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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting ARTIS zee patient table movement, locking, tilt, or tabletop positioning faults caused by setup, obstruction, controls, or safety interlocks.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm whether a patient is on the angiography table.
If table motion, lock release, tilt, or tabletop positioning is unreliable during a procedure, stop table movement immediately and notify clinical staff.
Expected outcome: The patient is protected from unintended movement, incomplete locking, or unsafe table positioning.
If the issue affects an active procedure, do not continue troubleshooting until the patient is safe and the clinical team determines it is appropriate.
Confirm the Exact Table Fault
Ask staff what table function failed and when it occurred.
Identify whether the issue involves:
- Table will not move
- Tabletop longitudinal or lateral travel is limited
- Table lock will not engage or release
- Tilt function is unavailable or stops unexpectedly
- Table position is not recognized by the system
- Movement occurs from one control but not another
- Collision, brake, or safety message appears
Expected outcome: The failure mode is clearly defined before parts, motors, or internal controls are suspected.
Check for Obstructions Around the Table
Inspect the floor area, table base, foot pedals, accessory rails, cable drapes, sterile covers, step stools, trash bins, and equipment carts.
Make sure nothing is restricting table travel, tilt clearance, or tabletop movement.
Expected outcome: The table has a clear path for safe movement.
If removing an obstruction restores normal motion, verify table operation with staff and stop.
Check Patient, Accessory, and Procedure Setup
Confirm that patient positioning aids, arm boards, table pads, head holders, straps, radiation shields, and sterile field accessories are not interfering with table movement or locks.
For tabletop movement faults, check whether accessories are clamped too tightly or positioned against moving sections.
Expected outcome: Accessories are secure but not mechanically blocking table motion.
If repositioning an accessory resolves the fault, document the cause and stop.
Verify Table Lock Status
Check whether the tabletop, table base, or tilt lock is engaged when staff are attempting movement.
Confirm staff are using the correct lock release or table motion control for the intended movement.
Expected outcome: The table is not being commanded to move while a required lock remains engaged.
If the lock status was the issue, return the system to normal use after confirming proper movement.
Check the Table Control Devices
Test table movement from the available external controls, such as the table-side controls, footswitch, control module, or room control interface, depending on site configuration.
Determine whether the fault occurs from all controls or only one control.
Expected outcome: A failed control source is separated from a general table movement problem.
If one control device fails but another works properly, remove the faulty control device or station from use if possible and escalate that control issue for repair.
Inspect External Control Cables and Connectors
Check visible table control cables, footswitch cables, hand control cables, and room control connections for loose plugs, damage, pinching, fluid exposure, or strain.
Do not open internal covers or defeat safety circuits.
Expected outcome: External communication and control connections are secure and undamaged.
If reseating a loose external connector restores function, verify the repair with several safe table movements and document the finding.
Look for Collision or Safety Interlock Messages
Review the angiography system display, room control panel, and table status messages for collision protection, brake, lock, limit, tilt, or positioning warnings.
Collision protection or limit messages may intentionally inhibit motion to prevent contact with the C-arm, detector, ceiling stand, floor stand, patient, or room accessories.
Expected outcome: Safety-related motion inhibit conditions are identified before further movement is attempted.
If a safety message clears after moving equipment to a safe position, test table motion carefully and stop.
Check C-Arm, Detector, and Room Equipment Position
Confirm the C-arm, detector, tube, monitors, shields, and ceiling-mounted equipment are not in a position that prevents table motion.
Move system components only with clinical authorization and according to site procedure.
Expected outcome: Table movement is not blocked by room geometry or collision protection.
If repositioning the room equipment resolves the table issue, return the room to clinical staff and document the cause.
Verify Power and System Readiness
Confirm the ARTIS zee system is fully powered, initialized, and not in emergency stop, standby, service, or incomplete startup state.
Check whether other system functions are also unavailable.
Expected outcome: The table fault is not caused by a broader room power, startup, or system readiness problem.
If the full system is not ready, address the power or startup issue first.
Check Emergency Stop and Safety Release Conditions
Inspect accessible emergency stop buttons and safety stop controls in the room.
Confirm none are activated.
Expected outcome: Table motion is not being inhibited by an active emergency stop condition.
If an emergency stop was activated, reset only after confirming the room is safe and follow site procedure before returning to clinical use.
Check for Unusual Sounds, Heat, Smell, or Mechanical Binding
During a safe test movement, listen for grinding, clicking, brake chatter, motor strain, or abnormal stopping.
Check for unusual heat or odor near accessible external areas.
Expected outcome: Signs of mechanical or electrical failure are identified without internal disassembly.
If abnormal sound, heat, smell, or binding is present, stop testing and remove the system from service.
Perform a Controlled Functional Check
With no patient on the table and the area clear, test the affected movement only as far as needed:
- Tabletop longitudinal travel
- Tabletop lateral travel
- Table height if applicable
- Tilt if applicable
- Lock engage and release
- Position indication or system recognition
Expected outcome: The reported table function either operates normally or the fault is confirmed.
If normal operation is restored, document the checks performed and return the room to clinical staff per site policy.
Do Not Bypass Table Safety Features
Do not defeat collision protection, lock sensors, emergency stops, motion limits, or interlocks to force table movement.
Expected outcome: Troubleshooting remains safe and appropriate for Clinical Engineering.
If a safety feature appears to be preventing use and the reason is not externally obvious, escalate for Siemens service or qualified bench/system evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
If the ARTIS zee table movement, lock, tilt, or tabletop positioning fault continues after external obstructions, accessories, controls, connectors, emergency stop status, collision messages, and system readiness have been checked, common external causes have been ruled out.
The issue may involve an internal table drive, brake, lock sensor, encoder, motion controller, communication circuit, or safety interlock fault.
The device should be:
- Removed from clinical use
- Labeled Out of Service
- Reported to imaging leadership
- Escalated to Siemens service or qualified repair support for system evaluation
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Angiography table motion and lock faults can directly affect patient safety and procedure continuity.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot table movement, locking, or tilt problems on an active patient unless the clinical team determines it is necessary for immediate patient safety. Move the patient to a safe position or another room workflow before repeated table testing.
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 table would not release the tabletop lock during patient setup."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Found a procedure accessory clamp interfering with tabletop lock release; no internal service access was performed."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed the obstruction, verified tabletop lock and movement operation with no patient on the table, and returned the room to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Patient present or no patient present during fault
- Exact table function affected
- Table lock status
- Tilt behavior
- Tabletop longitudinal or lateral movement result
- Control source tested
- Footswitch or hand control behavior
- Collision or safety messages displayed
- Emergency stop status
- Obstructions or accessories found
- C-arm or detector position at time of fault
- Unusual sounds, heat, smell, or binding
- Final device status
Final Thought
ARTIS zee table faults should be approached with patient safety first and motion testing kept controlled. Rule out obstructions, accessories, controls, lock status, emergency stops, and collision interlocks before suspecting internal failure. Clear CCR documentation helps distinguish setup issues from true table system faults and supports appropriate escalation.
That is successful troubleshooting.