Academic and commercial life science research labs continue to pivot to automated processes. This shift is self-evident; according to industry research , the automated liquid handling market grew from $1.33 billion in 2024 to $1.44 billion in 2025.
It’s easy to see why. Integrating automated liquid handling systems with scheduling and orchestration software offers labs more precision, reduced manual errors, and improved reproducibility. Even the most seasoned bench scientist can suffer from fatigue due to repetitive movements.
This automation enables researchers to focus on data analysis and experiment design. Whether your lab is scaling up routine assays or supporting complex screening campaigns, automation boosts productivity and enhances data quality. The result is a more efficient, reliable, and ergonomic laboratory environment ready to meet the demands of high-throughput science.
Why Labs Are Automating Liquid Handling
Automated liquid handling systems have become a cornerstone of modern laboratory operations in the past 30 years, especially in high-throughput environments. These systems deliver the accuracy, speed, and consistency that manual pipetting can’t always match, making them essential for workflows in genomics, drug discovery, and cell-based assays.
These systems not only reduce manual workload; they also integrate seamlessly with orchestration software to ensure end-to-end workflow optimization. Automated liquid handlers also reduce manual steps, freeing up scientists’ time, making fewer errors, and integrating easily with orchestration software to support scalable, end-to-end automation.
The global pandemic in 2020 accelerated the push toward automation across the life sciences (amongst other fields). Many facilities faced unprecedented demand for diagnostic testing and were constrained by supply chain shortages—from pipette tips to PPE—labs increasingly turned to automation to meet both volume and precision requirements. Collaborations like Biosero’s partnership with Hamilton empowered labs of all sizes to scale up rapidly and operate with confidence under pressure.
Automated Pipetting vs. Manual Pipetting
The differences in performance and lab efficiency are significant when comparing automated and manual pipetting methods. Below is a quick comparison:
| Factor | Manual Pipetting | Automated Pipetting |
|---|---|---|
| Repeatability | Operator-dependent; variable | Consistent and reproducible |
| Accuracy | Prone to human error | High precision with minimal variation |
| Fatigue | High, repetitive motion causes strain | Reduces hands-on time |
| Scalability | Limited by personnel and time | Easily scales across workflows and volumes |
Enhanced throughput is not the only benefit of an automated pipetting solution. The exponential reduction in cross-contamination and volume variation ensures that your lab has consistent, reproducible results. Automated liquid handling systems also offer improved ergonomics, helping reduce repetitive strain injuries while supporting overall team health.
More than a point solution, automated pipetting is a core component of scalable lab operations. As your operation grows in complexity and throughput needs, integrating all of your systems, including the liquid handling, becomes essential.
Liquid Handling Automation Benefits
Implementing an automated liquid handling system delivers a wide range of benefits that improve lab efficiency, reliability, and scalability. Below are seven key advantages:
1. Greater Throughput & Speed
What if your lab could process hundreds or even thousands of samples daily? An automated liquid handling workstation can make that possible, without requiring a large team. This efficiency also gives your staff the bandwidth to focus on the more complex tasks that support your lab long-term.
Learn how to improve laboratory turnaround time
2. Improved Accuracy & Precision
Manual pipetting inconsistencies can easily compromise results. Automated pipetting nearly eliminates this variable, ensuring all test cycles are reproducible and standardized. This consistency is especially critical for workflows like cell line development, where even the smallest inaccuracies can have a major impact.
Explore how automation improves speed and accuracy
3. Reproducibility Across Runs
Executing a test the same way every time demands a level of precision that may not always be feasible given the breadth of samples. Automated systems ensure that every sample is prepared identically, giving labs a reliability that’s essential for scaling scientific discoveries.
See how orchestration improves efficiency and reproducibility
4. Integration with Orchestration Software
A liquid handling system can connect to a fully automated workcell and participate in to orchestrated workflows driven by tools like Green Button Go (GBG) Orchestrator. A platform like GBG Orchestrator can streamline coordination between all your lab’s workcells, devices, protocols, and data systems for a fully unified workflow.
Discover Green Button Go Orchestrator
5. Real-Time Data Capture & Traceability
Without traceable variables, significant results may lose their value. Automated systems protect your lab from this frustrating happenstance, ensuring all of your operation’s protocols align with both internal standards and external regulators.
6. Reduced Downtime with Smart Scheduling
An 8-hour workday isn’t the only time your lab can be productive. An automated liquid handling system with scheduling software can enable your lab to run tasks, even during off-hours. By expanding work hours through automation, you can immediately reduce workcell bottlenecks and relieve stress on staff.
Learn about Green Button Go Scheduler
7. Adaptability with Modular Lab Automation
Think of an automated scheduling platform like GBG Scheduler as a transit route that can continuously be redesigned for better efficiency and usability. Just as a city planner would add a stop to a bus route to accommodate a growing neighborhood, GBG platforms easily incorporate new modalities. As your lab grows, GBG software keeps everything connected.
Is Automated Liquid Handling Right for Your Lab?
If your lab is processing a growing volume of samples, handling repetitive pipetting tasks, or working with hazardous materials, automated liquid handling might be the next smart step. These systems reduce fatigue and the risk of repetitive strain injuries, enhance consistency across experiments, and improve safety by minimizing direct human contact with biohazardous or chemically dangerous materials. Whether you’re running high-throughput screens, genomics workflows, or precise cell-based assays, automation brings both speed and reproducibility.
Best of all, adopting automated liquid handling doesn’t require a complete lab overhaul. With orchestration tools like Biosero’s Green Button Go®, you can integrate your existing instruments (whether they’re legacy or state-of-the-art) into a unified, intelligent workflow. Our team specializes in modernizing lab systems without disrupting day-to-day operations, helping you scale up your liquid handling capabilities without starting from scratch.
Start Unlocking Liquid Handling Automation Benefits
Automated liquid handling systems bring measurable improvements to your lab, from increased accuracy and speed to enhanced reproducibility and seamless integration with other lab systems. But to truly unlock these benefits at scale, liquid handling automation must be integrated into your lab’s existing workcells, devices, and software to streamline the entire process of executing science from end to end.
A seamless method for integrating automated liquid handling systems into your lab is to use scheduling software like GBG Scheduler to maintain automated tasks. Meanwhile, GBG Orchestrator ensures that tasks are executed throughout the entire lab. Together, these tools don’t just automate liquid handling; they elevate your entire lab’s efficiency, enabling your team to focus more on discovery and less on logistics.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Biosero to explore how Green Button Go can integrate your automated liquid handler into a more innovative and efficient lab environment.
