Manual Dosing Drift
Peristaltic tubing degrades over hours, causing undetected flow rate drift. Without gravimetric verification, your fed-batch profile diverges from the recipe — compounding errors across every pump channel.
QB Systems — Flexible. Innovative. Limitless.
Software-defined automated bioprocess dosing. From 2 channels to 20+. Peristaltic, syringe, and centrifugal pumps — mixed freely. Gravimetric verification. Integrated gas MFC. One platform. Zero compromises.
The Challenge
Manual dosing introduces errors, limits scalability, and creates compliance gaps. Current automated systems force you to choose between flexibility and precision.
Peristaltic tubing degrades over hours, causing undetected flow rate drift. Without gravimetric verification, your fed-batch profile diverges from the recipe — compounding errors across every pump channel.
Most dosing systems support only one pump technology. When your process demands both high-precision micro-dosing and high-flow transfers, you need separate systems that cannot share recipes or data.
Disconnected pumps, scales, sensors, and gas controllers from different vendors create data silos. Correlating dosing events with process parameters requires manual data stitching across 3-5 software tools.
Standalone pumps lack audit trails and electronic signatures. Manual documentation for pH adjustments, feeding schedules, and gas sparging decisions falls short of 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.
Why QB Precise Dosing System
No other benchtop dosing platform matches this combination of pump flexibility, gravimetric verification, and integrated gas control at this price point.
Start with 2 channels and scale to 20+ by adding QB PUMP and QB SWITCH modules via PoE. Each channel is independent — no recalibration when you expand.
Mix peristaltic (PMP-001/002), syringe (SPM-001), and centrifugal (PMP-003) pumps in one system. Match each channel to its application — from 0.001 mL/min micro-dosing to 7.7 L/min transfers.
QB MULTISCALE connects up to 12 digital balances (Mettler Toledo, Kern). Real-time mass feedback compensates for tubing wear, viscosity changes, and environmental drift — verified by actual weight.
QB GASFLOW MFC modules deliver 8 gas types (Air, Ar, CO2, N2, N2O, H2, He, CH4) at 0.1 SCCM–20 SLPM with 1.5% accuracy. Mix ratios managed in the same recipe as liquid dosing.
QB CONTROL Recipe Designer uses drag-and-drop blocks (Start, Stop, Wait, WaitUntil, Conditional, Split, Merge) to build dosing protocols. Three control modes: Manual, Semi-Auto, Full-Auto.
OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus, REST API, SQL, LDAP/AD — plus native PLC integration (Wago, Siemens, Beckhoff). Connect to LIMS, SCADA, or existing infrastructure without custom middleware.
QB MULTISENSOR integrates up to 6 Hamilton and Mettler Toledo probes (pH, DO, conductivity) plus Levitronix flow meters and QB foam sensors — all feeding closed-loop control services.
Starting from €25,000 with full software included. No annual license fees. Standard PoE cables and off-the-shelf consumables. 5-year TCO 50–70% lower than competitors.
System Architecture
Build your dosing system from independent QB Modules — each controlled via QB EDGE and the QB CONTROL web interface. Connected via PoE for power and data.
Automation Levels
QB CONTROL provides three operational modes. Start manual, progress to semi-automatic services, then deploy fully automated recipes — all without hardware changes.
Direct faceplate control from P&ID. Set flow rates, start/stop pumps, adjust gas flow in real time. Full operator visibility.
Pre-configured services: SetPumpFlowrate, Dose_Pump_Volume, pH_Control, Gas_Mix_Ratio. One-click execution with operator oversight.
Drag-and-drop Recipe Designer with conditional logic, parallel branches, and event-triggered dosing. Walk-away batch automation.
All modes share the same ISA 18.2 alarm management, 21 CFR Part 11 audit trail, and real-time P&ID visualization. Per-process P-Stop and global E-Stop ensure safety at every automation level.
Pre-validated service blocks, ready to use in any recipe. All sourced from the QB CONTROL Services library.
SetPumpFlowrate, Dose_Pump_Volume, TransferSoluteByPump, Dose_Syringe_Vol_with_flowRate, SetCentrifugalPumpRPM
Peristaltic • Syringe • CentrifugalpH_Control_Cellular, pH_Control_Microbial, FoamControlByPump, Glucose_Control, ORP_Control, TMP_Control
Closed-Loop • Sensor-DrivenSet_Gas_Flow, Dose_Gas_Vol, Gas_Mix_Ratio. Independent per-channel control with real-time MFC feedback.
8 Gas Types • MFC PrecisionTechnical Details
Complete system specifications for evaluation and procurement. Download full spec sheet (PDF) →
| Parameter | QB Precise Dosing System Specification |
|---|---|
| Pump Channels | 2 (base QB EDGE) to 20+ (via QB SWITCH expansion), each independent |
| Peristaltic Pumps | PMP-001: 3-roller, 0–300 rpm, 0.0033–365.69 mL/min; PMP-002: 4-roller, 0–600 rpm, 0.0079–2690 mL/min |
| Syringe Pump | SPM-001: 5–10 mL syringes, 0.001–50 mL/min, ±0.5% accuracy |
| Centrifugal Pump | PMP-003: 0–13,000 rpm, 0–7.7 L/min, max 1.0 bar ΔP |
| Gravimetric System | QB MULTISCALE MSC-001: up to 6 balances per module (12 with 2); RS232; Mettler Toledo + Kern |
| Gas Flow Control | QB GASFLOW GFC-001 (0.1 SCCM–2 SLPM) / GFC-002 (0.1 SCCM–20 SLPM); 2 MFC per unit; 8 gas types |
| Process Sensors | QB MULTISENSOR MTS-001: up to 6 sensors; Hamilton + Mettler Toledo (Modbus RS485); Levitronix flow |
| Pressure Monitoring | QB PRESSURE SENSOR PRS-001: IBP transducer, -99 to 300 mmHg, up to 2 sensors |
| Temperature Control | QB THERMO TCT-001 (heating 460W / cooling 580W, 2–42°C) or TCT-003 (heating mat, 200W) |
| LED Illumination | QB LIGHT LED-001 (2 outputs) / LED-002 (6 outputs); 4000K, 55–900 PPFD |
| Communication | OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus, Profibus, Serial, 4–20 mA, 0–10 V, REST API, SQL, LDAP/AD, SMTP, PoE, LTE, VPN |
| PLC Integration | Wago, Siemens, Beckhoff — plus MTP support |
| Compliance | 21 CFR Part 11 — electronic signatures, full audit trail, ISA 18.2 alarms |
| Control Software | QB CONTROL: web-based, Recipe Designer, P&ID, 3 control modes, real-time graphs, PDF/DOCX reporting |
| Controller | QB EDGE EDG-001: ARM, 10.1″ IPS touchscreen, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, PoE; 310 × 270 × 115 mm, 3.5 kg |
| Protection | IP40, CE — all modules |
Market Position
See how the QB Precise Dosing System compares to leading benchtop dosing and bioprocess control platforms.
| Capability | QB PDS | Eppendorf BioFlo 320 | Sartorius ambr 250 HT | INFORS HT Multifors 2 | Watson-Marlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pump Types | 3 (peristaltic + syringe + centrifugal) | 1 (peristaltic) | 1 (peristaltic) | 1 (peristaltic) | 1 (peristaltic) |
| Max Channels | 20+ (modular PoE) | 4–8 (fixed) | 24 (fixed array) | 4 (fixed) | 1–4 |
| Gravimetric Verification | Up to 12 balances | Optional | Integrated (per-vessel) | None | None |
| Gas Flow Control | Integrated MFC (8 gases) | External MFC | Integrated | Basic sparger | None |
| Recipe Automation | Drag-and-drop visual | BioCommand | Proprietary DoE | eve / Lucullus | Manual only |
| Modularity | Full plug-and-play | Fixed config | Fixed config | Fixed config | Standalone |
| Compliance | 21 CFR Part 11 | 21 CFR Part 11 | 21 CFR Part 11 | Partial | Basic logging |
| Starting Price | ~€25K (no license fees) | ~€40–60K | ~€150–250K | ~€30–50K | ~€5–15K |
Applications
From early-stage R&D to multi-vessel process development, the QB Precise Dosing System adapts to your process — not the other way around.
2–4 bioreactors, limited budget. Automate glucose feeding with gravimetric verification, pH control with base addition, and gas sparging — all from a single QB EDGE. Scale when ready, without replacing hardware.
12–16 parallel bioreactors running Design of Experiments. Each vessel independently dosed via peristaltic + syringe pumps. Gravimetric balances verify every addition. Recipe Designer automates the full DoE matrix.
Continuous perfusion with centrifugal pump recirculation, peristaltic media exchange, and syringe pump micro-dosing for concentrated supplements. TMP control via QB PRESSURE SENSOR closes the loop.
Pricing & Licensing
Hardware modules drive cost. Software is included. Expand by plugging in new modules — QB CONTROL recognizes them automatically.
Perpetual license — one-time cost, no recurring software fees. License scales with hardware modules and services. Modifications are plug & play. Standard support (12 months) includes software updates, new versions, and bug fixes. Optional extended support with prioritized reaction times and spare parts shipment.
Questions
The base configuration includes 2 channels (1 QB EDGE + 1 QB PUMP). By adding QB SWITCH modules, each providing 4 additional PoE ports, you can scale to 20+ independent channels. Each channel gets its own pump module. Expansion is plug-and-play via PoE — the system auto-discovers new modules with no recalibration required.
Yes. This is one of the system’s key differentiators. You can combine peristaltic pumps (PMP-001 for low-flow, PMP-002 for high-flow), syringe pumps (SPM-001 for micro-dosing precision at ±0.5%), and centrifugal pumps (PMP-003 for recirculation) in a single QB EDGE–controlled system. The Recipe Designer manages all three pump types in unified dosing protocols.
QB MULTISCALE (MSC-001) connects up to 6 digital balances per module via RS232, supporting Mettler Toledo (MT-SICS protocol) and Kern balances. During dosing, the system compares the actual mass change on the balance against the target dose. If tubing wear, viscosity changes, or temperature drift cause deviation, the system automatically adjusts pump speed to hit the exact target weight.
Yes. The QB Precise Dosing System is fully vendor-agnostic. QB MULTISENSOR supports Hamilton and Mettler Toledo probes (Modbus RS485). QB CONTROL connects to existing infrastructure via OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus, REST API, SQL (JDBC/ODBC), and native PLC integration (Wago, Siemens, Beckhoff). Standard tubing connectors fit all major benchtop bioreactor platforms.
No. QB CONTROL uses a perpetual license model — a one-time cost with no recurring annual fees. Recipe Designer, P&ID visualization, ISA 18.2 alarms, 21 CFR Part 11 audit trail, calibration tools, and PDF/DOCX reporting are all included. License upgrades are only needed when adding new hardware modules, and they are applied in real-time.
QB CONTROL includes pre-validated services for: fluid handling (SetPumpFlowrate, Dose_Pump_Volume, TransferSoluteByPump), bioprocess control (pH_Control_Cellular, pH_Control_Microbial, FoamControlByPump, Glucose_Control, ORP_Control), gas management (Set_Gas_Flow, Dose_Gas_Vol, Gas_Mix_Ratio), temperature control, and TMP_Control. All services are drag-and-drop blocks in the Recipe Designer.
Request a live demonstration, schedule a 5-day evaluation trial in your lab, or get a custom configuration quote.
Request a Demo →Or contact us directly: info@qbsystems.com