Postage Bottle Decapper

AUTONOMA’s High-Speed Robotic Bottle Decapper

AUTONOMA’s Lightning Automated Robotic Bottle Decapper provides a fast and highly efficient solution, specifically designed for decapping the postage containers that hold sample bottles during transport. Manually decapping these containers is a significant operational bottleneck, a time-consuming task that often leads to repetitive strain injuries among valuable laboratory staff. While this system is specifically engineered for high-throughput postage container processing, laboratories seeking a more comprehensive workflow solution—from decapping to archiving—should explore our complete Handling Module.

Comparing Automated Decapper Solutions

Similar automated decapping systems, like the Hamilton LabElite DeCapper, offer hands-free operation for capping and decapping of various sample tube formats, improving workflow efficiency and reducing ergonomic strain. The LabElite DeCapper features swappable adapter bits compatible with most microtubes and cryovials and integrates easily into larger robotic workflows for enhanced precision and reliability.

Another comparable product is the Capper/De-Capper from Applied Scientific Technologies (AST), designed to automate screw cap removal and application using pneumatic gripping, adaptable to different container sizes, and capable of scanning barcodes for secure sample tracking. Ultimately, all of these automated decappers help modern laboratories minimize manual handling injuries while significantly increasing throughput, sample integrity, and overall data accuracy for downstream analysis.

The modular design allows for variants with 1, 2, 4 or more decapping lanes, and permits simple expansion and interfacing with AUTONOMA’s full range of NextGen laboratory automation in the future. This includes automatic sample registration via QR code, barcode, or RFID. Registered samples on the output belts can then be moved via a robotic arm straight into a mixer or the first instrument for analysis such as AUTONOMA’s Lightning PQ.

The Lightning Decapper can be easily customised to include other features or sample preparation steps. This includes but is not limited to:

• Camera system to photograph side and/or bottom of sample bottles
• Sample Bottle decapping
• FTIR
• Viscometry
• Sample aliquoting and dilution for ICP/IC
• Aliquoting into test tubes
• Turbidity
• Colour Analysis
• Crackle Test
• TAN/TBN

Featuring 1,2 or 4 separate belts, operators simply load the postage containers directly onto the belt. Each lane has a separate decapping mechanism which ensures maximum throughput and redundancy. The system automatically unscrews the lid and drops it into a bucket for recycling.

Once decapped, the containers move through the system onto the output belt, which transports them to a workstation for sample registration. Each output belt leads to a separate workstation staffed by an operator. These workstations are ergonomically designed for efficiency, allowing operators to quickly register samples into the LIMS and build trays for analysis.

Each lane can process a sample in approximately 10 seconds, which equates to over 8600 samples per lane per day. The machine is easy to use via the built-in touch screen and safety is exceptional, with all doors being mechanically interlocked while the machine is in operation.

User-friendly and ergonomic, the machine is purely operated via a built-in touchscreen. Operators simply load bottles onto the lane of their choice and the system will start automatically with no further intervention.