Laboratories consistently face changing customer demands, adding pressure on companies as expectations trend towards faster time-to-market. This is compounded further by a shrinking workforce, as companies explore ways in which robotic automation can boost laboratory efficiency, improve quality control (QC), and boost operations in research and development (R&D).
METTLER TOLEDO and ABB Robotics have recently published a series of papers, the first of which, “Mapping the Journey”, covers the state of laboratory automation in today’s economy. It determines how robotic technology implementation is shaped by identifying the main drivers and barriers to automation, while highlighting the common challenges laboratories face.
By focusing on what comes next, this paper examines how organizations can successfully transition to fully automated, data-rich laboratories of the future. Drawing on Mettler Toledo’s global “Voice of the Customer” research, it examines how companies go beyond simple task automation.
As many laboratories coordinate extensive experimental pipelines across R&D, QC, and other testing areas, respondents often envision “dream scenarios” in which networked systems can continuously run in the background.
Current efforts focus on preparing and analyzing experiments before staff arrive, enabling researchers and scientists to concentrate on discovery, creativity, and strategic decision-making.
Image Credit: Mettler-Toledo International Inc.
A growing number of organizations are embarking on this journey by targeting the “easy wins”, which include sample preparation, data entry, and routine QC testing. These areas are in focus primarily because they are deemed repetitive, high-volume, and/or error-prone processes.
Getting ahead in these areas is likely to result in measurable Return on Investment (ROI) and increased value, while providing a wider basis for transformation.
Key drivers in today’s market include modular, flexible technologies such as automated guided vehicles, collaborative robots, and digital platforms that seamlessly integrate with existing instruments and workflows.
Besides efficiency, labs are also looking at ways to boost reproducibility while improving safety and using a limited pool of scientific talent. Respondents often emphasize usability, flexibility, and interoperability as the essential features of robotic systems, with a growing desire for digital connectivity, predictive maintenance, and intelligent self-optimization.
Successful automation isn’t about replacing people, but instead finding ways to create smarter, dynamic systems that allow scientists and researchers to perform at their best.
By applying Lean principles, emphasizing early gains, and incorporating modular, future-ready solutions, companies can move towards fully connected, uninterrupted, and insight-driven lab operations worldwide.
The third paper in this series highlights the importance of working with the right partner to build a foundation of successful automation. To achieve sustainable transformation and fast-track progress, organizations must choose the right partners and strategies for their lab of the future.
This information has been sourced, reviewed, and adapted from materials provided by Mettler-Toledo International Inc.
For more information on this source, please visit Mettler-Toledo International Inc.