Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced a new addition to its range of automated OES and XRF spectrometers which integrates multiple stand-alone laboratory instruments, including sample preparation, in a fully automated cell to optimise the entire analytical workflow and improve process control efficiencies in the mining and metals industries.

At the heart of the ARL SMS-3500 is the FANUC robot, driven by Thermo's SMS software, which allows for the preparation and analysis of samples using two sample preparation machines and two optical emission and/or X-ray fluorescence spectrometers. The robot is designed to handle heavy loads of up to 7 kg in industrial environments and has six axes of movement to optimise sample handling speed, eliminate unnecessary hardware and increase overall system reliability. Procedures such as instrument control and standardisation are scheduled and executed systematically to avoid delaying production of sample analysis. Each system can be quickly disconnected without interrupting the automatic operation and moved easily to a separate parking position for servicing.