FlexyCUBE: The parallel reactor system for parameter screening and DoE

Executing comprehensive Design of Experiments (DoE) or parameter screening sequentially costs valuable laboratory time. Furthermore, modern laboratories are often forced into proprietary, rigid automation systems that demand the purchase of expensive, vendor locked hardware and ongoing software subscriptions.

The FlexyCUBE breaks these structures. It is an open-architecture parallel reactor system designed to adapt exactly to the laboratory current needs, allowing the independent operation of multiple screening reactors from a single PC.

• High throughput parameter screening:  Run multiple independent experiments simultaneously to drastically accelerate catalyst screening, DoE, and Quality by Design (QbD) studies.
   
• Hardware independence: Seamlessly integrate existing third-party thermostats (e.g., Huber, Julabo, Lauda) and dosing pumps, preventing vendor lock-in.
   
• Single module scaling: Expand screening capacity one reactor at a time, ensuring your laboratory only invests in the exact hardware your current projects demand.
   
• Transparent cost of ownership: Gain full access to the powerful central control software with a single investment, freeing the laboratory budget from restrictive, recurring annual licensing fees.

The FlexyCUBE is designed to physically adapt to your chemistry set up in minutes. You are not locked into one reactor size or one type of dosing.

The system allows for seamless scale-up and screening within the same framework. Easily swap out glass inserts depending on your exact volume needs. Choose from multi screening setups 4 x 20 mL to larger individual vessels (70 ml, 100 ml, 250 ml, up to 400 ml).

Manual dosing in parallel experiments leads to errors. The FlexyCUBE offers a suite of plug and play automated dosing modules that attach instantly. Options include Single or double dosage gravimetric units, volumetric dosing, N2 valves for inert gas handling, and highly precise Syringe pumps 4 x 6 mL for continuous micro dosing.

The FlexyCUBE offers granular expandability. Laboratories are not forced to invest in rigid, predefined multi-reactor blocks.

• Single-module concept: The system allows a laboratory to start with a basic configuration and successively add individual reactors or dosing stations as project demands increase.
• In practice: If the need for parallel experiments suddenly rises, the system is simply expanded by adding one more module. This step-by-step scaling enables highly precise budget planning and ensures that only the capacities actually required are taking up valuable bench space.

Operating multiple parallel reactors produces an enormous amount of data. Manually merging these values from different thermostats and stirrers is highly error-prone.

• One PC, all data: The software aggregates all sensor data (temperature, stirrer torque, dosing amounts) from every single reactor into synchronized, continuous records.
• In practice: After completing a parallel DoE run, the system automatically exports a structured process report. This validated data can be immediately compared, analyzed in Excel, or transferred directly into the company’s Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) for secure archiving.

• Flexible reactor volumes: Easily interchangeable glass inserts ranging from 4x20 mL, 70 mL, 100 mL, 250 mL, up to 400 mL.
• Modular dosage (plug & play): Support for single or double dosage, volumetric modules, inert gas valves N₂, and highly precise syringe pumps 4 x 6 mL.
• Comprehensive interfaces: 6 x RS232, 4 x Pt100, 8 x analog (In/Out), 4 x Ethernet, and 3 x USB for maximum connectivity.
• Gas reaction capabilities: Can be easily modified for gas reactions by integrating a pressure reactor.