Cellmatic - Automated Cell Culture

Key Features

• Fully Automated Cell Culture Workflow
  Automates the entire cell culture process, including feeding, splitting, expansion, plating, and differentiation, allowing researchers to focus on science instead of manual labor
• Integrated Smart Hardware
  Dual liquid handlers, imager, storage, refrigerator, and incubator—seamlessly unified for automated cell culture using Formulatrix’s scheduling software and device drivers
• High-Capacity Plate Handling
  Supports up to 400 SBS-sized plates (1- to 384-well formats), enabling parallel processing of multiple cell lines and high-throughput experiments
• Intelligent Scheduling and Parallel Processing
  Advanced scheduler allows multiple users and protocols to run simultaneously, automatically interweaving tasks without scripting or programming
• Versatile Application Support
  Handles a broad range of workflows including stem cell differentiation, cell line development, high-throughput plating, permeability assays, and more — all on a single platform
• Smart Liquid Handling with Minimal Waste
  Accommodates over 50 media and reagent solutions, stored in a sterile, refrigerated environment with low dead volumes (500 µL) and reusable tips, reducing cost and waste
• Rover® Autonomous Plate Handling Fleet
  Fleet of wireless, robotic plate handlers ensures gentle, spill-free transport of cell plates, reagents, and labware between subsystems, with precision and care
• Advanced Environmental and Contamination Control
  Includes HEPA filtration, VHP sterilization, and fully enclosed, CO₂, temperature, and humidity-controlled incubators, ensuring optimal and sterile growth conditions
• Intuitive, Web-Based Software with Remote Access
  User-friendly, no-code interface with real-time monitoring, scheduling, and data export. Access the system and receive alerts from anywhere via web-based software

Versatile for a Broad Range of Scientific Workflows

• Stem Cell Differentiation
  Automate week and month long protocols with thoughtful management of expensive reagents

• Cell Line Development
  Pick colonies and propagate forward from 384- and 96-well plates

• Routine Maintenance and Expansion
  Continuously feed, image, and passage cell lines with extensive data record keeping

• Multi-well Plating for HT Screens
  Dispense cells into 384- and 96-well plates at user defined cell number

• Permeability Assays with Transwell
  Plates Feed and culture cells in transwell plates for your permeability assays

• Immunology Studies with PBMCs
  Differentiate and mature blood cells for immunological assays

Cellmatic Physical Dimensions

Width: 4717 mm (185.7”)
Height: 2170 mm (85.4”)
Height: 2684 mm (105.6”) (Plenum Open)
Depth: 1224 mm (48.1”)
Depth: 2007 mm (79”) (Door Open)
Weight: 1456 kg (3209 lbs)

FLO i8
Channel Configuration: 8 Fully-independent liquid handling channels

Tip Variety: Formulatrix® brand disposable F20, F200 and F1000 Next-Level Tips®

Volume Range: 0.5 μL to 20 μL (F20), 5 μL to 200 μL (F200), 10 μL to 1000 μL (F1000)

Liquid Viscosity Range: Any type of liquid

Dispense Mode: Air displacement via in-line pressure regulation

Liquid Level Detection: Yes, pressure-based and resistance-based detection

Transfer Precision: 13% CV at 0.5 μL and 5% CV at 1 μL

Microplate Compatibility: Standard SBS Plate format (Contact us for custom options)

Contamination Mitigation: VHP compatible

Time to Passage Cell Plate: 6 minutes

Imager
Plate Compatibility: Standard SBS Plate format

Smart Imaging Features: Autofocus and auto exposure

Objectives and Field of View: 6.8 mm width FoV; 1.3x magnification 1.36 mm width FoV; 6.45x magnification

Imaging Time: 7.5 minutes for 96 well plate, full well coverage with auto-focus and auto exposure

Contamination Mitigation: VHP compatible

Reagent Exchanger
Plate Compatibility: One well, square well plates with 4, 8, and 24 wells, 96 and 384 well plates

Time for Media Exchange: 1 minute full aspiration and dispense

Dispense Mode: Pressurized continuous flow through chip

Dispense Reagents: Two reagents can be used in parallel for dispensing, with 30 seconds changing to alternative reagent

Cleaning Reagents: Three plumbed in liquid lines for cleaning aspirate and dispense heads

Tip Type: Reusable silicon nozzles

Contamination Mitigation: VHP compatible

Rovers
Size: 186mm x 105mm x 116mm

Weight: 2kg

Battery Life: ~3hr

Charging Time: ~1hr

Top Speed: 600mm/s

Maximum Load: 0.650kg

Software Control: Formulatrix proprietary Fleet Manager software

Quantity Operating in System: 4-6 Rovers

Charging Stations: 6 self docking charging stations

Incubator
Capacity: 400 SBS footprint plates

Environmental Control: Ambient to 39 °C temp; ambient to 5% CO2 ; ambient to 90% humidity

Contamination Mitigation: HEPA-filtered, VHP compatible

CO2 Flow Rate: 10 standard cubic feet per hour (peak), 1.3 standard cubic feet per hour (average)

Refrigerator
Dispenser: capacity 10 hanging dispensers for Gibco bottles (500ml, 1L) or media bags (1L or 5L)

Trough: capacity 20 trough slots for low volume troughs and 96 deep well blocks

Environmental Control: 4 °C to 8 °C

Contamination Mitigation: UV cleaning in dispensing station; HEPA filtered, VHP compatible

Labware Storage
Load Ports: Dual load ports to separate cell plates from clean labware

Capacity: 30 larger labwares (tip caddies, troughs, etc.), 190 microplates (although the columns are configurable, each taller labware slot takes up to 4 microplate slots)

Environemental Control: Positive pressure; passive temperature control at ambient

Contamination Mitigation: HEPA filtered, VHP compatible

Control Computer Specification
Cell Suite: PC DELL Optiplex 3080 SFF Intel Core i7-10700/16GB/Debian Linux

Rover Fleet Manager: DELL Precision 3240 Intel Core i5-10500/8GB/Ubuntu Linux

User Interface Browser: Google Chrome

Electrical Specifications (6 total power plugs with 8 kW maximum power)
Refrigerator: 220V, 6A. 50/60Hz

Refrigerator Robotics: 110V, 3.2A; or 220V, 1.6A; 50/60Hz

Labware Storage: 110V, 3.2A; or 220V, 1.6A; 50/60Hz

Instrument Cabinet 1: 110V, 12.9A; or 220V, 6.5A; 50/60Hz

Instrument Cabinet 2: 110V, 13.6A; or 220V, 6.8A; 50/60Hz

Incubator: 110V, 17.6A; or 220V, 8.8A; 50/60Hz

Instrument Cabinets
Capacity: 3 levels each for instrumentation; access from ROVERs via elevator on front door of cabinet

Environmental Control: Positive pressure; passive temperature control at ambient

Contamination Mitigation: HEPA filtered, VHP compatible

Media Warmers
Heat Type: IR lamp

Time for Warming: 11 minutes for 200mL to go from 4 °C to 25 °C

Capacity: 250mL trough

Facilities Requirements
Water for Incubator: Sterile distilled water source

CO2 for Incubator: 10psi

Solid Waste: Solid waste bin for collecting deposited cell culture plates outside of the system

Liquid Waste: Minimum of 20L jerry can for collecting liquid waste outside of system

Environment: Temperature (22+/- 3 °C) and humidity regulated BSL 1 laboratory with filtered air in room; Solid concrete floor away from heavy machinery

Clearance around System: 300 mm left, right, rear, and top; 1200 mm clearance in front. Additional space for computer stand with monitors