Robot-based automated devices

Robot-based automated devices have been designed to perform HPLC injections (esp. off-line injections) unattended by pharmaceutical researchers. Each step of an HPLC analysis can be automated either by the robotic arm itself or by the use of a dedicated automated peripheral... 

FIGURE 11.3 Levels of screen automation, (a) Workstation-based automation can be categorized as (1) batch automation in which plate stackers feed assay plates into each device and plate stacks are transported between devices manually and (2) automated workstations that include liquid dispensers and readers and can transfer plates between the two devices automatically, (b) In a fully automated system, transport of plates between devices is carried out by robotic arms and scheduling software. 

Two commercially available automated devices for the preparation of biological fluids based on SPE have been reported. One uses an HP-PrepStation (Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto, CA) for the extraction and derivatization of narcotics in serum samples after enzymatic hydrolysis [11] Cis cartridges were used for SPE. The other is a fully automated procedure applied to the confirmation by GC MS of positives of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in previously screened urines, using a laboratory robotic system [22]. 

Although BP and xerogel-based platforms exhibit significant promise in their respective areas, there are a plethora of materials, precursors, and additives to choose from. How does one decide on the best formulation for a specific need/purpose In cases where a particular formulation or composition does not yield a material or device with adequate performance parameters, how does one get to an optimum material within a reasonable time frame Our answer to these questions lies in the use of an automated robotic system to produce and screen large libraries of materials in a rapid manner, thus identifying optimal materials for a particular application. 

The greatest market potential among the different types of rivets is forecast for bUnd rivets. Access to the workpieces being joined is required from only one side, thereby offering the ideal conditions for automation. A bhnd riveter for industrial robots has been developed based on a standard tool that, apart from its size and weight, is also notable for its enhanced flexibility. With the aid of a changeover device, for example, different rivet diameters and types of blind rivet can be handled. 

The balance is the most important module of a robotic station in dealing with solid samples. The only way of automating weighing is by using a robot or workstation. The balance must be connected to the PEC and be accessible to the robot arm, which should be furnished with a special end-effector or hand (a gripper hand) and a powder-pouring device (usually vibration based). Weight-based... 

Rugged instruments based on portable computers are now available from many vendors. These systems, complete with motor-driven robotic devices to manipulate the transducer(s), have created the ability to measure wall thickness of corroded components at tens of thousands of points over 0.1 m, which can be converted into mass loss and pitting rates. This capabihty, coupled with increased precision of field measurements achievable with computer-controlled systems, has made these automated ultrasonic systems well suited for online corrosion monitoring [4]. 

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