Charles River Laboratories has brought a fully automated production suite for Endosafe bacterial endotoxin testing cartridges into full operation, increasing manufacturing capacity and adding inspection and digital-traceability functions.
The Endosafe Cartridge Technology Automated Manufacturing Suite reached full operational capacity in the third quarter of 2026, Charles River said. The company said the system was fully operational in July.
The automated line produces Trillium and LAL cartridges used for real-time, quantitative endotoxin analysis. The cartridges consolidate components used in endotoxin testing into a single disposable product.
Since becoming operational, the company reported a 14% increase in production capacity for Trillium and LAL cartridges compared with prior production. It also reported an 87% improvement in labor productivity and manufacturing efficiency, allowing higher output with fewer production resources.
Charles River said scrap rates declined 2% compared with manual cartridge production, while invalid cartridge rates fell 13%. The company attributed the changes to automation, inspection technology and more controlled production processes.
A central feature of the production suite is inspection of every cartridge rather than use of traditional sample-based inspections. The automated system evaluates cartridge thickness, reagent fill using imaging, package-seal integrity and digital traceability information.
Each cartridge receives a unique identifier that allows manufacturing teams to review associated inspection images, measurements and packaging results. The company said the system is intended to make investigations of manufacturing issues faster and provide data for process adjustments.
The project also introduced automated flat-tray packaging, reducing manual handling during production. Charles River said the change improved material consistency across both automated and manual processes.
Matt Hewitt, corporate vice president and chief technology officer for manufacturing at Charles River, said reducing manual production requirements has allowed the company to redirect skilled employees to other operational activities.