Automated Suspension Cell Culture

Fully automated maintenance, expansion, and processing of suspension cell lines designed for high‑throughput, sterile, and continuous operation

 

Introduction

In modern laboratory environments, it is nearly impossible to imagine experimental workflows without the use of living cells. Dedicated cell‑culture laboratories are often labor‑intensive, require continuous attention, and can become costly especially when multiple suspension cell lines must be maintained simultaneously.

 

In such cell‑dependent environments, it is essential to keep valuable cell lines healthy, viable, and consistently available. Many assays rely directly on cell‑specific characteristics such as density, viability, and integrity. To safeguard these processes, automated systems like PlateButler® provide a reliable, traceable, and fully orchestrated approach to cell culture management.

 

This platform was designed for a customer requiring complex coordination of suspension cell lines, including shaking, liquid handling, decapping, cell counting, and sterile processing. A heavy‑duty collaborative robot on a 2 m linear rail transfers labware between all devices. Stacked shakers maintain optimal suspension conditions, while a customized liquid handler performs all media exchanges, splitting steps, and even transfection workflows. A Vi‑Cell BLU cell counter continuously monitors cell density and viability, ensuring accurate and reproducible culture conditions.

PlateButler® software oversees every action — from method execution and scheduling to user variables and Excel‑based data handling enabling a fully automated, traceable, and sterile cell‑culture environment.

 

Application & Purpose

Where manual suspension cell culture is labor‑intensive and prone to variability, this platform provides continuous, sterile, and reproducible operation, enabling labs to scale up without increasing staffing.

 

This platform automates the complete suspension cell‑culture workflow, including:

• Continuous maintenance of multiple suspension cell lines
• Automated media refresh, splitting, and transfection steps
• High‑precision liquid handling via a customized Synchron Sias deck layout
• Automated decapping and recapping of TTP Tubespin vessels
• Real‑time cell counting and viability analysis using the Vi‑Cell BLU
• Controlled shaking and storage using stacked Kühner ISF1‑Z Beluga shakers
• Sterile operation under a HEPA‑filtered environment
• Full workflow orchestration and data tracking via PlateButler®

 

Workflow Overview

Step 1: Bottle Loading & Registration

Up to 48 starting bottles are placed in the designated input positions.

PlateButler® registers each vessel and assigns it to the appropriate workflow.

 

Step 2: Sterile Environment Control

An Exyte HEPA filter fan unit provides a clean, particle‑free airflow across the entire platform, ensuring optimal sterility for all cell‑culture operations.

 

Step 3: Shaking & Suspension Maintenance

Bottles containing suspension cells are transferred by the PreciseFlex 3400 XR robot to one of the two stacked Kühner ISF1‑Z Beluga shakers. These shakers maintain continuous agitation to prevent cell clustering and ensure homogeneous growth.

 

Step 4: Decapping & Preparation

When processing is required, the robot retrieves the bottle and delivers it to one of the two TTP Tubespin decapper units. Bottles are automatically decapped and prepared for liquid handling.

 

Step 5: Liquid Handling & Cell Processing

The Synchron Sias liquid handler performs all required cell‑processing operations, including media exchanges, cell splitting, dilution steps, transfection workflows, and reagent additions, supported by a customized deck layout that ensures precise and sterile fluid transfers.

 

Step 6: Cell Counting & Quality Control

After processing, samples are automatically transferred to the Beckman Coulter Vi‑Cell BLU, where cell density, viability, and size distribution are measured; these results feed directly into PlateButler®, enabling dynamic, data‑driven decisions such as determining the optimal moment for splitting or refreshing cultures.

 

Step 7:  Waste Handling

Used caps, consumables, or discarded vessels are transferred to the slide‑to‑wastebin module, ensuring clean and safe disposal.

 

Step 8: Return to Shaker & Scheduling

Processed bottles are recapped, returned to the appropriate shaker, and scheduled for the next required action. PlateButler® ensures continuous, unattended operation 24/7.

 

Technical Features

• Fully automated suspension cell‑culture workflow
• Heavy‑duty PreciseFlex 3400 XR robot on a 2 m linear rail
• Dual stacked Kühner ISF1‑Z Beluga shakers for high‑capacity suspension culture
• Synchron Sias liquid handler with customized deck layout
• Automated decapping/recapping of TTP Tubespin vessels
• Real‑time cell counting with Vi‑Cell BLU
• HEPA-filtered sterile environment

• Continuous scheduling and workflow orchestration via PlateButler®
• Scalable, brand‑independent architecture

 

Integrated Devices

 

Results & Impact

• Reliable, reproducible suspension cell culture
• Continuous operation with minimal manual involvement
• Highly accurate cell‑health monitoring and tracking
• Reduced contamination risk through HEPA‑filtered environment 
  
• Scalable design suitable for research, screening, and production
• Significant reduction in labor and operational overhead

 

Areas of Application

• Suspension cell line maintenance
• High‑throughput cell expansion
• Automated transfection workflows
• Bioproduction and upstream processing
• Cell‑based assay preparation
• Replacement for manual or semi‑automated cell‑culture labs