As sample volumes grow, manual pipetting quickly becomes a bottleneck. Plates take longer to prepare, fatigue sets in, and maintaining consistency across runs gets harder, even for experienced teams.
High-throughput workflows help laboratories scale without sacrificing accuracy or reproducibility. With the right automation in place, labs can process more samples per day, reduce hands-on time, and keep workflows moving as demand increases, supported by a modern liquid handler.
What High Throughput Liquid Handling Really Means
In practical terms, high throughput is about how many samples a lab can process reliably in a day, not just how fast a single step runs. It considers the entire workflow, from reagent dispensing to plate preparation, and how reliably each step connects.
Automation supports larger sample volumes while maintaining accuracy and consistency. This is especially important when workflows include multiple plates, repeated transfers, or downstream analysis that depends on uniform results. For many labs, high-throughput liquid handling robots provide the control needed to scale without adding complexity through automated liquid handling systems.
Throughput vs Speed: Understanding the Difference
Speed alone does not guarantee productivity. A workflow may move quickly but still lose time through errors, rework, or manual interruptions.
True throughput comes from processing more samples with fewer pauses and less variability. High-throughput liquid handling focuses on repeatability and reliability, not just faster movements.
Why Throughput Matters in Modern Workflows
qPCR testing, sequencing preparation, and routine diagnostics continue to increase in volume. Labs need workflows that can expand without increasing strain on staff or risking data quality.
Without automation, sustaining high-throughput pipetting becomes difficult. Automation allows laboratories to meet demand while keeping results consistent and dependable.
Challenges of Manual High Throughput Pipetting
Manual pipetting works well at a small scale, but it becomes harder to maintain as workloads grow. Repetitive movements lead to fatigue, and even small variations in technique can affect results across large runs.
As sample numbers rise, manual approaches struggle to maintain reliability without increasing error risk.
Accuracy and Precision Decline Under High Workloads
Long pipetting sessions increase the chance of inconsistent aspiration and dispense volumes. Over multiple plates, these small differences can impact assay performance and data interpretation.
For a deeper look at this issue, see the related article on the importance of accuracy and precision in pipetting.
Related Article: Importance of Accuracy and Precision in Pipetting
Human Error and Repetitive Tasks Limit True Throughput
Time spent changing tips, setting up plates, and repeating the same steps limits how many samples a lab can realistically process. These repetitive tasks also increase the likelihood of mistakes that slow workflows down.
Automation removes many of these bottlenecks and helps workflows run more predictably.
How Automation Enables High Throughput Liquid Handling
Automation supports throughput by delivering consistent performance across every run. It removes fatigue, reduces variability, and allows workflows to run ordinarily from start to finish.
Related Article: Advantages of Lab Automation
Consistent Robotic Pipetting at Any Volume
Automated systems perform each liquid transfer with the same calibrated motion. A high-throughput liquid handler maintains accuracy across small and large runs, helping labs avoid drift during extended workflows.
This consistency is critical for applications where small volume differences matter.
Efficient Plate Workflows
Automated plate preparation reduces setup time and minimizes errors. High-throughput liquid handling robots handle repetitive plate-based tasks with repeatable precision, improving overall workflow reliability.
Better Use of Time and Resources
By reducing hands-on pipetting, automation allows staff to focus on analysis and oversight. It also helps reduce reagent waste caused by failed runs or rework, making high-throughput liquid handling more efficient and predictable.
High Throughput Capability with Myra and Myra Plus
Myra and Myra Plus bring high-throughput pipetting within reach for laboratories that need reliable automation without large systems or complex setups. They improve consistency, reduce hands-on time, and support reproducible workflows within existing lab spaces.
For laboratories that require additional deck space, Myra9 supports higher throughput by enabling more complex and parallel workflows, without moving to a large-footprint automation platform.
Myra’s Compact Footprint and Scalable Workflow Design
Myra is a compact, portable liquid handler designed to bring automation to labs without causing disruption. It supports high-throughput liquid handling across common molecular workflows.
As a flexible liquid handler, Myra integrates easily into automation-ready environments without major changes to lab infrastructure.
Myra Plus: Advanced Throughput for Growing Labs
Myra Plus focuses on workflow connection rather than increased liquid handling capacity. It automates the transition between liquid handling and qPCR cycling, reducing manual handoffs and workflow delays.
By streamlining this connection, Myra Plus helps labs maintain consistent throughput while minimizing handling errors.
Intelligent Cameras and Liquid Level Detection
Myra combines liquid level detection for accurate aspiration with computer vision and AI-based checks that verify deck setup before a run. These checks confirm that plates and tubes are present, correctly positioned, and uncapped where required, helping prevent setup errors and maintain reliable performance across large sample runs.
Precision Pipetting at Scale Through Robotics
Robotic control allows Myra to deliver precise, repeatable volumes across plates and runs. This level of control supports dependable high-throughput pipetting while reducing human error.
Repeatable, Saved Protocols for Multi-User Environments
Saved protocols help maintain consistency across users, shifts, and projects. This is especially important for labs using high-throughput liquid handling robots in shared environments where repeatability matters.
Explore Myra’s Applications Across Workflows
See Myra’s High Throughput Pipetting Yourself. Book a
Demo of Myra
Experience how Myra delivers practical, reliable high-throughput liquid handling in real laboratory environments. To discuss your workflow needs, book a demo or submit an enquiry with the Bio Molecular Systems team.