Strategy to Flexible Automated Biotech Laboratories in Research and Production

Volltext: Recently a tremendous development took place in the area of laboratory automation. In clinical laboratories total laboratory automation systems are installed. For the screening sector and combinatorial chemistry there are systems on the market which are designed for highest throughout. The flexibility of these expensive systems is not very high. They are not made for the requirements of small and medium sized biotech laboratories and research labs, where a much higher flexibility is needed. Only customized and adapted use of automation technology leads to an economical result. To meet the requirements of small and medium sized biotech laboratories, modular solutions have to be created and realized. Thereby standardization of sytem interfaces and processes are indispensable. The Fraunhofer IPA developed a structured and methodical procedure for the creation of modular, adapted and economical solutions for laboratory automation. This strategy proved to be highly beneficial in a utomation projects, carried out in different branches of industry. With the help of conducted automation projects at Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, the transfer of this strategy to the interdisciplinary field of automating biotech labs will be explained. Experiences and results will be shown.