Time is one of the most valuable resources in laboratories. It directly impacts productivity, schedules, and the overall success of scientific studies. Modern labs often rely on laboratory automation to better utilize the time of laboratory personnel. By streamlining the process of repetitive tasks, scientists can explore more hypotheses, run more experiments, and expedite the iterative process of refining their findings. Accelerating study timelines allows researchers to reach breakthroughs quicker in medicine, materials science, and other fields.

Laboratory automation offers a competitive advantage to industries like pharmaceuticals. Drug developers can get to market first with a new drug or therapy by speeding up the beginning research stages for earlier regulatory approval. Patient care is directly impacted by clinical laboratories' abilities to quickly diagnose diseases and other conditions. Faster diagnostic results mean patients receive treatment plans as early as possible, enabling better prognosis. Research laboratories must prioritize timelines to reach conclusions while relevant. In epidemiology, timing is at the top of the priority list. Laboratory automation played a large role in researchers quickly introducing a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Automated aliquoting systems are popular automation equipment installed in research laboratories. Aliquoting is a frequently used method in scientific studies, but the manual process of aliquoting large sample numbers is tedious and time-consuming. Automated aliquoters use robotics and software to dispense large numbers of precise sample portions. Researchers use these versatile tools to handle various workflows and liquids. 

5 Time-Saving Benefits Through Automated Aliquoting Systems

1. Streamlining Repetitive Tasks
   Manual aliquoting is a labor-intensive process that demands careful attention to detail. Each sample portion requires identical measurements and conditions to keep its integrity and provide accurate results. Automated aliquoting systems perform tasks in minutes that would manually take hours, sometimes days. By automating the time-consuming tasks, lab personnel can shift their focus earlier in the research process to more value-added tasks like data analysis and experimental design.
2. Eliminating Human Error
   Inaccuracies in aliquoting can lead to significant time delays. Aliquoting by hand can often result in inconsistent volumes and contamination due to repetitive strain, differences in techniques, and increased exposure to microbes. These errors require rework that consumes additional time and resources. Automated aliquoting systems like the Scinomix AQ Aliquoting System eliminate risk of extra time spent on corrections by monitoring liquid levels and accurately dispensing down to a percentage of a microliter.
3. Increasing Throughput
   Automated aliquoting systems are capable of handling large batches of samples in a fraction of the time that hand pipetting requires. For laboratories handling high throughputs, automation provides significant time savings. Pharmaceutical and clinical laboratories dealing with many time-sensitive research projects greatly benefit from quick turnarounds facilitated by automation. 
4. Enhancing Workflow Integration
   Many automated aliquoting systems are designed to integrate with other laboratory instruments and software. Integration with other technology helps to streamline workflows where aliquoting is part of a continuous process rather than a standalone task. The Scinomix AQ Aliquoting System also provides labeling and validation capabilities and can be paired with bulk tube feeders. Automating multiple tasks with one solution minimizes downtime between steps and enhances overall efficiency. 
5. Easy Operation
   Automated systems like the Scinomix AQ are built with user-friendly interfaces and intuitive software that require minimal training. Scinomix’s automation experts travel onsite to labs providing quick installation and training. Lab personnel learn operation and maintenance to keep their lab operations running smoothly without prolonged interruptions.

4 Real-World Impacts of Time Savings in Your Laboratory

1. Pharmaceutical Research
   Automated aliquoting saves significant time during high-throughput screening processes of drug discovery and development. Research timelines can shed months using automation to test thousands of compounds, identifying “hits” and disqualifying those without desired effects. Faster sample processing leads to faster approvals and shorter time-to-market for new drugs.
2. Clinical Laboratories
   Patients expect and deserve timely test results and diagnostics. Researchers and clinicians rely on automated aliquoting systems to prepare diagnostic samples, enabling faster results so they can accurately diagnose and quickly prepare treatment plans. Earlier treatment of diseases often improves patients' prognoses.
3. Environmental Testing
   Environmental science involves extensive sample collection and analysis to monitor and study various ecosystems. Automated aliquoting systems are used to prepare environmental samples from various locations and conditions for analysis. Whether monitoring water, soil, or air quality, staying on schedule in these types of studies is very important to public health and safety.
4. Animal Health
   Similar to clinical studies, animal health research often deals with numerous samples of tissue, blood, and other biological fluids. Automating the process of building libraries of these samples for long-term analysis helps researchers fast-track discoveries aimed at ensuring the well-being of both domestic and wild animals. Providing veterinary diagnostics, surveilling diseases, and finding solutions to conserve endangered species require quick action. 

Labs can achieve higher throughput, reduce errors, and optimize workflows by automating repetitive tasks like hand pipetting and labeling. Time saved through automation can be redirected towards critical research activities, accelerating project timelines. Efficient time management drives innovation. Better medicines, diagnostics, conservation efforts, and many more scientific breakthroughs are launched into action faster, improving the world around us.

At Scinomix, we strive to simplify lab processes while ensuring top-quality results. Our innovative solutions in laboratory automation continue to eliminate repetitive and tedious tasks. By automating lab processes using efficient benchtop solutions, we help to free valuable time and resources, allowing researchers to focus on groundbreaking discoveries. We understand that data accuracy and quality are essential for scientific progress, and that is why we are dedicated to providing automation solutions that guarantee reliable and accurate results. With Scinomix, you can expect lab automation that simplifies processes and ensures quality results every time.

Learn how Scinomix’s all-in-one benchtop laboratory automation system optimizes lab productivity and efficiency.