management capability/LIS or EHR systems interfaced | onboard/Meditech |
| Interface supplied by instrument vendor | contract dependent |
| Results transferred to LIS as soon as test time complete | yes |
| Bidirectional interface capability | yes (broadcast download and host query) |
| Remote servicing provided/UPS backup power supply | no/yes |
| Instrument connections to transfer information | data-management system, which in turn connects to LIS; directly to LIS; commercial middleware (Werfen, Beckman Coulter) |
| Interface standards supported | ASTM 1394-91 |
| Information transferred to data-management software | specimen ID |
| Avg. time for basic user training | 4 days (at customer site) |
| Approximate scheduled maintenance time | daily: 5 minutes; weekly: 5 minutes |
| Maintenance records kept onboard | yes |
| Warranty with purchase/Annual service contract cost (24/7) | yes/— (cost dependent on contract) |
| Distinguishing features (supplied by company) | on-demand heparin-induced thrombocytopenia IgG testing with results available in 30 minutes; uses sensitive chemiluminescent technology, improving sensitivity; reagents are ready to use with onboard stability up to 12 weeks |