Industrial automation expert Festo and systems integrator QM Systems have joined forces to develop a new automated laboratory system capable of filling, capping, and labeling test vials at an impressive rate of up to 3000 vials per hour.
The urgent need for rapid and precise mass testing, highlighted during the Covid pandemic, has underscored the benefits of automating the dosing process in a variety of fields ranging from medical diagnostics to cosmetics and biotechnology.
Festo and QM Systems, who have a longstanding business relationship, have intensified their collaboration in response to the growing demand for automation in the life sciences and lifetech sectors over recent years. Russell Lotinga, a business development manager at Festo, noted: “A client approached us with a specific need for a high-capacity filling system. While Festo is not a machine builder, we partnered with QM Systems, specialists in creating custom automated systems, to meet the customer’s needs.”
Together, they crafted an ideal solution that leverages their combined expertise in automation components necessary for complex filling and handling tasks.
Repeatability at SpeedThe project initially aimed to create a system for respiratory testing that could fill vials with different liquid volumes accurately, consistently, and quickly, while maintaining traceability to individual patients.
QM Systems engineered a high-speed vial filling, capping, and labeling line using Siemens controls. The system incorporates two bowl feeders—one for vials and one for caps—to systematically feed parts into the machine. The Festo handling system then aligns each vial vertically for dosing. After dosing, caps are applied with precise torque control to ensure proper sealing. Finally, each vial is horizontally aligned on a pocket conveyor for labeling, with each label containing a unique serial code to link the vial to a specific patient.
Kristian Richardson, commercial director of QM Systems, stated: “The key challenges in this project were the strict tolerances, precise accuracies, variable dispensing volumes, and high throughputs. A robust solution was achieved through critical commissioning, but adaptability in design was essential for fine-tuning during setup. Festo’s extensive range of automation components and their expertise in complex handling systems were invaluable.”
Precision Automation
The automated filling line features Festo’s VTOE dispensing head and VAEM valve control module for utmost precision. The VTOE, equipped with eight dispensing needles, allows for accurate dispensing of various liquids and volumes. It achieves precise dosing through adjustable pressure and timing.
The VAEM valve control module enhances precision by facilitating simple solenoid valve switching and allows for individual parameterization across up to eight channels. Its precise time resolution of only 0.2 ms and control via current (rather than voltage) ensure top accuracy.
Capping precision is maintained by Festo’s EHMD rotary gripping module, which automatically adjusts to different vial thread pitches. Various other Festo servo drives and controllers, along with pneumatic actuators, ensure proper vial orientation during dosing and subsequent rotation for labeling.
Major Step Forward
The new system not only processes up to 3000 vials per hour but also maintains a repeatability accuracy within 0.5% for fill volumes ranging from 50 μl to 1500 μl.
Kristian Richardson concluded: “While this system was designed for a specific type and lid of vial with variable dosing levels, the underlying automation principles are scalable and adaptable for other applications. It significantly enhances speed and accuracy compared to earlier systems and can be applied to a wide range of fluids, both medical and non-medical.”
