Freedom EVO® Automated Liquid Handling Workstation

Overview

The Freedom EVO® Automated Liquid Handling Workstation is a modular, benchtop-scale robotics platform engineered for precision liquid handling in life science research, clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical development laboratories. Built upon Tecan’s proven Couette-flow-based pipetting architecture and integrated motion control system, the Freedom EVO® employs air displacement and positive displacement liquid handling principles—selectable per application—to ensure high reproducibility across diverse fluid types including aqueous buffers, organic solvents, viscous glycerol solutions, and cell suspensions. Its core design philosophy centers on scalability: a single hardware foundation supports configurations ranging from basic plate replication and serial dilution to fully integrated assay workflows combining liquid handling, incubation, detection, and sample archival. Unlike fixed-function instruments, the Freedom EVO® operates as a programmable laboratory automation engine—capable of executing multi-step protocols with sub-microliter accuracy while maintaining full traceability under regulated environments.

Key Features

• Modular Robotic Architecture: Supports up to three independently controllable robotic arms—including LiHa (liquid displacement), Air LiHa (air displacement), MCA96 (96-channel parallel pipetting), RoMa (plate gripper), Extended-Z RoMa (for tall vessel access), and PnP (tube gripper)—all field-installable and swappable without system downtime.
• Flexible Deck Configuration: Standardized deck layout accommodates interchangeable carriers for microplates (96-/384-/1536-well), tubes (1.5–50 mL), slides, reservoirs, and custom labware; carrier positions are user-definable and reconfigurable without mechanical recalibration.
• Adaptive Liquid Handling Intelligence: Real-time liquid level sensing (capacitive and pressure-based), dynamic tip offset compensation, and contact/non-contact dispensing modes optimize transfer fidelity across variable surface tensions and meniscus behaviors.
• Variable Y-Spacing & Independent Channel Control: LiHa arms feature motorized Y-axis adjustment enabling seamless transfers between non-aligned labware formats; individual channel actuation permits hit-picking, irregular well mapping, and partial plate processing.
• Comprehensive Tip Compatibility: Supports sterile, low-retention, filtered, and specialty tips from 10 µL to 5000 µL volumes—validated for water, DMSO, ethanol, serum-containing media, and particulate-laden suspensions.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The Freedom EVO® handles standard ANSI/SLAS-compliant labware and accommodates custom containers via user-defined coordinate mapping. It supports open-tube, capped-tube, and sealed-plate formats with optional integrated lid removal modules. All hardware and software components comply with IEC 61000-6-2/6-3 (EMC), CE marking requirements, and ISO 13485 design controls where applicable. The FluentControl™ software provides full 21 CFR Part 11 compliance—including role-based electronic signatures, immutable audit trails, operation-level timestamping, and configurable user permissions—enabling deployment in GLP, GCP, and GMP-regulated environments. System validation documentation packages (IQ/OQ/PQ templates) and risk assessment support files are available upon request.

Software & Data Management

FluentControl™ serves as the unified interface for protocol authoring, execution, and data governance. Its drag-and-drop graphical workflow editor supports nested loops, conditional branching, and hardware resource arbitration logic. A real-time 3D simulation engine renders robot motion paths, collision avoidance zones, and liquid transfer events prior to physical execution—allowing iterative refinement without consumable waste. During runtime, the software maintains synchronized logs of all hardware states, error codes, environmental sensor readings (if connected), and user interventions. Export options include CSV, XML, and LIMS-compatible HL7 or ASTM E1384 formats. Data retention policies, report templates, and metadata tagging schemes are fully customizable to align with institutional SOPs and regulatory submission requirements.

Applications

The Freedom EVO® is routinely deployed in high-value applications requiring repeatability, scalability, and regulatory readiness: genomic library preparation (NGS target enrichment, PCR setup), ELISA and immunoassay automation, compound screening (dose-response matrix generation), cell-based assay setup (co-culture plating, viability staining), biobanking sample aliquoting, and qPCR master mix assembly. Its modularity enables integration with third-party devices—including plate readers (e.g., Spark, Infinite), washers (HydroFlex), incubators (EVOware), and storage systems (Te-Mo)—via standardized RS232, USB, or Ethernet interfaces using Tecan’s OpenConnect™ communication framework.

FAQ

What regulatory standards does the Freedom EVO® support?
The system meets CE, FCC, and UL safety standards; FluentControl™ software is validated for 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and ISO/IEC 17025 traceability requirements.
Can the Freedom EVO® be upgraded after initial installation?
Yes—mechanical arms, deck carriers, sensors, and software modules can be added or replaced onsite without factory recalibration.
Is remote monitoring and troubleshooting supported?
FluentControl™ includes secure remote desktop access (with customer-configurable firewall rules) and diagnostic log export for technical support escalation.
How is calibration maintained over time?
Tecan provides annual performance verification services aligned with ISO 8655-6 for pipetting accuracy and ISO 20776-2 for microbiological assay reproducibility.
Does the system support unattended overnight operation?
Yes—integrated power management, emergency stop circuitry, and hardware interlocks enable safe extended-run protocols with automated error recovery sequences.