CPI is a not-for-profit company aimed at supporting the UKâs research and development sector. The formulation business unit is focussed on the formulated products space, and CPIâs existing automation capabilities were not well-suited to the energy materials sector and developments in this area. Before partnering with Labman, processes to prepare samples were very manual, particularly dispensing and mixing. There were safety implications which meant CPI were challenged with removing the manual elements when handling hazardous materials.
Confidence in Labmanâs custom lab solutions
Having worked with Labman on previous projects, CPI had confidence in Labmanâs agility to prove novel solutions throughout the development process. Their specification was challenging to define as they required flexibility to allow for additional market input, the requirements for which were unknown. Lynn spent almost a year running ideation sessions to prove that a very agile set of automation tools were needed to enable the scope of work they hoped to deliver.
The system combines off-the-shelf hardware with custom built modules to provide a flexible, modular platform capable of running a variety of workflows. During the design phase of the project, Labman collaborated closely with CPI to produce two entirely novel modules, as well as developing custom-built dispensers designed to handle difficult materials such as slurries and pastes. Lynn sent a number of samples through to Labman for full proof-of-concept studies and careful time was spent ensuring the biggest identified risks were mitigated.
The other custom-built modules were the Pendant Drop Module and Syringe Transfer Module. The Pendant Drop Module allowed CPI to measure surface tension of liquids, a process previously done manually. The Syringe Transfer Module allowed formulations to be autonomously transferred from the formulation pot to a syringe which was ready for immediate use on another Labman system.
She described the ability to iterate and develop the technology as âtruly collaborativeâ.
Boosting capability to win more projects
Adam Todd, a senior scientist and super user of the Formulation System spoke about the increased number of projects it has allowed CPI to take on, particularly in the energy industry. The system has become the biggest earner in the automation space for CPI and opened a number of future opportunities. Much of their work is focussed on more sustainable and better performing batteries for the EV market.
The integrated glovebox from Glovebox Technology Limited has contributed hugely to the offering provided by the system. It allows formulations to include hazardous materials such as nanomaterials, toxic battery actives and solvents. The glovebox has since been upgraded to include argon, enabling more projects in the pharmaceutical sector whilst allowing operation in standalone mode for small-scale powder dispense.
Better data for better decisions
Greame Cruickshank spoke about how the system has been intelligently designed for innovation as opposed to manufacturing of well-defined products. In and R&D environment, end-to-end automation is not the answer, which is why modularity and flexibility has been built in.
While throughput often takes a back seat in an innovation environment, it can also help to rapidly scale up experiments. The system can be used as a productivity tool resulting in high volumes of data, for better decision making.
On an individual sample level, the Formulation System takes approximately as long as a person to generate the formulation, however, it can run consistently overnight and therefore prepare many more formulations. Additionally, it frees up the operator to complete tasks with greater added value. CPI estimate battery slurry formulation to be around 4-6 times faster than manual operation. This translates to huge savings when running large campaigns which require the system to run for months at a time.
Future plans
With other collaborative projects ongoing with Labman, and plans for further systems to support battery development, this system has been truly transformative for CPI.