The HPLC Autosampler of the Future

Interested to know how the LC autosamplers of the future will look like? In this post we try to answer the question basing on the observation of the market and technology trends, aware of the fact that any further development will be aimed at providing greater value to laboratories.

In the recent past, all the efforts invested in the development of new (U)HPLC autosamplers, have been committed to improving the autosampler analytical performance in terms of reproducibility, linearity and minimal sample loss. Nowadays, these goals have been widely achieved and autosamplers offer very high performance on all parameters: therefore, any further development in this area isn’t likely to provide an additional value to laboratories.

In this context we have identified a few trends that are likely to provide labs with more value. The first is related to the growing number of LC-MS applications that require high sample capacity in order to offer a real walk-away automation. Therefore, autosamplers should be able to match such requirements in terms of sample capacity.

The second trend we have spotted will create a quantum leap vs. year-2000 autosamplers: this is sample preparation automation. The autosamplers will automate more and more sample preparation tasks moving upstream in the analytical process. They will be polyhedral and multitasking system in which the injection task represents only the final stage of a wider automation process.

Don’t wait for 2020 before considering these topics. If you need to make a capital investment by buying a new autosampler take a few minutes to understand how the autosampler you are going to buy will fit your lab in 5 (or less) year time.

At HTA we are ready to take the new challenges: find out how we are addressing them.