Automating Materials Discovery with Modular Aluminum Extrusions

Discover how collaborative design and modular aluminum extrusions enabled 24/7 automated solid-state synthesis at the University of Liverpool.

24/7 Operation Capability

Delivered in Three Weeks

Maximizing Time for Meaningful Research

Automating Materials Discovery with Modular Aluminum Extrusions

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Story Highlights

Streamlining Materials Discovery with Automated Robotic

Design Support Saving Time & Costs:
Vention’s team provided hands-on design expertise to deliver a solution that worked right the first time, saving time and avoiding costly reorders.

Reliable Structural Strength:
Vention’s aluminum extrusions delivered the strength and stability needed to confidently support the robot and its track, meeting all specifications and delivering a professional finish.

Enhanced Ergonomics:
Customized workstations improved lab ergonomics, eliminating the need to overreach across the robotic track and making daily tasks significantly easier and safer.

Fast, Frictionless Deployment:
The support frame arrived within just a couple of weeks, faster than anticipated, keeping the project on schedule.

The Problem

Automating Repetitive Tasks in Material Discovery Workflow

The Rosseinsky Group at University of Liverpool aimed to develop an automated solid state synthesis workflow to replicate repetitive tasks performed by PhD students. The existing manual process could take several days and take away time from researchers that was better spent on intellectual pursuits.

This involved automating steps such as weighing precursor powders, grinding them, heating them in a furnace, and analyzing the reaction products.

The Rosseinsky Group team also wanted to introduce AI into material discovery, and install a system that could offer predictable output 24/7. Using a collaborative robot arm offered a possible solution to automate this workflow. However, they needed a stable platform to hold the robot arm and a Thompson rail track to enable the robot to move efficiently between various processing stations along the bench.

Designing the whole system without extensive experience, and deploying it could have been challenging, requiring a steep learning curve. The team needed a reliable way to design, validate, and deploy the support frame to successfully automate their workflow.

"The interaction with Vention's team was topnotch, as they are obviously experts in what they do. The expert advice and the help in actually getting a design that works was the single defining thing, making the whole process a lot smoother. The extruded aluminum struts were really good quality, looking impressive when built together, and certainly met the specifications we needed."

—Dr. Troy Manning Senior Research Fellow, Prof. Rosseinsky's Group, University of Liverpool

The Project

Streamlining Material Discovery with Robust and Modular Aluminum Extrusions

The Rosseinsky Group team at University of Liverpool partnered with Vention to automate its solid-state synthesis workflow, by creating a robust aluminum extrusion support frame for the robot arm and Thomson rail track that allows the robot to move between stations.

Initially planning to handle the structural design themselves, the university provided robot specifications to Vention—who took on the design and delivered a tailored solution that improved on the original concept and simplified setup.

After finalizing the design, the support frame was delivered ahead of schedule in just three weeks. Vention’s compatible hardware ecosystem simplified assembly, allowing the support frame to be constructed in just under a week.

In addition to the main support frame, Vention designed and supplied movable workstations that slid smoothly across the robotic track. This greatly improved access to equipment such as balances and furnaces, eliminating the need for researchers to stretch and enhancing overall workflow ergonomics and ease of use.

Throughout the project, Vention’s team provided responsive support to address challenges promptly, ensuring steady progress and maintaining momentum.

The Results

Advancing Lab Automation with Modular Hardware and Collaborative Design

Deploying a fully automated solid-state synthesis workflow has freed the PhD students and researchers in the Rosseinsky Group to focus on data analysis and experiment planning instead of routine laboratory tasks.

With the support frame in place, Liverpool has established a foundation for true 24/7 operation for material discovery. It has also made it possible to accurately capture any errors, improving traceability of the process.

Built with modular and rigid aluminum extrusions, the support system that makes the automation workflow possible is designed to easily adapt. This makes it easy to add or reposition workstations, without starting from scratch, protecting both timeline and budget.

The entire process was easy and efficient, allowing the team to scale up without facing a steep learning curve. Expert design assistance, fast shipping, and plug-and-play modular components ensured a robust, adaptable system. This seamless approach enabled quick deployment and positions the Rosseinsky Group to accelerate materials discovery and integrate AI into their solid-state research with confidence.