Revolutionary Laboratory Automation with Festo LifeTech Components

Automation in the biomedical, diagnostics, and laboratory environment is no longer just an additional advantage. It helps ensure higher process stability, lower error risk, and better repeatability, which are often critically important in laboratory work.

Festo, with its LifeTech solution portfolio, offers components and subsystems designed for liquid handling, pipetting, and dosing in laboratory automation and medical equipment. These solutions assist in developing compact, precise, and integrable systems where controlled liquid movement and dosing are required.

Table of Contents

• What Constitutes the Value of Festo LifeTech Solutions
• High-Precision Liquid Handling and Dosing
• Pressure and Vacuum Supply Units PGVA
• Pipetting Solutions
• Dosing Solutions
• Valve Control Module VAEM
• Dosing with Individual Valves
• What to Check Before Selecting Components

What Constitutes the Value of Festo LifeTech Solutions

The Festo LifeTech portfolio is based on experience in several interconnected fields:

• pneumatics,
• precision motion control,
• liquid control solutions,
• integrated automation.

In practice, this means that manufacturers and system integrators can create compatible solutions from components designed to operate within a unified system. This is essential in places that simultaneously require accuracy, sterility, compact design, and process reliability.

High-Precision Liquid Handling and Dosing

Laboratory automation typically involves multiple tasks:

• aspiration of small liquid volumes,
• reagent dosing in microplates,
• automated pipetting cycles,
• liquid distribution across multiple channels.

In such processes, not only mechanical movement is important but also stable pressure or vacuum control, precise liquid transfer, and the ability to customize the system for a specific application.

It is exactly here that Festo LifeTech components serve as fundamental nodes from which both simpler and more complex laboratory platforms can be built.

Pressure and Vacuum Supply Units PGVA

In many liquid handling systems, the central element is a compact pressure and vacuum supply unit. The PGVA series provides controlled air supply for pipetting and dosing tasks, even without an external compressed air source.

This is practical in cases where the following are important:

• maintaining compactness of the equipment,
• simpler integration,
• more independent system operation.

Comparison of PGVA Models

Pipetting Solutions

In the pipetting process, the most important factor is the ability to precisely aspirate, transfer, and dispense liquid while reducing the risk of contamination and cross-contamination.

Pipetting Head

The pipetting head is a liquid handling module capable of working with highly precise doses in the range of 5 to 10,000 µl.

An important advantage is the ability to use replaceable pipette heads, which help to:

• reduce the risk of mixing different substances,
• maintain a more sterile process,
• improve repeatability.

Typical Pipetting System Configuration

1. Pressure/vacuum supply unit — PGVA
2. Pipetting head/module — DHOE
3. Disposable pipette ejector — DHAO-EJ
4. Disposable pipette — DHAP

This configuration is suitable for laboratory processes requiring safe and precise liquid transfer.

Dosing Solutions

When the primary task is fast and precise delivery of reagent or other liquid at one or more points, dosing heads and valve control take priority.

Dosing Head

The dosing head is designed for controlled liquid delivery, where the following are important:

• precise dose,
• uniform operation,
• repeatability over many cycles.

Typical Dosing System Configuration

1. Pressure/vacuum supply unit — PGVA
2. Dosing head — VTOE or VTOI
3. Valve controller — VAEM

Comparison of Dosing Heads

Parameter	VTOE dosing head	VTOI dosing head / distributor
Channels / valves	1 or 8 independently controllable valves	1 valve with 8 outlets
Output pitch	9 mm	9 mm
Minimum dosing volume	~1 µL	~1 µL
Dosing accuracy	5 µL	≤ 5% tip-to-tip CV; ≤ 3% intra-run CV
Valve function	2/2, NC, monostable	2/2, NC, monostable
Internal volume	~113 µL	~167 µL
Dosing needle	0.32 mm, 0.6 mm, 1.0 mm variants	0.3 mm / 30 mm
Operating pressure	up to ~0.5 bar	–0.2 to 0.65 bar
Connection	UNF 1/4-28 or tube	UNF 1/4-28
Power supply	24 V DC	24 V DC
Valve frequency	up to ~4 Hz	~4 Hz
Sealing	elastic	elastic
Materials in contact with medium	PPS, polycarbonate or PEEK, stainless steel	PEI, PPS, FKM, ETFE, stainless steel
Protection class	IP30	IP30
Typical application	flexible individual channel control	multi-channel dosing with one valve

Valve Control Module VAEM

VAEM is a valve control module intended for precise 2/2 and 3/2 valve control in microdosing systems for pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and laboratory applications.

The module can control up to 8 valves, making it suitable for multi-channel dosing solutions.

VAEM Technical Data

Dosing with Individual Valves

In addition to dosing heads, it is possible to build solutions with individual dosing valves.

Typical configuration:

1. Pressure/vacuum supply unit — PGVA
2. Individual dosing valve — VYKA
3. Valve base block — VABS
4. Accessories — NLFA mounting bracket and VAVN dosing nozzles

This approach is useful when greater flexibility in system configuration or individual control of specific channels is required.

What to Check Before Selecting Components

Before selecting laboratory automation components, it is advisable to check several practical points:

• required dosing or pipetting volume range,
• needed number of channels,
• acceptable accuracy and repeatability,
• operating pressure or vacuum requirements,
• material compatibility with respective liquids,
• need for sterility and disposable parts,
• communication requirements, such as Modbus TCP or other integration,
• available mounting space in the equipment.

Common Mistakes

Insufficient assessment of liquid compatibility with materials

If it is not checked which materials the liquid will come into contact with, chemical reactions, leaks, or shorter component service life may occur.

Incorrectly defined accuracy requirements

Not all processes require the same dosing accuracy. If the requirements are not clearly defined, either an overly complex or insufficiently precise solution may be chosen.

Insufficient attention to integration

It is important to verify power supply voltage, communication interfaces, mounting dimensions, and control logic in time. This helps avoid unplanned changes late in the project.

If you need to assess which solution best fits your laboratory or equipment project, the ZTF Lāsma team will help you find the most suitable option.