ABB Robotics returned for a second year to the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) 2025 International Conference & Exhibition, that was held January 25-29 at the San Diego Convention Center. Highlights of ABB’s participation included two live robotic automation demos and a roundtable discussion with industry leaders, including METTLER TOLEDO and Agilent Technologies, to explore the challenges laboratories face and how robotics can help (held on January 28).
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“The need for increased efficiency, enhanced precision, reduced human error, and the ability to handle high-throughput workflows is prompting more organizations to consider automated laboratory solutions, with demand estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.9 percent by 2029[1],” said Jose-Manuel Collados, Manager for Product Line Service Robotics at ABB Robotics. "We’re delighted to have the opportunity to demonstrate at SLAS how the latest advances in ABB’s collaborative robotics can unlock new possibilities for the “lab of the future."
ABB had two live demos at their booth. The first was demonstrating the automation of multiple lab workflows, in collaboration with METTLER TOLEDO, the global supplier of precision instruments and services. In this demonstration an ABB GoFaTM 5 kg robot was interacting with METTLER TOLEDO equipment, through LabX™ management software, for integrated control of a fleet of instruments such as Karl Fischer Titration and UV VIS spectrophotometers. The robot was performing four workflows typically carried out in R&D and quality control labs. The highly precise robot is well-suited for performing complex, yet repetitive tasks, such as handling pipettes, decanting into titration cups to prepare samples for testing and tending METTLER TOLEDO laboratory instruments.
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In the second demo, another ABB GoFa™ 5 kg robot was preparing samples to analyze tablets using an HPLC system from Agilent Technologies. The demonstration was showcasing the robot’s precision and reliability in tube filter HPLC preparation as well as picking small tablets from a bin using vision technology.
The robotic solution automatically loads and unloads different chemical powder dosing heads into a METTLER TOLEDO analytical balance, providing maximum walkaway time and flexibility in sample preparation processes.
Away from the booth, ABB Robotics was also hosting a roundtable discussion entitled “Robotic automation is the gateway to the Lab of the Future”. The conversation, featuring participants from companies including METTLER TOLEDO and Agilent Technologies, was highlighting how robots can unlock new possibilities in the lab, and explore some of the challenges that can be solved using robots.
[1]. Markets And Markets – Lab automation market: Growth, Size, Share and Trends – Dec 2024.
