ABB and Mettler Toledo To Advance Robotic Automation in Laboratories

With the signing of a memorandum of understanding, ABB Robotics and Mettler Toledo have teamed up to integrate ABB’s robotic technologies with Mettler Toledo’s LabX management software. The duo intends to extend the production capabilities of laboratory environments by using robotics and high-performance software to control laboratory protocol parameters, assure quality control, speed up testing and validation, and increase time-to-market.

 

ABB cobot delicately handling a laboratory bottle, demonstrating its ability automating laboratory tasks. Image used courtesy of ABB 

 

Automation in Laboratories

According to Roots Analysis, the global lab automation market was valued at around $5.5 billion in 2023 and is predicted to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 9.3% between now and 2035. The automated systems of industrial environments are now filtering into laboratory environments within universities and pharmaceutical companies.

For the same reasons automation is employed across automotive, energy, oil and gas, and other industries, it is now filtering into the lab. The labor shortage is ongoing, and companies use robots to augment manpower, relieving workers of repetitive tasks and downtime-inducing fatigue. Automated systems can also help execute high-quality control standards, ensuring products meet specific requirements.

 

Robotic technology can improve efficiency and reproducibility in lab environments. Image used courtesy of ABB Robotics

 

The Reproducibility Crisis

Outside of a need for greater efficiency, there is also a need for greater reproducibility in labs. The 'Reproducibility Crisis' can be described as the hardship researchers encounter when attempting to replicate published scientific results. This crisis was brought to attention in 2016 when a survey (including 1,567 researchers) revealed that a substantial 70% of researchers failed to replicate another fellow researcher's experiments successfully. 

Automation facilitates reproducibility by reducing human error and controlling variables and parameters of laboratory protocols to reduce contamination. Thus, automation ensures that procedures are standardized and products/results can be more accurately reproduced. There are challenges to the adoption of automated systems in laboratory environments, however: lack of skills for system setup, handling, and maintenance. 

With their latest agreement, ABB and Mettler Toledo seek to overcome these challenges and accelerate the adoption of automated lab technology.

 

Mettler Toledo’s LabX Software

Mettler Toledo’s LabX laboratory software automates multi-parameter operations to help reduce setup and maintenance time and lower costs. Data is managed electronically to reduce transcription errors and ensure accurate data preservation. The software incorporates standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help operators complete activities more efficiently and accurately. LabX's asset management tool aids calibration and appropriate resource modifications to help facilitate more accurate protocol execution and, in turn, results. 

 

ABB’s collaborative robots will be combined with Mettler Toledo’s LabX platform to improve laboratory workflows. Image used courtesy of ABB Robotics

 

One of the key features of LabX is its centralized control of SOPs, tasks, and instruments. LabX provides a single interface for control and data transfer with the ability to connect to electronic lab notebooks (for recording experiments), laboratory information management systems, or enterprise resource planning systems. Mettler Toledo’s LabX software is designed to adhere to ALCOA+ framework criteria, ensuring data integrity. 

 

ABB’s OmniCore Robot Controllers

Mettler Toledo’s LabX software will combine with ABB’s energy-saving OmniCore robot controllers to orchestrate robotic processes within the laboratory environment. The OmniCore family of controllers comes with more than 1000 scalable functions and includes a hand-held tech pendant (with a multi-touch 8-inch screen) that can connect to multiple robots, advancing the speed of deployment and lowering costs. 

The collaboration was part of ABB's vision of extending the benefits of automation to a wider range of sectors. With the combined technologies of ABB and Mettler Toledo, the companies seek to address labor shortages and accelerate innovation in laboratories.