Advances beget advances in laboratory automation

By Mike Santora | February 27, 2024

According to Global Market Insights, laboratory automation’s market size was 6.7 billion (USD) in 2023. The site also reported an expected CAGR of over 6.7% between 2024 and 2032. What’s expected to account for this growth? What specific trends will act as the catalyst for bringing the laboratory automation sector into the double-digit billions? We asked top industry experts about the components, innovations, and trends we might see in 2024 and beyond. We begin by drilling down to the component level to see what technologies the major players are using to influence lab automation from the ground up.

Automated laboratory analyzer image: Portescap

Tomar: Various sensing and driving technologies have advanced lab automation designs. Machine learning and AI are crucial in intelligent decision-making, predictive analysis, and optimizing experimental workflows. Robotics and automation handle tasks such as sample handling, pipetting, and plate manipulation. IoT connectivity enables real-time lab equipment monitoring and control, allowing remote access and data sharing. Multi-sensor modules for high throughput facilitate rapid data collection and analysis.

Graham: Our components provide feedback on the speed and positioning of various lab automation applications, from fluid handling and test equipment to larger robotic and equipment parts. What we have seen in this space is the further development of automation efficiency and the integration of AI control systems perhaps on the horizon to handle some of the most challenging analysis and identification applications in the space.

Shown here is a DHOE pipetting solution sample preparation animation. Image: Festo

This configuration of the EXCL gantry accommodates two independent Z-axes. On the left: a pipette system aspirates and dispenses; on the right: the EHMD rotary gripper for decapping and gripping.

Stoney: Festo industrial pneumatic and electric actuators are common in high-volume automated labs where a single installation may process 100,000 test-tube-based samples each night. Less visible are the standard miniature fluid valves and specialized manifolds Festo designs for use inside clinical and analytical instruments. At the end of the day, though, most Festo lab automation applications involve a combination of mechanical handling and liquid transfer from test tubes to microplates or other formats more suitable for automation.

Beckstoffer: Portescap motion solutions address several needs in laboratory automation equipment including X-Y-Z movement, pipette dispensing, and aspiration. Brushless DC, DC coreless, and stepper technologies are all used within lab automation on varying axes, depending on the specific requirements. For pipetting, linear stepper technology has seen upgrades and improvements in design and efficiency. In addition, DC coreless motors with gearboxes and even leadscrew output shafts provide higher performance in a small package.

Varley: The robotics group at Mitsubishi Electric Automation has been involved with many lab automation projects. This involvement is with manufacturers/OEMs of lab automation equipment all the way down to startups trying to establish and refine their offerings. As with many other industries, the availability and cost of labor factors in, but the traceability and efficiency that laboratories gain by deploying automation are very important in this time-critical industry.

The Festo PGVA pipetting and dispensing controller allows the pressure supply to be centralized within the machine. A single PGVA can supply air pressure to multiple pipette heads.

Dengel: KHK was selected as a supplier to a large laboratory device manufacturer. They require the product sample to be rotated from one position to another for the sample to be properly analyzed. We were able to supply the pinion needed for this operation which allows millions of COVID-19 tests to be analyzed annually.

Stoney: Most of the new sensing and drive technology we see in lab automation is related to software development — making sensors and cameras smart using machine learning and other AI tools so they’re self-diagnosing, robust, and easy to use. Our research team in Boston is deeply involved in this area, and we see a lot of new ideas reaching the lab in the coming years.

Denman: Nippon Pulse motion-control components are being used in three critical areas in laboratory automation. First is moving dispensing heads and microplates into position. The second is in liquid handling and dispensing applications. Our motion controllers and motor drivers enable high-precision liquid dispensing, and our Linear Shaft Motor technology can pick up pipette tips for single- or multi-axis dispensing. Finally, our magnetic counter-balance technology is being used in vertical (Z-axis) motion to provide sample safety and prevent contamination of sample reagents.

The various process steps for adding different liquids to microplates are automated and linked in a compact space.

Tomar: High-resolution imaging technologies provide real-time monitoring of cell cultures and microscopy. Continually improved are automated sample-preparation techniques — including nucleic acid extraction, purification, and library preparation. Lab informatics and LIMS platforms are used for efficient data management, workflow optimization, and regulatory compliance. 3D printing is employed for the rapid prototyping of custom lab equipment.

Moreover, cobots and mobile robots handle repeated complex tasks and transport samples, minimizing manual handling. Augmented reality and virtual reality enhance visualization, training, and guidance in lab procedures.

Stoney: A significant challenge in lab-on-a-chip technology can be getting media into and out of the chip and controlling fluid flow through the devices. Here, Festo has a broad range of dispense valves (VTOE/I), pipettes (DHOE/P), and disposable tips (DHAP) designed especially for high-speed and high-throughput automation.

The Festo DHOE pipetting head scales seamlessly from -20 µl up to 20 ml for bulk transfer and the utmost in flexibility.

Elsewhere, some end users employ piezo-valve technology in PGVA pressure generators and VEAB precision regulators for precision fluid control inside microfluidic components.

Tomar: As an electronics distributor, we’re seeing that various product categories are vital for bringing innovations to life. Offering lab equipment manufacturers state-of-the-art products, resources, and services lets them progress their own innovations. From onboard components such as MCU/MPUs, MEMS sensors, and memory to product-build components such as electromechanical components, motor controls, displays, cables and connectors, thermal management, and chemical supplies, having access to a wide range of products from industry-leading suppliers lets manufacturers continue to advance their own innovations.

Nippon Pulse’s Linear Shaft Motors are ultra-precise linear servo motors that are ideal for lab automation applications. They provide extremely smooth movement and can be built for a variety of operating environments (including in water and clean rooms).

Umeno: Kollmorgen’s motion-control technologies are vital to the breakthroughs in laboratory automation. From the precise movements of pipetting for in vitro diagnostics labs to the precise rotations in vaccine production lines, our diverse motors and drives deliver the accuracy and repeatability needed for critical tasks such as liquid handling and sample manipulation. This is especially crucial for new test methods and growing test volumes demanding faster and more precise analyzers.

Halstead: We provide electric motor and motor assemblies used in cleanrooms, vacuum chambers, temperature chambers, beam lines, radiation hot cells, and other locations where humans can’t work. Many different labs use our equipment for testing, developing new technologies, and eventually for production.

Ikeuchi: The motion axes in medical equipment must run smoothly and quietly, sometimes at high speeds. Medical-grade motion systems also must be more sophisticated in other respects to keep pace with two unfolding trends in the medical machine marketplace. One of these trends is miniaturization. Diagnostic equipment, DNA sequencers, and other types of automation systems occupy less space — and these machines increasingly require streamlined mechanical designs.

Stoney: Perhaps the trend of miniaturization in lab automation can be seen best by the growing use of higher-density SBS microplates. Where most lab processes continue to use 96 well plates, 384 and 1156 well plates are becoming increasingly common. As the format shrinks, so do the liquid volumes being tested — from milliliters to microliters to nanoliters. Motion control systems must work within tighter tolerances when filling test tubes less than 2 mm wide. Festo liquid dispensing systems perform well in these ranges, and (with a strong background in high-speed industrial automation) Festo has the linear motion products combined with deep and broad experience to meet the speed and throughput required at these smaller scales.

Tomar: Both miniaturization and integration have notable advancements. These developments aim to enhance precision, efficiency, and overall performance in various scientific and research applications closely tied to IoT enablement. It enables remote monitoring and control, collaboration, and data sharing with AI and ML algorithms for real-time analysis and insights. As these technologies continue developing, lab automation design is expected to lead to faster, more efficient, cost-effective research and development processes. For example:

Miniaturized optical and magnetic encoders have seen significant advances, allowing for higher resolution and accuracy in position feedback for linear motion systems. MEMS multi-sensor modules are key to miniaturizing feedback systems. Combining several sensors into a single package makes it possible to detect various factors from a single device, including temperature, pressure, and acceleration, making it more robust and capable of providing real-time feedback on movement and orientation.

Modern linear systems for laboratory automation increasingly feature integrated control systems that combine feedback devices with advanced controllers. These integrated systems offer seamless communication between various components, improving overall system performance. Actuators with built-in feedback mechanisms are becoming more prevalent. These smart actuators can provide real-time information on position, speed, and force, allowing for better control and monitoring in laboratory automation setups. Integrating sensors directly into the actuator structure eliminates the need for external feedback devices.

Wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are being integrated into feedback devices for easy connectivity and data transfer. Laboratory automation systems can benefit from the flexibility and convenience of wireless feedback, reducing the need for complex wiring and improving overall system mobility. Some systems now incorporate machine-learning algorithms to optimize control based on feedback data. This enables adaptive and intelligent automation in laboratory processes, improving efficiency over time.

Portescap’s 35DBM-K digital linear actuator is suitable for pipette applications.

Wickenheisser: The ongoing shift to streamlined mechanical designs creates a strong need for miniaturized motion components, especially linear guides. The other trend is an increasing demand for reliability and low cost of ownership. Here too, choosing the right linear guide can make a big difference in how well the machine runs — and how much it will cost to keep running. The next generation of medical machines, then, will need linear guides that are compact relative to the loads they carry. They will also need to run smoothly with adequate precision. And finally, they will also need design features that ensure the machine has a long, trouble-free life.

At IKO, we offer an extensive line of miniature linear motion products that can meet the requirements of size-constrained medical applications. Among them is the world’s smallest recirculating ball linear guide, our LWL linear guide, which has a track rail width of just 1 mm and a cross-sectional height of 2.5 mm. We also offer maintenance-free linear guides that have proven to be more cost-effective and far cleaner than other maintenance-free methods that directly apply lubricant to the guide rails via a lubricating plate. Our C-Lube series of maintenance-free linear guides provide long-lasting maintenance-free operation and a reliable long life for the bearing.

Ankur Tomar, Manager — Technical marketing • Newark (an Avnet Company)Sam Stoney, LifeTech Industry Segment manager • FestoDave Beckstoffer, industry manager • Portescap.Patrick Varley, Product marketing manager — robotics • Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc.Brian Dengel, General manager • KHK USA Inc.Paul Denman, Applications engineer • Nippon PulseYoshi Umeno, Industry manager — global medical and robotics • KollmorgenRichard Halstead, President • Empire Magnetics Inc.Yugi Ikeuchi, GM, Engineering & App Development • IKO InternationalKarl Wickenheisser, VP of Sales and Marketing • IKO InternationalStuart Graham | Business Development Specialist • Heidenhain