Regardless of your focu, developing small-scale point-of-care analysers, complex high-throughput laboratory machinery or sturdy hospital-grade systems, the automation parts you select must offer cleanliness, dependability, and seamless integration.
SMC’s Life Science group offers solutions from a single, reliable source, backed by a global operational network spanning over 80 nations. Their portfolio, featuring more than 700,000 products, covers key technologies: pneumatics, microfluidics, high-purity fluid management, and thermal control. This consolidation ensures clients receive all necessary items, from off-the-shelf components to highly integrated manifold systems and device-specific customized assemblies.
Our engineering team possesses a deep understanding of the practical challenges inherent in life science applications. These challenges include stringent regulatory standards, restricted installation footprints, exposure to aggressive media, the necessity for low-noise performance, and requirements for extended operational life. By collaborating with you from the initial design concept through full-scale series production, we transform your existing processes into stable, reproducible, and seamlessly automated sequences.
Automation solutions designed for the life science industry
For space-constrained medical and life science applications, you need top-tier automation, long-lasting high-purity parts, and miniature components.
We provide these essential tools to every type of client—from niche laboratories and new OEMs to major global companies:
Materials that handle even the most aggressive liquids
We rely on high-performance materials to guarantee safe and dependable liquid handling, even when exposed to aggressive, corrosive, or high-temperature media. Our solutions incorporate fluoropolymer tubing and fittings for superior chemical and heat resilience, stainless steel for settings prone to corrosion, and elastomers like FKM, FFKM, and EPDM for creating critical seals.
When used together, these components form fluid pathways that effectively resist acids, solvents, and cleaning agents. Simultaneously, they are instrumental in preserving media purity, prolonging the system's operational life, and facilitating demanding life science procedures such as Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sterilize-in-Place (SIP).
Fluid handling systems
We achieve precise microlitre control by bringing together valves, pumps, sensors, and manifolds in our fluid handling solutions. We use chemical-resistant isolation and pinch valves to safeguard sensitive materials, coupled with micro-dispense pumps that deliver highly consistent and repeatable dosing results.
When these elements are integrated within customized composite manifolds, they lead to a reduction in both internal volume and the number of connections. This strategic consolidation enhances flushing efficiency and response times, simplifies the overall assembly process, and supports stable, reproducible performance across critical steps like sample preparation, reagent dosing, and washing.
Quiet temperature control equipment
Sensitive medical and life science equipment necessitate both temperature stability and minimal operational noise. To meet this need, our thermo-chillers and Peltier-based units actively maintain reagents, optics, and electronics within highly restricted thermal ranges, often controlling the temperature to a fraction of a degree.
With their minimal noise and low vibration, these systems are the optimal choice for installation in sensitive environments, including imaging apparatus, laboratory spaces, and analyser enclosures. Additional features, such as intelligent control and flow monitoring, play a vital role in ensuring stable thermal performance over the equipment's lifecycle.
Acrylic products for high-purity applications
In high-purity applications, we use engineered-plastic and acrylic manifolds to integrate all necessary flow paths and components within a single, reduced-footprint unit. Because acrylic is transparent, it facilitates immediate visual inspection for common issues such as air bubbles, flow irregularities, or contamination.
These manifolds help achieve high-purity, low-contamination designs in analytical instruments and diagnostic devices by addressing two key areas: they reduce dead volume and minimize leak points through optimized internal channelling and the integration of necessary components (sensors, fittings, and valves).
Special pumps for precision dosing
We offer specialized pumps engineered for scenarios where microlitre accuracy is paramount. Our fixed-shot solenoid and diaphragm pumps are designed to provide highly repeatable discharge volumes, making them ideal for tasks like reagent dosing, spot dispensing, and automated microplate handling.
With a compact design, these units are easily integrated into constrained spaces or fluidic manifolds. Their durable construction also ensures long-term reliability. Furthermore, when integrated alongside our specialized valves and sensors, they constitute reliable, straightforward-to-control dosing systems.
Miniature valves for compact medical and lab devices
Miniature valves are essential for today's streamlined, compact life science apparatus. Our selection includes miniature isolation valves designed for aggressive liquids, as well as compact 2-port and 3-port solenoid valves intended for control of inert gases, oxygen, and air.
These microvalves offer low switching noise and precise control, leading to stable measurements and enhanced user comfort. Their features, a small footprint, low power consumption, and extended cycle life, make them perfect for integrating into compact analysers, training simulators, NIBP monitors, portable medical devices, and oxygen concentrators.
