ABB Robotics used SLAS 2026 to make its case that industrial collaborative robots belong in the laboratory. The company demonstrated three GoFa cobot workcells running end-to-end analytical workflows alongside instruments from Agilent and Mettler Toledo, a deliberate show of multi-vendor interoperability.
The demos covered real bench work: pipetting, solid dispensing, weighing, titration, UV-Vis analysis, filtration and GC sample prep. One workcell at the ABB booth ran a multi-step analytical workflow orchestrated through Mettler Toledo’s LabX software. A second handled GC sample prep including volumetric flask handling and vial loading. A third, staged at Agilent’s booth, showed robotic plate transfer between a plate hotel, an Agilent Bravo liquid handler, and an HPLC system.
ABB also hosted a roundtable bringing together Atinary, Agilent, Mettler Toledo and Sanofi to discuss AI and robotics convergence in lab operations.
| ABB GoFa: Lab Automation at SLAS 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Robot | GoFa collaborative robot (5 kg payload) |
| Demo partners | Agilent, Mettler Toledo |
| Workflows shown | Analytical (titration, UV-Vis), GC sample prep, HPLC plate transfer |
| Software | LabX (Mettler Toledo), OptiFact (ABB) |
| Positioning | Open, multi-vendor interoperability |
The pitch is straightforward: ABB wants labs to see cobots as general-purpose movers that slot into any vendor’s instrument ecosystem, rather than a component locked to a single automation platform. With roughly 7,000 employees and deep industrial robotics experience, ABB Robotics is one of the largest players making a serious push into lab automation, though the division’s ownership is about to change. SoftBank agreed in October to acquire ABB Robotics for $5.375 billion, with the deal expected to close in mid-to-late 2026.
Announced at SLAS 2026, Boston, February 7–11.
