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Application · AutoSampler

QB AutoSampler

Automated liquid process sampling — as a standalone system or an add-on to any bioreactor.

Automated samplingVendor-agnosticAseptic-capable72h walk-away
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QB AutoSampler

The QB AutoSampler is a modular, software-defined system for automated sampling from bioreactors and fermenters. It draws samples on schedule or on demand, cleans its own fluid paths between draws, and delivers them to cooled vials, online analyzers, or both — a dedicated sample for each destination — unattended, around the clock.

It is built from independent QB Modules orchestrated by QB Control, the same platform that runs QB Systems bioreactors. The result: the AutoSampler adapts to your lab instead of forcing your lab to adapt to it. Start with four bioreactors and grow to eighteen. Run it as a complete standalone station, or bolt it onto bioreactors you already own — from QB Systems or any other vendor. Configure dedicated, shared or hybrid fluid paths without changing hardware.

There are no annual software license fees. QB Control ships under a perpetual license, and expansion is a matter of clicking in a module and updating the process definition — no vendor service visit required.

Why automate sampling

The quiet bottleneck in every parallel-bioreactor lab.

A single technician spends 15–30 minutes per sampling round across a 4–8 vessel setup, and an 8-bioreactor fed-batch campaign can consume 80–120 hours of hands-on time — nights and weekends included. Every manual draw is a contamination vector and a source of volume variability, and the hours between draws hide the very excursions engineers most need to see.

Manual sampling problem What the QB AutoSampler does
Human error and variable volumes Precise syringe dosing at ±2% accuracy, identical every draw
Contamination from repeated manual access Aseptic-capable fluid paths with automated cleaning between samples
Data gaps between scheduled draws Adaptive scheduling that tightens sampling frequency automatically during critical events
Nights and weekends uncovered 72+ hours of unattended walk-away operation
Incomplete, error-prone records Immutable, timestamped audit trail with automated batch reports

Advantages

Six things that set it apart.

Where it stands apart

  • Scales to 18 sources on one system
  • All three fluid-path modes (dedicated / shared / hybrid)
  • Adaptive frequency from live process data
  • Fits inside a Class II Biosafety Cabinet
  • Perpetual software license — no annual fees

Ways to deploy

Three ways to deploy.

The right one depends on what hardware you already own and how you want it controlled.

In short: standalone when you want a dedicated unit; a native add-on for QB Systems bioreactors; for any other vendor, integrated via OPC-UA where the controller allows it, or fully independent under QB Control where it does not.

System architecture

Configured from modules, not bought as an appliance.

Core modules

Module Role
QB Edge Central controller and communication hub. Connects all modules, distributes power, speaks OPC-UA, Modbus TCP and REST, and handles real-time orchestration.
QB Control Web-based, multi-user control software: recipes, scheduling, cleaning services, live dashboard, audit trail and reporting. Perpetual license.
QB SelectorValve Multi-port selector valve for fluid-path routing — switches between sources, cleaning reagents and destinations with minimal dead volume.
QB SyringePump Precision syringe pump for aspiration and dispensing. 1–5 mL range, ±2% volume accuracy, tool-free syringe swap.
QB Switch Port-expansion module that connects additional pump/valve pairs to the Edge as you scale source count.

Optional & forthcoming modules

Module Role Status
QB Chamber Cooled sample storage for collected vials. Coming soon
QB Thermo Chiller module for temperature-controlled storage and cooling loops. Available
QB Multisensor Multi-parameter sensing (e.g. temperature) in the sampling path. Available

Configurable fluid-path architecture

The same hardware serves three contamination strategies — selected in software, changed whenever your work changes.

Mode How it works Best for
Dedicated One fluid path per bioreactor. Zero shared contact surfaces, zero carryover risk; a hardware fault is contained to one vessel. Cell therapy, GMP-aware work, mixed-organism campaigns
Shared One path serves several sources, with automated five-stage cleaning between draws. Maximum hardware efficiency. R&D, Design of Experiments, screening
Hybrid Sources grouped into clusters — shared within a cluster, isolated between clusters. Mixed-culture and phased experiments

Sampling & cleaning

Every path decontaminated between draws.

Port-level control means only the paths that were actually used get cleaned. QB Control includes a built-in Sampler Cleaning service that runs the whole sequence across all ports automatically, with an optional post-cleaning WFI flush.

  1. 01

    Gas purge

    Clear residual fluid from the path with compressed air.

  2. 02

    Primary wash

    Cleaning agent dispensed through the active ports.

  3. 03

    Secondary rinse

    Sterile rinse fluid through the path.

  4. 04

    Gas dry

    Purge-drying through the active ports.

  5. 05

    Disinfection hold (optional)

    Disinfectant dwell with extended contact time.

For contamination-sensitive work, the system supports optional in-line carryover verification (UV/Vis or conductivity) to confirm a path is clean before the next draw.

Sterile vs aseptic. Sterile sampling — clean, viable-organism-free wetted components — is the baseline on every system. Aseptic sampling goes further: a validated, repeatable process with full traceability from vessel to vial, offered as a defined upgrade — a dedicated Aseptic Consumable Set (pre-sterilized, lot-traceable) paired with a validated Aseptic Sampling SOP for GMP-aware and cell-therapy environments.

QB Chamber

Coming soon

Cooled sample storage for unattended runs.

For overnight and weekend campaigns, samples may sit for hours between draw and measurement — long enough for metabolite profiles to drift at room temperature. QB Chamber is the dedicated cooling module: a temperature-controlled enclosure that holds collected vials at a stable, configurable set point for the full duration of an unattended run.

It plugs into the platform as just another QB Module — orchestrated by QB Edge, configured in QB Control, and logged in the same audit trail. Within one scheduled event the platform can draw a sample for cold archival in QB Chamber and a second, separate sample for an online analyzer.

Full specifications — capacity, temperature range, control tolerance and dimensions — are coming soon.

Get notified about QB Chamber

Technical specifications

At a glance.

Sample volume range 1–5 mL per sample (configurable per run)
Volume accuracy ±2% across full range; CV ≤ 1.5% (≥ 1 mL)
Sampling sources 4 base, expandable to 18 on one platform
Destinations Vials, analyzers, waste — a dedicated draw routed per destination
Sample storage Cooled vial storage (QB Chamber / QB Thermo modules)
Walk-away operation 72+ hours unattended
Cleaning Gas purge → wash → rinse → dry → optional disinfection hold
Sterility Sterile baseline; aseptic upgrade with dedicated consumable set + validated SOP
Communication OPC-UA, Modbus TCP, REST API
Compliance 21 CFR Part 11-aligned: audit trail, role-based access, data integrity, automated batch reports (e-signatures not currently supported)
Control software QB Control (web-based, multi-user, real-time dashboard)
Footprint Benchtop modular; < 0.15 m² base, BSC-compatible, scales horizontally
Licensing Perpetual QB Control license — no annual software fees

Note on electronic signatures: the QB AutoSampler does not currently support electronic signatures — this is not yet part of QB Control. The platform provides a 21 CFR Part 11-aligned audit trail, role-based access control, data integrity and automated batch reporting; e-signature workflows are handled through the customer's LIMS or QMS in the meantime.

Applications

Built for the way labs actually run.

  • Early-stage biotech & academia

    Four benchtop bioreactors, mixed vendors, a lean budget. Automate away 80+ hours of manual sampling per campaign and get weekend coverage with 72-hour walk-away operation.

  • CDMO & process development

    Up to sixteen parallel bioreactors for Design of Experiments. Hybrid paths isolate conditions while maximizing throughput; in one run the system feeds HPLC and cell counters and archives vials — a dedicated sample per destination.

  • Cell & gene therapy

    Dedicated fluid paths with in-line carryover verification, plus a benchtop footprint that fits inside a Class II Biosafety Cabinet — removing the manual-sampling contamination bottleneck.

Frequently asked questions

How many bioreactors can the QB AutoSampler support?

Four in the base configuration, expandable to eighteen on one platform by adding QB SelectorValve and QB SyringePump modules. Expansion is tool-free, takes minutes, needs no recalibration of existing sources, and is performed by lab staff — no vendor service visit.

Is it compatible with my existing bioreactors?

Yes. It is vendor-agnostic and works with all major platforms — Eppendorf, Sartorius, INFORS HT, Solaris, Applikon, generic glass vessels and single-use bags — through adapter kits, integrated via OPC-UA or run independently under QB Control.

Can I add it to a bioreactor I already own?

Yes — one of its three deployment modes. On a QB Systems bioreactor it becomes a native extension under the same QB Control instance. On a third-party bioreactor it integrates over OPC-UA where supported, or runs fully independently alongside your existing control software.

How does aseptic sampling work?

Sterile sampling is the baseline, backed by five-stage automated cleaning and optional in-line carryover verification. For validated aseptic sampling, QB provides a dedicated pre-sterilized, lot-traceable Aseptic Consumable Set paired with a validated SOP and audit-ready documentation.

What is the difference between concurrent and in-sequence sampling?

Concurrent sampling uses a dedicated pump + valve pair per vessel, so all vessels are sampled at the same time point. In-sequence sampling reuses device pairs across several vessels in recipe-based rounds — for example twelve vessels served by six pairs in two rounds — trading simultaneity for lower hardware cost.

Are there recurring software license fees?

No. QB Control ships under a perpetual license — a one-time cost with no recurring annual fees. Optional annual support tiers add software updates and prioritized response times, but the system keeps full functionality with or without support.

Does it support 21 CFR Part 11?

The platform provides a 21 CFR Part 11-aligned audit trail, role-based access control, data integrity and automated batch reporting. Electronic signatures are not currently supported — those workflows are handled through the customer's LIMS or quality management system in the meantime.

See the QB AutoSampler in action.

Request a live demonstration, arrange an evaluation in your own lab, or get a configuration tailored to your bioreactors and workflows.

Contact us