A Multi-Faceted Automated Sample Preparation Solution.
Easy Transfer of your Methods to Automation
Step 1
Sample Introduction
introduce your sample and potential milling and / or mixing aids
Step 2
Grinding
Samples can be dry or wet milled by a very strong vertical shaking, like a in ball mill
Step 3
Liquid Handling
Solvents are introduced or transferred through the septum to perform solvent addition, pipetting, dilution, or phase separating steps
Step 4
Extraction
Extraction is performed with a very effective shaker or by ultra sonication
Step 5
Filtration
Sample solutions are automatically filtered directly into HPLC vial. Vials are capped and may be transferred directly into the analyser.
Note: this is just a very basic example workflow, you have no limit in terms of numbers of steps and you are free in the order of the individual steps – discuss your methods directly with us.
Step 1
Sample Introduction
Introduce your sample and potential milling and / or mixing aids
Step 2
Grinding
Samples can be dry or wet milled by a very strong vertical shaking, like in a ball mill
Step 3
Liquid Handling
Solvents are introduced or transferred through the septum to perform solvent addition, pipetting, dilution, or phase separating steps
Step 4
Extraction
Extraction is performed with a very effective shaker or by ultra sonication
Step 5
Filtration
Sample solutions are automatically filtered directly into HPLC vial. Vials are capped and may be transferred directly into the analyser.
Note: this is just a very basic example workflow, you have no limit in terms of numbers of steps and you are free in the order of the individual steps – discuss your methods directly with us.
One Innovation – Three Major Advantages
Reproducibility
The close and dispoable tubes impede evaporation and carry-over for reproducible and reliable results.
Flexibility
Switching between samples is simple. Up to 64 different samples, each with a different workflow can be prepared in one run.
Speed
Vertical shaking enables quick grinding and extraction. Workflows can be overlapped for maximum throughput and as no cleaning is required, cycle times are short.
The accroma System
Reduce expensive lab space by condense most functionalities on a small footprint. The accroma does not require lab infrastructure and can operate 24/7 in normal commercial space with electricity.
#1 Rack
The rack of the accroma system is incorporated into the door for optimal access and has 124 positions. It can hold multiple formats like sample- and dilution tubes, centrifuge counterweights and tubes containing reagents for dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE). To maximize flexibility, additional solvents and filter types can be placed on the rack as well.
Sample Tubes
Dilution Tubes
Additional Filter Types
Centrifuge Counterweights
Additional Solvents
dSPE tubes
#2 Shaker
Milling
Extraction
Homogenization
The shaker accelerates accroTubes vertically with a standardized frequency and amplitude. By shaking the tube either milling or extraction can be performed. By adding one or multiple milling aids like a steel ball into a tube turns the shaker into a ball bill but without sample loss. Even the hardest samples can be grinded by the powerful shaking. If solvent is added to the tube prior shaking, the process is called wet milling or homogenization, which combines milling and extraction into one step.
No sample loss
Reproducible
Quick
Shortens extraction times
#3 Analytical Balance
Weighing
The balance from Mettler Toledo is the central verification element of the accroma system. Tubes are tared and gross weights are determined after the insertion of samples or solvents. Volumes are calculated from the measured mass with solvent densities. Measured weights and temperatures are documented automatically in the sample log for traceability.
Improves accuracy
Gravimetrical determination of samples and solvents
#4 Liquid module
Dispensing
Pipetting
Filtration
The liquid module has two needles, each connected to a dedicated pump and solvent bottle. Liquids can be added to a tube by dispensing from a solvent bottle or by pipetting from another tube. Pipetting is used for dilution, phase separation, insertion of standards or for additional solvent lines. The needles have a liquid level detection functionality. Therefore, the needles can collect liquids in a defined immersion depth.
Automated needle washing functionality
Adjustable washing- and conditioning volumes
Vial capping
#5 Ultrasonic bath – optional
Ultra sonication
Ultrasonication is an alternative extraction technique, which can be added to a system. It is a tool to simplify method transfers and facilitate extraction for challenging samples. It includes a Tube drying station to avoid weighing errors.
#6 Centrifuge – optional
Centrifugation
The centrifuge is an optional clean-up module used for separation of compounds with different densities. The maximum rotation speed is 4600 rpm, which corresponds to a G-force of 4250 RCF. It is the only module in the accroma that is temperature controlled (-10 – 40°C)
#7 Online Analysis interface – optional
Do you want to avoid manual vial transfer to analyzers and get results as soon as possible? Then connect the accroma sample preparation system to a (U)HPLC / UPLC system from Agilent Technologies or Waters Corporation. We offer standardized interfaces to exchange the prepared vials for online injection. After injection, the vials are parked in the accroma system and remain available for potential reinjection.
Empower & Chromeleon
– Software Interfaces
Reinjection possibility
– no sample loss
LC autosample injections
– high precision
Waters & Agilent
– hardware interfaces
accroLab Software
Intuition Redefined
Ease of Use
It really is this simple:
1. Create a workflow
2. Prepare consumables
3. Assign workflow to one or multiple samples and start.
1. Create a workflow
2. Prepare consumables
3. Assign workflow to one or multiple samples and start.
Your samples will be prepared unsupervised.
Security
The accroLab software was designed to meet latest security and compliance requirements. Data integrity, Audit Trail and electronic signatures were incorporated to equip you for GMP/GLP work.
Interfaces
Setup your sequence table in accroLab, which will control Empower 3 or Chromeleon to start injections. Relevant sample preparation data will be transferred to your CDS and LIMS.
Your Tubes are Sustainable on the Second Look
Reusable containments like glass for example are per se not more sustainable than disposables. Cleaning requires solvents/water, detergents and energy that needs to be taken into account. Furthermore, manual sample preparation often requires disposable pipettes and personal protection items.
To ensure scientific accuracy and reproducibility, accroma requires material of highest quality and inertness. Sustainability is important to us for which reason we use recyclable materials like polyethylene and iron. Both materials are 100% recyclable and can be reused as secondary raw materials. However, we need your help to separate content, tubes and steel balls.
Join the Future
Experts and laboratory specialists agree that the laboratory of the future is completely automated and digitized. However, this is easier said than done. Automating sample preparation of solid and semi-solid samples is challenging and was one of the missing pieces to make the Lab 4.0 possible. Other efforts are aimed at bringing the lab in a box directly to the process to enable real time release.
