Opentrons Labworks, Inc., a leader in open-source and accessible laboratory robotics, has officially expanded its hardware lineup with the launch of the Flex Automated Vacuum Module. This new module integrates directly with the Opentrons Flex liquid handling system, bringing hands-free, walk-away automation to standard vacuum-based purification and cleanup workflows.

Traditionally, standard molecular biology protocols, such as plasmid DNA minipreps, nucleic acid extraction, and protein or peptide cleanups, have heavily relied on manual intervention. Scientists routinely navigate these workflows using manual vacuum manifolds or physical centrifugation to process spin columns. As laboratories scale up their throughput, these manual intervention points frequently create significant operational bottlenecks, user-to-user variability, and avoidable processing errors.

The newly introduced Flex Automated Vacuum Module overcomes these challenges by migrating the entire purification sequence onto the deck of the Flex robot.

Key Technical Enhancements

According to technical documentation, the module introduces several major capabilities designed for continuous, unattended execution:

• Closed-loop pressure control. The system manages vacuum levels autonomously to ensure consistent pressure profile execution across different sample viscosities.
• Integrated waste handling. Automated fluid management removes waste material cleanly without requiring an operator to pause the system or empty manually.
• Gripper-assisted stacking. Leveraging the Flex Gripper, the robot seamlessly handles plate movements, stacking and unstacking filter plates and collection blocks.
• 96-well format. The module supports high-throughput 96-well silica filter plates, enabling full scalability from small validation pilots to comprehensive library preparations.

Growing Product Lineup

The launch adds to a year of expansion for Opentrons benchtop hardware and software. Earlier in 2026, the company announced Protocol Visualization software to visually inspect complex workflows in a virtual environment before execution, alongside its FDA-aligned Compliance Ready Software (Opentrons CRS) to lower validation barriers for regulated pharma and biotech environments.

By bringing closed-loop vacuum execution onto the same deck, Opentrons continues to undercut the steep costs typically associated with high-end, purpose-built GxP automation systems, keeping flexibility and affordability central to its engineering principles.

The Flex Automated Vacuum Module is available now for integration into existing or new Opentrons Flex platform configurations.

Watch this video to see how it works!

Find more information about Opentrons Vacuum module in this brochure.

Learn more about Opentrons Flex Robots here.

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