A KUKA robot works as a lab assistant at Anton Paar
Placing samples for testing and disposing of them afterwards: What amounts to extra work and a lot of effort for a lab technician is the perfect pastime for a KR AGILUS. Placed in a rheometer for quality control, the KUKA robot at Anton Paar GmbH does exactly that – around the clock.
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It sorts containers holding solid, paste-like, or liquid samples, positions measuring devices, and tidies up afterwards: The KR AGILUS excels at its role as a laboratory assistant. With a payload of six kilograms and a reach of 726 millimeters, the compact 6-axis small robot is ideally suited to assist with quality testing in laboratory environments. The internationally operating Anton Paar GmbH uses it with the automated HTR 7000 rheometer, where the KUKA robot helps test samples – for example, in the food industry.
No waiting time thanks to robots
The automated testing machine, into which the small robot is integrated, eliminates a total of 14 work steps. For the lab technician, this means no more unnecessary waiting time, allowing them to focus on tasks such as setting up and evaluating the tests. Customers of Anton Paar GmbH who are already using the machine particularly appreciate the resulting increase in efficiency. “Routine tasks now run reliably and reproducibly around the clock. This frees up valuable time for our employees to focus on more demanding activities, such as analyzing and interpreting measurement results. At the same time, we are improving the quality and crosssite comparability of the tests,” reported one customer.
The KR AGILUS handles the samples, cleans the measuring device, generates reports, and disposes of the samples once the tests are complete. “The ESD certification, the small footprint, and the precise, agile operation convinced the customer of the KR AGILUS,” says Janez Brezovnik, Account Manager at KUKA. This is confirmed by Harald Köppel, Head of Automation & Robotics at Anton Paar GmbH: “Especially in the laboratory, where space is limited and processes must run precisely, the combination of high repeatability, compact design, and flexibility is crucial. In addition, the solution enables us to achieve stable and continuous automation of our sample processing workflows.” Thanks to automation, up to 60 samples can be processed in the HTR 7000 around the clock. A hygienic machine version of the KR AGILUS was not necessary for the test machine but would be possible if required.
Additional automation options in the food and beverage industry
About ten such test machines equipped with the KR AGILUS are already in use by end customers around the world – for example, in the cosmetics industry or at breweries. And that’s not all. Anton Paar GmbH plans to equip additional machines with KUKA robots, for example for testing in the beverage industry. Harald Köppel says: “We still see great potential in the field of laboratory automation and are already working on further concepts, particularly in the food and beverage sector. Our collaboration with KUKA provides us with a strong foundation for jointly developing future solutions.”
KUKA stands by them as a strong partner with its comprehensive portfolio. This is because the automation expert not only has the right robots for the job, but also the software. This allows the automated lab assistant to be integrated into the testing environment in the best possible way. “When choosing an automation partner, it was crucial for us that the partner be a technology leader and understand our specific requirements in the laboratory environment. In addition to precision and reliability, easy integration into our existing systems and userfriendliness also played a central role,” says Köppel, explaining the collaboration with KUKA. He also sought a globally active provider with reliable 24/7 service – after all, Anton Paar GmbH’s customers worldwide expect consistent support for their automated systems. With KUKA, this can be achieved.
Flexible solutions for more efficiency and productivity
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