An automated mobile phase preparation workstation.

An automated solvent dispensing workstation capable of delivering volumes ranging from 10 mL to 4.5 L for the preparation of solutions/mobile phases was developed and implemented into the industrial R&D laboratory. The workstation was designed to address business, safety, and compliance needs while meeting or exceeding the precision and accuracy of current manual methods of preparation.

Powder dispensing robot for sample preparation.

An automated powder dispensing station capable of transferring milligram quantities (1-100 mg) of powder for sample preparation was developed and integrated into a commercial robotic workstation (Zymark Prelude). The system's performance was optimized with respect to vacuum flow rate and powder transfer tube cross sectional area, and shown to possess excellent powder dispensing accuracy (RSD = < or = 0.1% for target weights < or = 15 mg) and precision (RSD = 3.