The obvious solution is not always the best one. In lab automation, the biggest breakthroughs sometimes come from abandoning the…

NUCOMAT, Your Partner in Lab Automation

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The obvious solution is not always the best one. In lab automation, the biggest breakthroughs sometimes come from abandoning the conventional path. In lab automation, the common starting point is a workflow analysis of the manual procedure. This is followed by identifying bottlenecks, sources of variability and error, and opportunities for optimisation, such as standardising methods and labware across similar procedures and replacing manual tools with automation-compatible alternatives. Many tools for integration into automated systems have already been developed and commercialised, saving us from having to reinvent the wheel. However, this obvious option is not always the best solution for the customer. They may need to follow validated procedures under strict regulatory requirements. In many cases, the validation was performed on the manual method, and revalidating the process or bridging the historical quality control data would require a substantial effort. In other cases, unexpected practical constraints create roadblocks that prevent the conventional automation approach. That is where thinking outside the box can provide a practical way forward: Some time ago, we faced a project in which the determination of copper concentration in copper concentrate powder, containing up to 30% copper, needed to be automated. The main drivers were increased sample throughput and the significant health and safety risks associated with hot acid digestion, including the use of hydrogen fluoride. Copper concentration was determined manually using an iodometric colour titration. The obvious solution was to equip the automated wet chemistry sample preparation system with an electrochemical auto-titrator. However, this would not only have required revalidation of the analytical method, but testing also showed that the samples degraded the auto-titrator electrodes at an uneconomically high rate. We therefore needed a non-contact measurement method to keep operating costs under control. The solution was to return to the visual iodometric colour titration. We developed a video titrator that uses a smart camera to monitor and control the titration process and accurately determine the titration endpoint. This video titrator module was integrated into the automated wet chemistry sample preparation system, tested under production conditions, and delivered excellent performance. Thinking outside the box overcame an economic roadblock, simplified the validation process by remaining faithful to the validated manual method, and eliminated a significant health and safety risk for laboratory staff. #CopperConcentrate #LabAutomation #VideoTitration #HSE #Nucomat