Key points
Automation has played a key role in helping manufacturers operate more effectively and efficiently for at least a century — and maybe more, depending on whether you feel water- and wind-powered machinery meets the definition.
Most of the attention, both from the general public and industry itself, has naturally focussed on how the technology can fill roles on the shop floor, but if a business is going to operate at peak efficiency it must recognise that other areas can also reap the benefits of automation. One of the prime examples of this is the analytical laboratory.
Alan Messenger, Sales Director at Optimal Industrial Automation, explores how and why automation can support the vital work of analytical laboratories.
These labs are an essential part of the modern manufacturing ecosystem, providing a facility for testing and verifying the quality, purity, and safety of products, as well as ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. They are crucial for several key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, chemicals, and environmental sciences, where precise measurements and stringent testing are absolutely vital.
Beyond this, analytical labs can also contribute to continuous improvement processes within manufacturing. By analysing the output and identifying any deviations from expected results, they provide insights that can improve both the product and the process. This ability is crucial in maintaining a competitive edge in modern, fast-paced markets.
Though they play a relatively small role in the day-to-day operations of many businesses, the outsized impact of an analytical laboratory makes it an ideal target for automation technology.
A high-pressure environment
Analytical laboratories typically rely on human workers for a lot of their commonplace tasks. This introduces a complex array of challenges.
For example, many labs are required to handle high sample volumes, which demand high levels of speed and precision when it comes to handling, testing, and analysis. On top of this, laboratories operate under the constant pressure of stringent regulatory standards. With regulations evolving and becoming more demanding, they must continually adapt their processes to ensure they meet an ever-growing list of requirements.
These factors place a huge amount of pressure on the scientists operating the lab, which could lead to errors ranging from mixing up samples to running tests out of sequence. When labs are handling dozens of samples per day, it’s easy to see how issues can creep in.
These kinds of mistakes would be bad enough in any business, but in the high-stakes environment of an analytical laboratory the consequences of errors and inefficiencies can be severe. Inaccurate data can lead to incorrect conclusions, affecting research and development trajectories and potentially leading to costly recalls or legal issues. Inefficiencies, on the other hand, can cause delays in product development cycles, impacting time-to-market and the financial bottom line.
Though they play a relatively small role in the day-to-day operations of many businesses, the outsized impact of an analytical laboratory makes it an ideal target for automation technology
Delivering value
While many automation projects are driven by the aim of simply completing tasks faster and more efficiently, these aren’t the only benefits the technology can bring to analytical laboratories.
By integrating advanced automation technologies into their workflow, labs can improve quality and reduce pressure across several key areas.
- Data management: Automation can streamline the crucial tasks of data collection, analysis, and storage. It uses advanced software solutions, integrated with existing laboratory information management systems, to ensure data integrity and accessibility. This integration enables accurate data recording, reduces the risk of data loss, and allows for easy data retrieval, all of which are vital for ongoing research and compliance reporting.
- Process control and reproducibility: Automated systems can precisely control environmental conditions and manage reagent handling, which are essential for consistent test results. This control reduces variability, ensuring reproducibility and reliability in experiments. Modern solutions can even ensure that tests are always carried out under the same conditions and parameters, even when they’re being performed across different facilities.
- Efficiency and throughput: Improved speed has always been a key benefit of industrial automation, and this is as true in the lab as it is on the factory floor. Technologies such as auto-samplers and robots can speed up sample processing, allowing labs to handle greater volumes without compromising quality.
- Quality control: Automation bolsters quality control by enforcing strict protocols and checks throughout the testing process. Automated systems monitor and adjust processes in real time, catching deviations and ensuring that every output adheres to set standards and regulatory requirements. This level of consistency is key in the pharmaceutical industry, where compliance with quality standards is closely monitored and critical to their operations.
- Morale and Wellbeing: When deployed correctly, automation can substantially reduce the mental and physical strain placed on lab personnel. By taking over repetitive and mundane tasks such as transporting samples and manually initiating tests, automation allows staff to focus on more engaging aspects of their work. This shift not only reduces the pressure to maintain high levels of manual precision but also can lead to greater job satisfaction and reduced burnout.
Many labs are required to handle high sample volumes, which demand high levels of speed and precision when it comes to handling, testing, and analysis (Source: iStock 1298111593).
Transformational technology: What does automation in an analytical lab look like, and how does it work?
As is so often the case, the only accurate answer is that the details of an automation system will depend on the manufacturer’s specific needs and goals. However, some of the key technologies found across many solutions include robotics and automated handling machinery, advanced software platforms, and machine vision systems.
Robotics and automated handling systems probably have the most obvious impact on the daily operations of a lab. These machines are equipped with mechanical arms that allow them to handle tasks from simple liquid handling to more complex manipulations such as organising and storing samples.
These robotic systems are commonly supported by advanced software platforms that manage the data-oriented aspects of the testing process. This software automates data entry, manages sample tracking, integrates results analysis, and ensures that data is stored securely and compliantly. It facilitates a seamless flow of information across different stages of the testing process, reducing bottlenecks and minimising the risk of data mishandling or loss.
Machine vision systems are exactly what they sound like – a combination of cameras and image processing algorithms that allow technology to see both samples and the wider environment, allowing them to perform complex tasks. Depending on how they are integrated into lab automation setups, these systems can enhance the accuracy and speed of sample analysis.
An example of these technologies working together can be found in the SciYbotic range of oral solid dose (OSD) quality test machines developed by the Optimal Group. The SciYbotic machines use a combination of robotics, machine vision systems, and advanced Process Analytical Technology (PAT) software to conduct comprehensive, high-speed testing of tablet quality during pharmaceutical manufacturing.
In this system, a six-axis robot precisely manipulates the tablets for various tests, ensuring accurate placement and handling. The machine vision component identifies each tablet, verifying its specifications before testing. This automation is bolstered by synTQ by Optimal, a knowledge management software that processes and stores all test data to ensure that they are easily accessible and traceable.
By integrating advanced automation technologies into their workflow, labs can improve quality and reduce pressure across several key areas.
The future of lab automation?
Evolving technology means that industrial automation is becoming more and more commonplace with every passing year[1]. While the factory floor is still the driver for many solutions, businesses have started recognising the role automation technology can play in different departments.
The analytical laboratory plays a vital role in many manufacturing sectors. The benefits automation can offer these labs range from reduced errors to a happier, more productive workforce, and the cost of implementing a solution is more achievable than ever. If in doubt, it always pays to reach out to a reputable supplier of industrial automation solutions and learn more about the technology.
