LAB ROBOT PREPARES ANALYTICAL SAMPLES.

Research Scientists at the Standard Oil Co. of Ohio's (Sohio) R&D Center near Cleveland use robotics to develop new laboratory tests and to find new ways of performing existing tests. In research and quality assurance activities, the automated systems are playing an important role in sample preparation and handling. And the lab robots now can perform repetitive analyses, freeing highly trained personnel to do more-challenging research projects. Some topics discussed are the following: the isolation of the operator from the sample and the isolation of the sample from the environment; versatility of the robot; requirements for lab robots; necessary precision; reprogramming capability; and the saving of time and jobs.