Automation without robots: two case studies in the drug discovery sector

Two new items of dedicated automation have recently been developed by TTP LabTech Ltd to serve needs in the pharmaceutical industry that have previously been addressed by general purpose robotics. For both products the approach adopted has been to start with the fundamental requirements of the payload and to work backwards to a simple method for the transport and manipulation of the sample. In one case this has led to a compact storage cassette and air transport mechanism that eliminates the need for robot arms and end‐effectors. In the other, it has led to a miniature, positive displacement syringe that is inexpensive enough to be disposable.