A new era in high-volume sample processing in response to the pandemic

A company used Labman's expertise in developing custom projects to develop an innovative solution that was urgently required.

Image Credit: Labman

Challenge and solution

Sampled, a large biorepository and human diagnostics R&D company with operations in Piscataway, New Jersey, and Glasgow, UK, faced a significant challenge during the global COVID-19 pandemic: the need to efficiently process an extremely high volume of incoming saliva samples to satisfy the situation's demands.

To address this, Sampled collaborated with Labman Automation for a cutting-edge solution. Labman designed, constructed, and commissioned an automated system to streamline the processing of saliva samples in Spectrum saliva tubes, enabling increased throughput while minimizing the need for manual handling. Not only that, but the design, build and testing phase of the project was delivered within a record timeframe of only six weeks. 

An overwhelming volume of manual work

For Sampled, the manual accessioning and registration process was slow, arduous, and labor-intensive. Chris Piccirillo, Director of Automation, stated, “We physically received thousands of saliva tubes each day and had to individually register and accession every tube, sometimes close to 100,000 a day by hand.”

The process of decapping samples, scanning barcodes, and configuring the tubes for additional processing was highly laborious and prone to human error. As the COVID-19 caseload surged, Sampled required an advanced and efficient solution to manage this immense volume of samples.

The Labman solution: customized automation

To handle these difficulties, Labman proposed a highly tailored automation system. The system was carefully engineered to suit the exact needs of Sampled’s laboratory, particularly the types of tubes being processed. Its functionality included tube decapping, barcode scanning, and a unique resealing mechanism.

A distinctive property was an automated tube-sorting mechanism that maintained the correct sample order after their processing through the system, preventing costly mix-ups. “All of the features Labman created on the system were really well made”, said Chris. 

With reliability and uptime being priorities for such an operation, Labman’s high-quality in-house engineering proved indispensable.

Although Spectrum saliva tubes offer a user-friendly and safe technique for COVID testing, they tend to seal shut due to the effects of the neutralizing agent released when the cap is screwed on. Labman’s system addressed this challenge through the use of in-house-produced gripper fingers and a unique profile specifically developed to efficiently decap these tightly sealed Spectrum tubes, saving the hands of hundreds of workers.

Results

The adoption of Labman's automated system had a direct impact on Sampled's operations, allowing the company to increase sample processing throughput by as many as 20,000 samples a day.

At the height of the pandemic, Sampled had to hire an additional 300-350 temporary staff to help process the samples. With the new technology, 250 fewer staff were required, substantially reducing overhead costs and boosting efficiency by reducing the acute RSI issues associated with undoing the tubes. This also decreased the risk of human interaction with COVID-19.

Image Credit: Labman

Client-focused approach and relationship building

One thing I've always been focused on in my career is building relationships [...] I just think that you guys do a tremendous job at that.

Chris Piccirillo, Sampled

Labman is committed to building long-term relationships with its customers. “To have those relationships, whether they’re short or long-term, is really important to me. All of my staff here in the robotics team and the lab staff love working with the Labman team - you guys do a tremendous job at building and maintaining those connections,” said Chris.

The relationship between Sampled and Labman extended beyond technical implementation, fostering a sense of reliability and trust.

Conclusion

Sampled’s partnership with Labman represents an extraordinary success story. Labman’s bespoke automation solution transformed the laboratory’s efficiency, delivering a substantial return on investment while establishing a warm and enduring client relationship.

After validating the system’s performance in NJ, Sampled commissioned a repeat for its site in Motherwell, Glasgow, reinforcing its trust in Labman’s solutions. Labman’s dedication to solving specific challenges through innovation and delivering dependable support has positioned the company as an important partner for Sampled, a testament to Labman’s ongoing commitment to customer success.

About Labman

Labman is a global leader in creating custom automated laboratory technologies, products, and software that empower and advance scientific discovery. We collaborate across diverse industries, including medical, pharmaceutical, agritech, paints and coatings, and FMCG, to deliver innovative solutions. From our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, Labman’s multi-disciplinary teams design, build, and support systems used worldwide, enabling groundbreaking science in leading laboratories every day.

Video Credit: Labman 

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