In 2007, Labman Automation installed and commissioned a unique system for cryogenically grinding and then feeding milligram amounts of plant material into sample vials ready for analysis. The system is designed to operate for 24 hours a day. The system is loaded with vials containing plant material and steel balls for grinding. Inside a -70 degree C freezer a robot loads the sample vials into stations designed to grind the sample and then pierce a hole in the vial, which is then used for feeding powder. The feeding station is used to dispense milligram amounts of the sample into Micronic tubes for downstream analysis (enzyme, nucleic acid, yeast and protein extraction).