Designing the 24/7 Automated Chemistry Lab: Real-Time Instrumentation Engineering Collaboration and Safety at Scale

This case study explores the accelerated design and delivery of a next-generation chemistry facility supporting medicinal, analytical, nanoscale, milliscale, purification, and formatting operations. Designed for continuous 24/7 use, the laboratory integrates robotics with automated solvent distribution, waste collection systems, and specialty gas networks to support a high-throughput operational environment.

The presentation will examine how the project team met aggressive business deadlines by co-developing complex laboratory systems in real time with specialized automation and equipment vendors. It will also explore the safety and regulatory strategies required to support an automated chemistry environment, including the development of Hazardous Area Classifications (HAC) and Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) for both architectural spaces and custom equipment.

The case study will highlight the project’s approach to managing hazardous material quantities and maintaining code compliance while supporting the facility’s continuous operational capacity. Attendees will gain insight into the coordination, risk management, and design strategies required to deliver a highly automated chemistry facility on an accelerated schedule.

Learning objectives:

1. Evaluate planning and design considerations for integrating robotics, specialty gas systems, automated solvent distribution, and waste collection networks across different laboratories, with attention to workflow, user needs, and operational continuity.

2. Apply collaborative project delivery strategies for coordinating architects, engineers, automation specialists, instrumentation providers, and equipment vendors in real time, particularly when developing complex laboratory systems on an accelerated schedule.

3. Assess potential hazards associated with highly automated, continuously operating chemistry environments and apply Hazardous Area Classifications (HAC), Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), and equipment-specific risk assessments to inform laboratory planning, design, and safe operation.

4. Develop strategies for managing hazardous materials, equipment, and laboratory processes while maintaining code compliance, supporting high-throughput workflows, and creating safe, functional environments for occupants and ongoing research.