Agilent Drivers for Thermo Scientific Chromeleon 7

Significance of the topic

The seamless integration of Agilent instrumentation into the Thermo Scientific Chromeleon 7 environment is critical for modern analytical laboratories. It consolidates instrument control, ensures consistent data handling across platforms, and supports regulatory compliance by unifying audit trails and method management.

Objectives and overview

This release note documents the enhancements and technical details introduced in Agilent Drivers for Thermo Chromeleon 7 revision 2.3. It outlines new features, compatibility requirements, installation and upgrade procedures, and the scope of resolved and known issues within this software package.

Methodology

The development of revision 2.3 followed a structured validation and release process. Key steps included:

• Use of a Software Verification Tool (SVT) to confirm correct installation and registry entries.
• Automated and manual installation pathways via stand-alone and integrated Chromeleon installers.
• Defined upgrade procedures to revise instrument configurations and migrate existing methods.
• Ongoing tracking of defects and compatibility checks against multiple Chromeleon and operating system versions.

Instrumentation

This driver release supports a broad range of Agilent gas and liquid chromatography systems and modules when operated under Thermo Chromeleon 7.2 SR5 or higher. Major supported hardware includes:

• Gas Chromatographs: 6850, 6890A/Plus/N, 7820A, 7890A/B, 8860, 8890, Intuvo 9000.
• Headspace Sampler: 7697A.
• Liquid Chromatographs: 1100, 1200, 1260 (including Infinity II), 1290 Infinity II/III series.
• Detectors: Variable Wavelength (VWD), Diode Array (DAD), Fluorescence (FLD), Refractive Index (RID), Evaporative Light Scattering (ELSD).
• Auxiliary modules: autosamplers, fraction collectors, valve clusters, flow modulators, MS interfaces.

Main results and discussion

Revision 2.3 delivers a suite of enhancements designed to improve throughput, simplify workflows, and strengthen audit capabilities:

• Dual Simultaneous Injection for GC front and back injectors, boosting sample processing efficiency.
• One-click access to GC online methods directly from the status dashboard.
• Ability to append sequence lines to a running sequence without interrupting the last injection.
• Dynamic licensing that aligns with instrument class and Chromeleon version, reducing manual license management.
• Automated column configuration changes without manual method resolution.
• Extended configuration audit trail capturing comprehensive setup information.
• Retention of custom signal names and labels across reconfigurations.
• Separate, detailed user guides for LC and GC drivers included in the installation package.
• A catalog of resolved defects and documented known issues for transparent maintenance planning.

Benefits and practical applications

Laboratories benefit from increased GC and LC utilization, reduced manual intervention, and streamlined compliance activities. Enhanced audit trails and user-friendly ePanels facilitate traceability and reduce training barriers, making this release particularly valuable for QA/QC and regulated environments.

Future trends and possibilities

Emerging opportunities include:

• Expanded support for new Agilent hardware and firmware updates within Chromeleon.
• Integration of AI-based diagnostics and predictive maintenance tools.
• Cloud-enabled licensing and remote instrument management solutions.
• Advanced multi-dimensional chromatography workflows and hybrid vendor integration.

Conclusion

Agilent Drivers for Thermo Chromeleon 7 revision 2.3 represents a significant step toward unified, efficient, and compliant chromatographic analysis. The release streamlines installation, enhances user workflows, and extends audit capabilities, reinforcing its value in modern analytical laboratories.

References

No external literature references were provided in the original release notes.