Laboratory or lab automation can be defined as any device, software, process, or general automation lab technology that can be used to improve the efficiency of the lab or lab workflows. In general, it works to enhance the accuracy and repeatability of analytical results.

Lab automation may incorporate conveyors, sample changers, software, machine vision, robots, automated dosing equipment, autosamplers and other liquid handling automation systems into one or more workflows. Sometimes the standalone equipment itself has the capability of automating a measurement or workflow already built in.

These enabling technologies can be added to or paired with existing lab equipment such as balances, titrators, pH sensors, other electrochemical sensors and testing equipment, gravimetric dosing systems, pipettes, UV Vis spectroscopy equipment, and thermal analysis equipment, among others.

Throughout the last several decades, the impact of lab automation systems and principles has been felt across nearly every industry. Automated lab equipment has played a major role in saving time, reducing costs, eliminating human error, and improving efficiency in labs around the world.

Acknowledging ever-increasing market pressure and the need to minimize time-to-results, METTLER TOLEDO was a pioneer in making important innovations in lab automation. Automation technologies have become a must for modern laboratories to keep up with industry evolution and consumer demand, particularly in highly competitive and/or regulated industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage.

Workflows enabled by automated lab equipment may include one or more instruments and will be driven by standard operating procedures (SOPs). These SOPs may be programmed into laboratory software that may archive the resulting data sets directly or integrate into a LIMS, which can help to enhance compliance and ensure crucial experimental details are not lost. Protocols can also be designed to standardize mixing and cleaning steps between assessments, providing an additional layer of reproducibility and freeing lab operators to focus on value-added tasks.

Lab automation systems that enable fast, consistent processing may be particularly advantageous for repetitive actions. For example, adding an autosampler that supplies many samples to the same instrument for identical or similar assays may produce significant savings in terms of time and reduction of waste and rework.

The advantages of laboratory automation can be of particular benefit in the optimization of synthesis procedures. Unattended reactors that run experiments 24 hours a day can accelerate researchers' understanding of reactions and processes, as well as assist in planning and scale-up.

Preparation of solutions and standards is made simpler with automated devices that dispense a substance of interest with high accuracy. This can help to conserve samples, speed up processes, and enhance reproducibility.

A sensitive analytical balance is a must for producing truly repeatable results when working with milligrams of solids or liquids. Alternatively, a quality lab automation system such as the XPR Automatic Balance allows you to handle many different types of substances and dose to various types of vessels. Fine, fluffy, electrostatically charged, compacted, granular and heterogenous solids, as well as nanoparticles, mixtures and viscous liquids can all be dispensed with pristine accuracy in seconds, helping to ensure accurate solution preparation.

The impact of chemistry lab automation on industry has been far-reaching. Increasing adoption of laboratory automation has helped to maximize experimental accuracy and save time in research, quality control, and production labs. Heightened process efficiency and productivity is helping labs to develop higher-quality products, get them to market faster, and reduce or eliminate potentially dangerous or reputation-damaging outcomes. This can help quality and lab managers to ensure efficacy, avoid regulatory fines, and minimize expensive recall activities.

In a word, yes. Laboratories that are subject to auditing ensure compliant results through tight control over their analytical workflows. Using automated laboratory instrumentation, the instruments themselves are selected and installed with care, and their history of use, routine testing, and service is typically tracked in detail.

Accompanying software is monitored with similar rigor to verify that it meets regulations concerning the completeness and security of data records, as well as fulfilling other applicable requirements: e.g., restricting users' access to an assigned set of devices and/or methods.

METTLER TOLEDO supports compliance by offering guidance on instrument choice, installation location, and setup, as well as appropriate service packages. We also provide traceable weights and certified reference substances for routine testing, modular software packages that secure data and accommodate new processes, and SOP creation that can help reinforce results quality.

Learn more about service and routine testing solutions such as CarePacs^®, CertiRef™, and LinSets, or review our Good Measuring Practices to assess current process accuracy, and more.