An automated mobile phase preparation workstation.

An automated solvent dispensing workstation capable of delivering volumes ranging from 10 mL to 4.5 L for the preparation of solutions/mobile phases was developed and implemented into the industrial R&D laboratory. The workstation was designed to address business, safety, and compliance needs while meeting or exceeding the precision and accuracy of current manual methods of preparation. The system's performance was optimized with respect to liquid transfer tubing inner diameter, pumping pressure, flow characteristics of the valve, and computer control logic. The automated solvent dispensing workstation was shown to exceed the specifications set by the ASTM for Class A graduated cylinders for all dispense volumes (10 mL-4.5 L).