MultiVial Automates Lab Vial Preparation

When Every Label and Every Weight Has to Be Perfect

In any laboratory, small mistakes carry big consequences. A label that fades, a sticker that peels, or a weight recorded incorrectly can compromise an entire sample and everything that depends on it. For years, labs have relied on technicians to hand-write labels, apply stickers, and manually weigh vials one by one, a process that is slow, inconsistent, and hard to scale. When hundreds of vials need to be prepared accurately and traced throughout their entire lifecycle, doing it by hand is no longer good enough.

What MultiVial Actually Is

MultiVial is a compact benchtop system developed by Labman that handles three of the most critical steps in vial preparation automatically: laser marking, precision weighing, and sample tracking. It works with both glass and plastic vials ranging from 1ml to 50ml, and can process up to nine racks of mixed vials in a single run, which amounts to up to 864 individual vials at a time. Its collaborative robotic arm is designed to work safely alongside lab technicians without requiring a dedicated space or changes to the existing lab setup.

No More Labels, No More Stickers

Instead of printing labels or writing on vials by hand, MultiVial uses a laser to permanently mark each vial directly on its surface with numbers, barcodes, or QR codes. The mark does not fade, peel, or wear off, regardless of how the vial is stored or handled. A built-in camera automatically identifies the correct marking area on each vial, so the process runs consistently without manual adjustment. The system works with borosilicate glass and plastic vials and is compatible with widely used formats from brands including Micronic, Azenta, and Thermo Fisher.

Weighing That Leaves No Room for Error

MultiVial weighs each vial to an accuracy of up to five decimal places, which is the level of precision that pharmaceutical and research labs require. When a rack is placed onto the system, it is detected automatically without any manual input needed. Users can also prioritize specific racks when certain samples need to be processed first. Built-in antistatic bars and a draft shield keep the balance stable and allow it to reset quickly between measurements, maintaining a steady pace even during large runs.

Every Vial Tracked from Start to Finish

As each vial is processed, MultiVial scans its 2D barcode and records the sample information automatically in real time. This means every vial has a complete, accurate record without anyone having to enter data manually. The system connects to other lab instruments and data platforms through an open API, making it a natural fit within broader lab automation setups rather than a standalone tool that creates extra steps.