High Throughput Malt Sample Preparation Solution for a Leading Global Beverage Manufacturer

Zinsser Analytic developed a liquid handling system which is used for malt analysis in the beer production to test certain criteria of the harvested barley. This way breweries make sure the beer doesn't change its taste and always keeps the same level of alcohol.

This analysis process is an essential part of brewing, however is very time and labor consuming when done manually. For this reason, a globally recognized beverage producer was looking for a solution that could automate the entire workflow and hence save time and cost.

• Precise dispensing of water to malt samples
• Various heating programs with flexible intervals
• Reproducible and reliable results
• Temperate water is filled into the water bath with submerged magnetic stirrers
• Stirring and retaining of magnetic stirring bar during transportation of beakers
• Customized software interface

1. Target rack for further analysis (with Falcon™ tubes).
2. 12 mL disposable tip rack.
3. Filter and funnel drop station on separate arm.
4. Magnetic gripper for stainless steel beakers and retention of stirring bar.
5. Filtration racks with filters; four can be placed on the platform.
6. Magnetic stirrer, drying station and balance for volume correction due to evaporation, in addition to
   beaker and lid drop stations.
7. Bottle for liquid waste.
8. Temperature controlled basin for stainless steel beaker with submerged magnetic stirrers.
9. Priming and park station for dosage pick-up manifold.
10. Temperature controlled water reservoir.

Zinsser Analytic's system automated the whole process from extraction and filtration to pipetting and further analysis preparation. As an outcome the automated solutions did not only release the laboratory staff from tedious work but also increased the analysis output with 200 prepared samples within 8h.

With the broad variety of devices included in the modules we are able to automate almost every process.

• Special gripper integrated in the workbench for disposal of filters and funnels into separated bins below the workbench.
• Herein we provided a gripping solution to overcome difficulty in automatically gripping versatile plastic funnels that are compressible when external pressure is applied.
• An extra-large adapter for 12 mL disposable pipetting tips including the connected precision syringe pump is applied.
• A second gripper with integrated magnetic stirrer to allow stirring during transportation of beaker. Additionally, the gripper tilts to fill the liquid into the funnel equipped with a filter, while retaining the magnetic stirring bar in the beaker.

Our software solution has a simple to use interface making it easy for your staff to configurate or change process steps by themselves. Every process step is designed modularly to help to set up a variety of individual processes depending on different powders, chemicals and solvents. This way you can easily set up the sample preparation process according to your requirements. Detailed Information about Zinsser Analytic's software solution are available in a separate note.

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