From Lab to Factory Floor: Actuator Innovations Driving Next-Gen Automation
- Industry requirements are driving actuator designs to accommodate longer strokes and higher payloads.
- Actuators enable precision and speed powering the industry’s shift toward large-scale, high-throughput automation.
- The modularity, scalability and reliability needed in medical applications offer a roadmap for engineers seeking faster, smarter automation in other manufacturing sectors.
Automation has long been a driving force behind industrial efficiency, but few sectors have experienced its transformative impact as rapidly as medical and laboratory automation. Here, actuators — the motion components that convert energy into linear or rotary movement — are at the heart of every automated process, from handling delicate patient samples to scaling up entire testing systems.
The evolution of actuators in this field offers valuable lessons for engineers and machine builders across industries.
From sample handling to full-scale systems
In medical and lab automation, actuators play a central role in the testing and processing of patient cultures and biological samples. Typical systems range from compact tabletop analyzers to full-scale, room-sized testing environments that can handle hundreds of samples simultaneously.
Modern testing machines often employ Cartesian robots built from coordinated X-, Y-, and Z-axis actuators that can pick and place samples into multiple testing cells at once. As demand for high-throughput testing grows, these machines are scaling up to require actuators capable of two- or three-meter strokes and supporting complex, six-axis robotic systems.
This scaling trend, accelerated during the global pandemic, has permanently reshaped the landscape. For example, when the need for mass testing surged, laboratories turned to actuators to automate repetitive, precision-driven tasks faster than ever. Even though testing volumes have normalized, the expectation for speed, accuracy and consistency has remained.
Adapting to diverse demands
As the scope of automation use in industry expands, actuators are evolving to meet a diverse set of requirements. On one end of the spectrum are small, single-use actuators used in applications like biopsy processing, where contamination risk dictates strict disposal protocols. These designs are simplified and cost-efficient, providing reliable performance without the complexity of traditional industrial-grade systems.
At the other end are heavy-duty actuators designed for large-scale automation. In these setups, the actuator might not be moving a lightweight test sample but supporting an assembly of robots, tooling and dispensing equipment weighing hundreds of kilograms. The use of these actuators are a result of the scaling trend noted earlier and its demand for longer strokes, higher payload capacities and robust designs capable of continuous, high-speed operation.
More than cost savings
Unlike traditional industrial automation, where the focus is often on reducing labor costs, automation in the medical and laboratory sectors centers on speed and precision. Rapid test results can be critical not only for patient care but also for research and public health response. Every improvement in actuator performance, from faster cycle times to more accurate positioning, directly contributes to these outcomes.
Even in post-pandemic applications, the demand for instant and reliable results drives ongoing investment in actuator technology. Whether slicing biopsy tissue to micrometer precision or automating complex liquid-handling tasks, actuators continue to push the boundaries of what medical and lab automation can achieve.
Lessons for manufacturers in other industries
Engineers in other industries can take several cues from how actuators are being applied in medical and lab environments. First, actuators offer a modular, pre-engineered foundation that simplifies system design. Rather than building motion solutions from scratch, OEMs can integrate actuators as complete, tested units to reduce development time and accelerate innovation.
Second, scalability is key. The medical sector’s ability to move from compact benchtop systems to full-scale production lines shows how flexible actuator architectures can support both prototyping and mass deployment.
Finally, stringent lab industry requirements underscore the growing importance of reliability and hygiene — qualities that can also enhance performance and uptime in manufacturing sectors from food processing to electronics assembly.
Justin Lackey is senior sales engineer at Bosch Rexroth.
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