New System Automates Screw-cap Tube Handling 

The X-TubeProcessor© automates screw-cap tube handling tasks and eliminates drudgery. It is specifically designed by HTI bio-X to automate the processing of small to medium quantities of tubes.

Lab assistants handle thousands of tubes every day in monotonous and tiring procedures because until now automation has only been affordable for large quantities of tubes, for example in the pharmaceutical sector. The new, modular X-TubeProcessor© system offers even relatively small laboratories a cost-effective solution for handling up to 5,000 tubes a day. The basic module in the system is the X-Capper, which can open or close 96 tubes in nine minutes. Tubes and screw caps can be fed to the capper in hoppers or racks. Dispenser modules can be used to fill tubes in groups or individually, for quick and easy dispensing of liquids from approximately 10 µl to 50 ml and powders from 1 to 100 mg. A labelling module applies labels on the tubes, and a scanner module captures the barcodes.

The X-TubeProcessor© is primarily designed for system flexibility, allowing tailored systems to be configured by combining modules as needed. Various rack sizes, tube sizes and screw caps can be processed. The user-friendly X-TubeProcessor© is available in two versions: stand-alone and integrated.