Small-scale bioprocessing is where ideas turn into reproducible data and where an experiment’s reliability either unlocks scale-up or sends teams back to the bench. For labs running cell culture, microbial fermentations, process development or early-stage production, a compact, control-ready benchtop bioreactor that reduces hands-on time while giving rigorous data is vital.

The eLAB Essential from Tecnic — available in Australia from CoPure — is built for exactly that: up to 5 L working volume, real-time control, and an “essentials-first” design that helps labs move faster with confidence.

Why the right benchtop matters (data-first view)

Two realities shape lab bioprocessing economics:

Process variability scales — what looks like a small change in pH or DO at 0.5 L becomes a production risk at hundreds of litres.

Operator time and failed runs are costly — each repeat erodes budgets and timelines.

The sweet spot is a bioreactor that pairs repeatable control with low footprint and fast setup. eLAB Essential’s mix of compact hardware and integrated software is designed to reduce both technical and operational variance, producing cleaner data for scale decisions.

Product snapshot — volumes, vessel options and formats

Supports 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 L working volumes

Compatible with single-use and multi-use vessels

Suitable for contamination-sensitive cell culture (single-use) and repeated microbial runs (glass or stainless vessels)

Real-time control: eOS software and process visibility

The eOS platform powers the eLAB Essential with live readouts and recipe control for pH, DO, temperature and foam/level. Its UI supports:

On-the-fly adjustments

Recipe management

Exportable reports

This turns a benchtop system into a repeatable, data-driven instrument rather than a manual setup.

Built-in dosing and cascade control

Four integrated peristaltic pumps: acid, base, antifoam and feed/media

Cascade control logic to sequence actions (e.g., stir speed → airflow → O₂)

Lab-scale automation that mirrors industrial strategies

Compact footprint, modular deployment

Weighing under ~5 kg with a slim profile, the eLAB Essential fits crowded labs and supports parallelised runs for DoE campaigns — all with minimal infrastructure needs.

Performance fundamentals — DO, mass transfer and control strategies

Robust DO cascade (agitation → airflow → O₂ enrichment)

Tunable strategies to reflect microbial vs mammalian culture needs

DO and mass-flow controls let teams characterise oxygen transfer (kLa) for scale translation

Practical use cases

Cell line development & transfection: contamination control + fast iteration

Microbial fermentation optimisation: DoE runs with integrated control

Process development: reproducibility across sites/operators

Teaching labs: simplified UI with advanced control templates

Operational tips for best results

Map kLa early: characterise transfer for each impeller/volume setup

Use cascades wisely: agitation first, sparging later

Log everything: recipes and traces highlight hidden trends

Leverage single-use: reduce overhead for contamination-sensitive runs

Data and compliance — reproducibility built in

With sensors, dosing and software unified, the eLAB Essential captures data-rich, traceable records. For labs moving from discovery to regulated environments, this supports early-stage documentation and quality frameworks.

Final thoughts — focused capability for modern labs

The eLAB Essential balances multi-volume flexibility (0.5–5 L), real-time eOS control, integrated dosing, and cascade-enabled automation — all in a compact footprint. For process scientists, that translates into faster learning cycles, cleaner data and smoother progression from lab to pilot scale.

For Further Enquiry Contact- sales@copure.com.au