Case Sartorius: Turning Customer’s idea into a new product



Sartorius Biohit Liquid Handling AG designs and manufactures smart pipettes for international research institutes, universities, healthcare and corporate customers. The focus in product design is in exceptional ergonomics, measuring accuracy and ease of use. The core of all activities is to help customers develop products and services which improve human health and wellbeing.

Sartorius want to use modern, agile way-of-working in testing new ideas and innovations. This speeds up development of new functionalities and products to the market. UnSeen worked as the product development partner with Sartorius, all the way from the first technology proof-of-concepts to design of the final product and ramping up the production.

Start from customer’s idea

Sartorius’ customer Anrdew Alliance S.A. came up with an idea of new product concept. It would improve productivity of a laboratory and reduce significantly unintentional errors in the research work. The solution should be intuitive and easy to use and would need to be compatible with operative planning system of the laboratory.

Sartorius’ innate approach drives agile and fast progress with practical testing of new ideas. This is great mactch with UnSeen Labs working model. The first jointly agreed step was to build wireless connectivity inside existing, usability driven pipette. UnSeen built the prototype quickly for testing. The primary objective of the prototype was introduce the solution to the customer who originally came up with the idea.

Smart stand connects pipettes to laboratory management system

Andrew Alliance representatives were presented the prototype. The solution was based on smart stand that guides the person running the research procedure. The stand is wirelessly connected with pipette and takes care of data transfer with laboratory operative planning system.

The customer got excited about the solution and it was decided to be taken to reality. UnSeen worked as product development partner for Sartorius.

”This project is a great example how fast experimenting helps in creating new business. UnSeen provided not only design resources but also long-term expertise taking product to the factory and international markets”, says Hannes Jantunen, Head of Product Development at Sartorius Liquid Handling.

“This was really interesting and wide scoped product development project for us. Sartorius was able to use resources at their own special expertise areas. UnSeen was responsible designing electronics, software, wireless connectivity and production testing and ramp-up support. It was pleasure to work with Sartorius team and see product’s success at the launch event”,  said Markus Rauman, CTO at UnSeen Technologies Ltd.

Award winning product for global markets

The outcome of the work was a product that introduces completely new way-of-working for modern laboratories. The researchers can design the laboratory procedure with graphical user interface e.g. in web browser and move it wirelessly all the way to pipette.

The work flow has been made exceptionally simple for the users. The laboratory resource management system controls pipette settings, liquid volumes to be moved, takes care of changing pipette tips at time and records all the steps taken. This shortens time spent with research, reduces human errors, unnecessary repeating of the tests and use of costly reagents. In addition, the study can be recorded and documented reliably.

The product was launched 2019 at SLAS international laboratory trade fair in Washington DC. At the event, the solution won New Product Award of the year.

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