What Automation Capabilities Does Flownamics Offer Beyond Sampling?

Updated

Flownamics is best known for automated sampling, but its automation portfolio extends into feeding, sample handling and temperature control, and online cell analysis. Based on the company's own product descriptions, the capabilities beyond sampling include: automated feeding from one stock solution to up to six bioreactors via a compact single-use syringe pump platform; a Peltier cooling device with two temperature zones that holds sample racks down to 0°C; and fully automated on-line systems for cell viability and counting across up to eight bioreactors. These are separate products and integrations rather than features bundled into a single sampling unit, so what you can actually automate depends on which combination you configure.

Automated feeding to multiple bioreactors

The feeding capability described on the site is an automated, accurate feed delivery system that draws from a single stock solution and distributes to as many as six bioreactors. It is managed by a compact, single-use syringe pump platform.

The practical implication is a shift from per-vessel feed preparation and manual dosing to one shared source with automated delivery. That matters most when:

  • You run several small-scale reactors in parallel and want consistent feed timing across them.
  • You want to reduce the labor and variability of manual additions.
  • You prefer a single-use fluid path rather than a reusable one that needs cleaning and validation between runs.

The "single-use syringe pump platform" detail is worth noting if your workflow already favors disposable fluid contact surfaces. It is not described as a multi-use pump skid.

Temperature control for collected samples

The Peltier cooling device is a sample-handling accessory rather than a process control system. Per the product description, it provides two independent temperature zones and can hold racks of samples at a specified temperature down to 0°C.

Two zones let you keep different sample types or time points at different conditions in the same run — for example, holding one rack colder than another without a second chiller. The 0°C floor is the stated limit; if your application requires freezing, this device is not described as doing that.

Fully automated on-line cell viability and counting

Flownamics describes the ability to create a fully automated on-line system that provides cell viability and counting for up to eight bioreactors. This is presented as an integration — the site specifically references a Seg-Flow S3 and Vi-CELL BLU integration.

For a reader deciding whether this fits: the value is removing the manual pull-sample-and-run-it-on-the-counter loop, and getting viability/count data on a schedule tied to the bioreactor rather than to an operator's availability. The eight-reactor figure is the stated capacity of that configuration.

How these pieces relate to the sampling core

These capabilities sit alongside, not inside, the sampling systems. The Seg-Flow line uses patented Segmented Sampling Technology to deliver a small, precise sample in minimal time, and the S3 generation adds a more graphical interface where sampling cycle status and reagent levels are visible at a glance. Feeding, cooling, and on-line analysis are the layers you add around that sampling core.

A useful way to think about scope:

Capability Stated capacity / limit What it replaces
Automated feeding 1 stock solution → up to 6 bioreactors Manual per-vessel feed dosing
Peltier cooling 2 zones, down to 0°C Ambient or single-temperature sample storage
On-line viability/counting Up to 8 bioreactors Manual sampling plus offline cell counter

What to confirm before committing

The site does not publish pricing, lead times, or a compatibility matrix for every bioreactor and analyzer combination. Before specifying a configuration, confirm with Flownamics directly:

  • Whether your bioreactor models and working volumes are supported for feeding and for sampling.
  • Which analytical platforms integrate with the sampling systems for your target measurements.
  • Whether the Peltier unit's two zones and 0°C floor match your sample stability requirements.
  • How the feeding platform's single-use syringe pump consumables are supplied and replaced.

The company offers virtual demos and lists conference and webinar appearances, which is a reasonable first step if you want to see the automation in operation before narrowing a configuration.