Youkang Launches FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation: 'Tubes In, Nucleic Acids Out'

As epidemic prevention and control measures become normalized, the requirements for the overall testing speed and throughput of nucleic acid testing—the "gold standard" for COVID-19 screening—have become increasingly stringent and diversified. Automated equipment and systems have replaced manual processes as the key to accelerating testing.

“Sample in, nucleic acid out” truly achieves automation; open reagents and consumables; a “unattended” fully automated workstation; “industrial-grade” quality verified through real-world applications; holding four software copyrights and six product patents... Recently, Youkang Biotech held a product launch event in Beijing for its Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation. Qu Baochi, General Manager of Youkang Biotech; Li Jiansheng, R&D Director of the Equipment R&D Department at Youkang Biotech; and Zhang Yuewei, R&D Director of Molecular Reagents at Youkang Biotech, attended the conference. They analyzed and introduced the market landscape, technical features, and the advantages of using the workstation with the company’s self-developed reagents.

FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation

It is reported that the FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation is a fully automated nucleic acid extraction and purification instrument characterized by simple operation, high precision and efficiency, safety, and reliability. The system is equipped with a screw-cap opening function, allowing viral sampling tubes to be loaded directly onto the instrument. It is compatible with Youkang viral sampling tubes as well as other brands of sampling tubes with octagonal bases. When used in conjunction with the Youkang three-step extraction kit, it can extract 48 samples within 20 minutes, achieving a throughput of 144 tests per hour and 3,456 tests per day, thereby ensuring high efficiency and convenience. Users can also create custom protocols and pair the instrument with nucleic acid extraction reagents from other brands on the market, demonstrating strong adaptability. The instrument features a biosafety cabinet operating environment and includes an integrated automatic heat-sealing module for waste disposal, comprehensively safeguarding operator safety.

Qu Baochi, General Manager of Youkang Biotech

Looking back on Youkang’s development history since its establishment in 2006, the company has progressed from researching and developing viral sampling tubes and serum-free media for cell therapy to investing in the development of automated equipment, and further to the construction of a 42,000-square-meter manufacturing base in Beijing and the launch of its fully automated nucleic acid workstation. General Manager Qu Baochi stated that Youkang has upgraded its role from providing customers with “means” to delivering “ends,” akin to shifting from “ink” to “printers.” By continuously investing in research and development to ensure competitiveness, Youkang is staying on a path that aligns with customer needs. Embracing the philosophy of “focusing on one specific area amidst vast opportunities,” the company remains dedicated to niche markets and deepens its expertise in specialized fields.

“Currently, there are 8,732 nucleic acid testing institutions in China. With the normalization of epidemic prevention and control, the nucleic acid testing market boasts broad development prospects, with an expected addition of 4,000 new facilities in the future. The rapid growth of testing institutions will impose higher demands on testing services,” introduced General Manager Qu Baochi. The FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation integrates eight major functions: sample scanning, sample processing, in-situ cap spinning, adjustable-spacing pipetting, nucleic acid extraction, nucleic acid aliquoting, heat-sealing of used tips, and biosafety assurance. It truly achieves automation, making nucleic acid extraction convenient, fast, safe, precise, and cost-effective. Meanwhile, with 15 years of experience in viral sampling, Youkang demonstrates greater professionalism in sample processing and nucleic acid extraction. The FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation features “industrial production-grade” quality verified through practical application, ensuring durability under high-intensity, long-term use.

Li Jiansheng, R&D Director of the Equipment R&D Department at Youkang Bio

Notably, the FE4800 workstation features an innovative automatic cap-twisting arm that is compatible with all octagonal-base viral sampling tubes available on the market. It can simultaneously open eight tube caps, eliminating the need for pre-aliquoting. According to Li Jiansheng, the FE4800 workstation offers strong adaptability, allows customization of the nucleic acid extraction workflow, and supports fully open reagents and consumables without bundling or mandatory requirements, providing a more flexible user experience.

Li Jiansheng pointed out that the FE4800 Fully Automated Sample Processing and Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation features high efficiency, speed, safety, and precision. Viral sampling tubes can be loaded directly onto the instrument, with high-purity nucleic acids automatically dispensed into well plates, eliminating the need for manual intervention throughout the extraction process. The intelligent integrated robotic arm supports flexible customization of nucleic acid extraction throughput; it can simultaneously aspirate specified volumes from 1 to 8 sampling tubes or perform single aspirations, ensuring high efficiency and speed.

In terms of biosafety assurance, the FE4800 workstation is equipped with a negative-pressure, 100% exhaust biological safety cabinet operating environment. This design minimizes environmental requirements, prevents sample leakage, and ensures the safety of both the environment and operators. The pipetting module employs low-position tip ejection technology to prevent aerosol contamination. Additionally, an automatic heat-sealing waste disposal module is included to safeguard operator safety.

The FE4800 workstation is equipped with multiple sensors to monitor abnormalities such as reagent bubble errors, accidental operational touches, and consumable displacement in real time. It provides alerts and corrective measures, offering greater fault tolerance. Furthermore, nucleic acid extraction results are traceable; the workstation can automatically scan barcodes on sampling tubes and record data in its memory, ensuring that sample origins are fully documented.

Zhang Yuewei, R&D Director of Molecular Reagents at Youkang Biotech

Zhang Yuewei pointed out that, compared with the traditional five-step method, the Youkang Lysis-Free Extraction Kit simplifies operational steps and significantly reduces extraction time. The procedure can be performed at room temperature without heating, thereby ensuring nucleic acid quality. For viral samples of the same concentration, the Youkang Lysis-Free Extraction Kit yields higher nucleic acid concentrations. It offers excellent extraction sensitivity, with a lower limit of detection below 500 copies/mL for viral solutions. The kit provides a more hassle-free user experience; when used in conjunction with Youkang Bio’s inactivation sampling tubes, it delivers stable performance and ensures that nucleic acid extraction failures due to sampling issues are avoided.