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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting ARTIS zee C-arm motion, brake, collision sensing, table clearance, or positioner faults using safe external checks first.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm whether a patient is on the table or inside the interventional workspace.
If the C-arm, stand, table, or positioner movement is unreliable, stop motion immediately and notify clinical staff.
Expected outcome: No patient, staff member, sterile field, catheter, tubing, or accessory is placed at risk from unexpected movement.
If patient care is active, move to a safe clinical workflow before continuing. Do not troubleshoot motion faults over an active patient unless site procedure and clinical leadership confirm it is safe.
Confirm the Reported Movement or Positioner Symptom
Ask the operator what failed and when it occurred.
Identify whether the issue involves:
- C-arm will not move
- Movement stops unexpectedly
- Brake will not release
- Brake will not hold
- Collision warning or collision stop
- Position not reached
- Table-to-C-arm clearance issue
- Positioner control not responding
- Intermittent motion fault during angulation or rotation
Expected outcome: The failure mode is clearly identified before resets, part swaps, or escalation.
Check for Obvious Obstructions Around the System
Inspect the C-arm travel path, floor area, table base, ceiling or floor stand path, detector area, tube side, monitor suspension, foot controls, carts, cables, sterile drapes, lead shields, step stools, and accessory rails.
Remove any item that could contact the C-arm, detector, tube housing, table, or stand.
Expected outcome: The system path is clear, and motion can resume if the fault was caused by a physical obstruction.
If removing the obstruction resolves the issue, verify safe motion through a limited range, document the cause, and stop.
Verify the Table and Patient Position Are Not Creating a Collision Condition
Check table height, lateral position, longitudinal position, tabletop extension, patient support accessories, arm boards, head holders, anesthesia equipment, and draping.
Reposition only with clinical approval and only when safe for the patient.
Expected outcome: The ARTIS zee positioner has adequate clearance to move without triggering collision protection.
If repositioning clears the collision warning and movement returns, document the obstruction or clearance issue and stop.
Check the Active Collision or Safety Message
Review the system display, room control, or operator console for the exact warning or fault message.
Do not repeatedly override or force movement if the system reports collision, brake, or positioner protection.
Expected outcome: The exact system-reported fault is captured for troubleshooting and service documentation.
Confirm Emergency Stop Buttons Are Released
Check all accessible emergency stop buttons in the room, including wall stations, table-side controls, system control panels, and operator locations.
Make sure no emergency stop is latched or partially pressed.
Expected outcome: Motion is not inhibited by an active emergency stop circuit.
If releasing an emergency stop restores movement, verify why it was activated, perform a safe functional check, document the finding, and stop.
Inspect Hand Controls, Joysticks, Footswitches, and Room Controls
Check that C-arm controls are not stuck, damaged, unplugged, obstructed by drapes, or being pressed unintentionally.
Verify that no control device is wedged against equipment or flooring.
Expected outcome: The system is not receiving conflicting, stuck, or unsafe motion commands.
If a stuck or obstructed control is found and corrected, test motion safely and document the accessory or control issue.
Check for Control Mode or System State Issues
Confirm the system is in the correct operating mode for C-arm movement.
Verify that the system is not in a mode that intentionally limits positioner movement, such as a parked state, service prompt, startup interlock, active acquisition lockout, stored position conflict, or workflow step requiring operator confirmation.
Expected outcome: Movement is not being blocked by an expected system state or operator workflow condition.
Verify Brake Behavior Safely
With the area clear and no patient risk present, observe whether the brake releases and holds as expected during permitted movement.
Do not attempt to defeat a brake, mechanically force the C-arm, or manually push the positioner beyond normal operator-controlled movement.
Expected outcome: Brake behavior is confirmed as either normal, not releasing, not holding, or intermittent.
If the brake does not hold reliably, remove the system from service.
Check Power and System Readiness
Confirm the ARTIS zee system is fully powered, not in partial startup, and not showing room control, generator, stand, table, or communication faults.
Verify the operator console, system control panels, and room controls are active and responsive.
Expected outcome: Positioner movement is not being affected by incomplete startup or system communication failure.
Perform a Controlled Restart Only if Appropriate
If there is no patient risk, no active procedure, no emergency condition, and site policy allows, perform a normal system restart.
Allow the system to complete startup without interrupting initialization.
Expected outcome: Temporary software or communication lockups clear, and the positioner becomes available again.
If the fault clears after restart, perform a limited functional check, confirm no repeated fault, document the event, and return to service only if safe.
Test Movement Through a Limited Safe Range
With the room clear and clinical staff aware, test only the movement needed to confirm safe operation.
Check for:
- Smooth C-arm motion
- Proper brake release
- Brake holding after movement
- No unexpected drift
- No repeated collision warning
- No unusual noise, vibration, smell, or heat
- Accurate response to controls
Expected outcome: The system either passes a safe basic motion check or repeats the fault.
If movement is abnormal, stop testing and escalate.
Do Not Continue if Motion Safety Is Questionable
If the C-arm moves unpredictably, brakes intermittently, fails to stop, drifts, triggers repeated collision warnings, or loses position feedback, remove the system from clinical use.
Expected outcome: A potentially unsafe motion system is not used for patient procedures.
If the Problem Persists
If the ARTIS zee continues to report C-arm movement, brake, collision, or positioner faults after external obstructions, emergency stops, control devices, system state, table clearance, and restart conditions have been checked, the issue is likely internal to the positioner, brake system, motion control, sensors, encoders, collision protection circuit, or system communication path.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for Siemens service, repair, or bench/system evaluation
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. C-arm motion and brake faults can create direct patient and staff safety risks and should not be bypassed.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot C-arm motion, brake, or collision faults over an active patient unless the situation is controlled and clinical leadership determines it is safe. Move the patient, secure the sterile field, and protect lines, tubes, and staff before testing any positioner movement.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported the Siemens ARTIS zee C-arm stopped during positioning and displayed a collision or positioner movement fault."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the C-arm travel path was blocked by a mobile equipment cart near the table-side clearance area."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed the obstruction, confirmed emergency stops were released, verified safe limited C-arm motion, and returned the system to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact fault message or error code displayed
- Whether a patient was on the table
- Procedure room and system location
- C-arm position when the fault occurred
- Table height and tabletop position
- Collision warning behavior
- Emergency stop status
- Controls checked
- Obstructions found or removed
- Whether restart was performed
- Brake release and brake hold behavior
- Any unusual noise, vibration, heat, or smell
- Whether the fault repeated after testing
- Final device status
Final Thought
ARTIS zee positioner troubleshooting should stay focused on patient safety, external clearance, control status, emergency stops, and clear fault documentation. If movement, braking, or collision protection remains unreliable after basic checks, escalation is the correct repair path.
That is successful troubleshooting.