Rosie, automatic spreadplate machine

Process many spread plates - faster and more accurately?

That’s possible - with our automated plate spreading robot 'Rosie'.

If you want to improve the spread plating procedure, this is the machine you need. Using the LIMS connection, the correct pre-filled agar dishes are delivered, the required dilution is shown and the correct 2D barcode is printed on the side of the bottom part of the Petri dish. Be more efficient and faster.

Production process for the automated plate spreading robot ‘Rosie’

The machine needs 30 seconds for the following tasks:

  • Acquiring six Petri dishes with the correct agar type
  • Open
  • Close
  • 2D code printing
  • Stack in magazine

The analyst manually adds the sample and uses the rotation of the dish for an easy and quick spreading. The speed of the analyst, and the type of sample that needs to be processed determines the actual processing time.

De analist voert nog wel handmatig het sample toe en spatelt semi automatisch. De snelheid van de analist en het type sample dat verwerkt moet worden bepalen de uiteindelijke verwerkingstijd.

Benefits of the Automated Spread Plate machine ‘Rosie’

  • Fast (5 sec/Petri dish – see production process)
  • Accurate
  • Human variations minimized
  • User friendly
  • 2D barcoding
  • Communication via LIMS
  • Integrated pipette and dilute system Amanda (optional)
  • Small footprint (0.9 m x 4.3 m with 12 lanes, also available with 6 lanes)
  • Low maintenance contract



Product information Automated Spread plate machine ‘Rosie’

This machine is designed at the request of, and in close collaboration with ILS in England. The machine has 12 storage lanes for 80 Petri dishes in each lane, but can be, if desired, built with 6 lanes (480 or 960 Petri dishes). The machine is therefore even more compact.

We are quality driven. The benefit for you? Almost no dysfunction and a low maintenance contract cost. Therefore a fast return on investment is achieved.

Working method

When the analyst scans the sample, ‘Rosie’ knows which agar plates are needed and delivers up to six Petri dishes. By touching the knee pedal, the machine opens the Petri dishes. The analyst adds the sample. Due to the LIMS communication and the integrated pipette and dilute station Amanda (optional), the system knows the right volume. We only scan the first dilution barcode, all dilutions thereafter are known. No room for mistakes.

After touching the knee pedal again, the Petri dishes start to rotate, so the analyst only needs to hold the spreader for a second or two on the plate to achieve a homogenous layer. When finished, a touch with the knee pedal closes the dishes and Rosie prints a 2D barcode on the dishes and starts to stack them according to their agar and incubation conditions in the storage. While printing and stacking, new Petri dishes will be brought to the workstation (if there is no need for new sample scanning).

The machine itself needs 30 seconds to: acquire six dishes, open, close, print 2D code, stack, This is only 5 seconds per plate. The analyst and the sample types influences the total time. The machine lets you work faster and more precisely. 

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