top of page

Proven Lab Solutions

About This Portfolio: The projects below were developed during Ryan Stueber's (the founder) employment at Quest Diagnostics. They demonstrate my approach to solving lab workflow problems through custom 3D-printed designs. These are NOT products for sale. Instead, I work with labs to design and build custom solutions for YOUR specific workflow challenges - whether that's ergonomic strain, bottlenecks, or inefficiencies unique to your operation. Each lab has different problems. These examples show what's possible when you work with someone who understands diagnostic lab operations.

Ball Bearing Loader - Kidney Stone Dissolution Assay

Problem: Lab technicians manually loaded 2.5mm ball bearings into 60 sample tubes (two bearings per tube) for each assay run. The repetitive hand motions of picking up and placing tiny bearings into 5mm tube openings caused significant hand strain and required 10 minutes per batch.

​

Solution: Spring-loaded tool that loads an entire row of 12 tubes (2 metal bearings each) with a single button press. Ball bearings pour directly into an upper reservoir.

​

Impact:

  • Reduced task time from 10 minutes to 10 seconds (98% faster)

  • 80% reduction in ergonomic hand strain

  • Eliminated loading errors and improved accuracy

​

Value: For a lab running this assay 5 times per week, this saves ~40 hours annually per technician. At typical lab labor costs of $35-40/hour, the tool delivers $1,400-1,600 in annual savings while reducing injury risk.

Sample Manual Inversion Mixing Rack

Problem: Lab technicians manually inverted 12 racks of 10 samples using heavy acrylic racks paired with cardboard cutouts to hold tubes in place. This improvised system regularly led to sample spills, cross-contamination risks from cardboard contact with samples, and significant ergonomic strain from the awkward weight and grip required during the mixing process.

​

Solution: Lightweight 3D-printed rack system with integrated secure lid mechanism, stackable design for multiple racks, and ergonomic handles that allow comfortable, controlled inversion mixing without heavy materials or improvised solutions.

​

Impact:

  • 85% reduction in spill incidents

  • Eliminated contamination risk from cardboard contact

  • 20% reduction in total method time

  • 50% reduction in ergonomic strain from lighter weight and proper handles

 

Value: Beyond the direct cost of wasted reagents ($200-500 per incident), spills often mean lost patient samples requiring recollection - delaying diagnosis and creating a poor patient experience. The 85% spill reduction protects sample integrity and maintains quality standards. Combined with 20% faster processing time, this delivers approximately $3,000-4,000 in annual labor savings per technician while simultaneously reducing injury risk and improving patient care through fewer sample losses.

2mL Aliquot Measuring Rack with Cap Sealing Tool

Problem: The existing rack only held 8 tubes with a solid plastic top that obscured visibility of liquid meniscus, making accurate 2mL measurements difficult. Lab technicians needed a 30-tube capacity and had to manually press caps onto each tube individually, causing repetitive hand strain.

​

Solution: 30-slot numbered rack with cutouts above each tube position for clear meniscus visibility. Included a multi-cap depression tool that seals 16 tubes simultaneously instead of individual pressing.

​

Impact:

  • Improved liquid aliquot measurement accuracy

  • Reduced ergonomic strain from cap sealing by 40%

  • Reduced assay setup time by 20%

 

Value: For a lab running multiple aliquots daily, the 20% time savings translates to ~4 hours per week per technician. Combined with reduced injury risk from repetitive cap pressing, this delivers approximately $7,000-8,000 in annual value per user through labor savings and injury prevention.

Angled Magnetic Bead Separation Rack

Problem: Commercial mag-bead racks position magnets parallel to the tube's upper half, but magnetic beads actually accumulate along the cone-shaped bottom (angled ~10°). This misalignment, combined with weak standard magnets, resulted in slow bead separation and wider bead dispersion, increasing risk of sample loss during wash steps or carryover contamination.

​

Solution: Custom rack design that angles sample tubes 10° to align with tube cone geometry, utilizing stronger Neodymium magnets for optimal magnetic field positioning where beads actually collect.

​

Impact:

  • 50% faster magnetic bead separation times

  • 15% tighter bead grouping, reducing sample loss

  • Approximately 20x lower cost than comparable commercial alternatives

  • Improved assay reproducibility through better bead retention

​

Value: For assays requiring magnetic bead separation, 50% faster separation time saves approximately 2-3 minutes per sample batch. In high-volume labs processing 20-30 batches weekly, this delivers 30-50 hours of annual time savings per technician ($1,200-2,000 in labor value). The 15% tighter bead grouping reduces reagent waste from sample loss and minimizes failed assays requiring re-testing. At approximately 20x lower cost than commercial alternatives ($50-75 vs $1,000-1,500), the rack delivers immediate ROI while improving assay consistency and reducing consumable costs.

Custom Reagent Reservoir - Steroid Assay Automation

Problem: A steroid assay required three distinct reagent sections on the liquid handler: 50mL internal standard, plasma diluent, and suspended magnetic beads, with spacing between each to prevent cross-contamination. Standard 12x25mL reservoirs couldn't accommodate these specific volume and spacing requirements.

​

Solution: Custom multi-compartment reservoir featuring three 25mL sections plus one 65mL reservoir with a 33-degree angled bottom. The angled design consolidates liquid into a single row as volume decreases, allowing the liquid handler to aliquot from one position throughout the entire run. Manufactured with validated biocompatible resin using Formlabs Form 4B SLA printer.

​

Impact:

  • Enabled automated liquid handling for an assay that couldn't be efficiently automated with standard equipment

  • Simplified programming by eliminating position changes during liquid aliquoting

  • Reduced cross-contamination risk through integrated compartment spacing

  • Improved user experience with permanently engraved labels

​

Value: Converting a manual assay to automated liquid handling delivers substantial labor savings and improved reproducibility. The custom reservoir eliminated a bottleneck that prevented automation adoption, allowing the lab to process higher volumes with consistent quality while freeing technician time for more complex tasks.

50mL Tube Storage Organizer

Problem: Lab staff stored 50mL tubes in large, wide tubs that consumed excessive bench space or left them in original packaging bags, making individual tube access difficult and creating visual clutter on work surfaces.

 

Solution: Compact vertical storage system designed to hold one complete package of 50mL tubes with easy top-access retrieval. The narrow footprint maximizes available bench space while keeping tubes organized and accessible.

​

Impact:

  • 30% reduced bench footprint compared to original packaging

  • Eliminated awkward reaching and digging through bags or bins

  • Improved workflow efficiency with organized, one-hand tube access

  • Professional appearance that reduces visual clutter


Value: In labs where bench space is at a premium, reclaiming even small amounts of work surface directly improves efficiency. The improved ergonomics of vertical access reduces repetitive reaching strain throughout the day, while the organized presentation contributes to a more professional, controlled lab environment.

bottom of page