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ILS automated plate robots achieve UKAS accreditation

Posted: 17 February 2015 | International Laboratory Services | 5 comments

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service has awarded accreditation for the automated plate handling robots at our new food microbiology testing laboratory in Derby…

ILS Ltd

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service has awarded accreditation for the automated plate handling robots at our new food microbiology testing laboratory in Derby.

automated plate handling robots

ILS now has 3 automated plate inoculating robots and 1 automated plate spreading robot that are all UKAS accredited and are now available to process customer’s samples. The advantage of these robots over laboratories that use manual plating is:

  • Plate production is to a uniform standard
  • There is consistent control of media and the spread of the inoculums on the plate
  • Human error is minimised as the robot directs the operator on the inoculation dilution.

When a sample is booked in to the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) with the assigned testing, the information is fed through to the robot which:

  • Selects the appropriate agar
  • Takes a petri dish
  • Removes the petri dish lid
  • Pours the agar into the petri dish
  • Instructs the analyst on what sample dilution to inoculate the plate with
  • Replaces the lid
  • Mixes the inoculums with the agar in a consistent manner 
  • Cools the plate
  • Barcodes it with the sample and test information
  • Then stacks them ready for incubation.

This happens in a HEPA filtered atmosphere which significantly reduce any potential environmental contamination.

This will give ILS’s microbiological food testing service greater precision and repeatability to give our customers results of a more consistent quality, with better control of media than manual plating laboratories. Enabling ILS to provide a service of the highest scientific standards and remain at the forefront of contract laboratory testing.

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5 responses to “ILS automated plate robots achieve UKAS accreditation”

  1. Jasmin says:

    I was lucky to be able to try the machines and they are fabulous! This is how the future of food control should be like in an ideal way.

    Good job, AAALabEquipment!

  2. Bruce says:

    This looks awesome. Does anybody know how the sample throughput compares to traditional methods?

    • Michael says:

      Dear Bruce,

      Please see our website for further information and video’s. If this doesn’t answer your question do not hesitate to mail or call!

      Kind regards,

      Michael
      AAA Lab Equipment
      http://www.aaalabequipment.co.uk

    • Stewart says:

      The sample through put is just slightly faster than an analyst working at the bench. However the advantage is increased quality control of the analysis through greater precision and consistency as the robot instructs the analyst and prepares each plate with the same repeatability as compared to a human.

  3. Leon says:

    I’ve always thought, these machines from AAA Lab Equipment are serious stuff. Never seen machines with this accurancy and lifetime. Good work from the Dutch !

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