laboratory and production automation equipment; namely, peristaltic pumps; metering pumps; piston pumps; centrifugal pumps; gear pumps; rotary lobe pumps; diaphragm pumps; pH meters; conductivity meters; UV detectors; fluidized bed and traditional columns; membrane filtration devices; activated chromatography packings; membrane substrate filtration devices; integrated flowpath fluid networks; valves; flow meters; temperature meters; load cells; pressure detectors; microplate reading bio assay instruments; calorimetric bio assay instruments; fluorescence and photon counting bio assay instruments; sample acquisition instrumentation, auto washers, centrifuges, sample platers, autopipetors; cell culture instrumentation; fermentors; power suppliers, timers, gel supports, buffer containers, vacuums and shakers for electrophoresis; density meters; frame "grabbers"; image enhancers; image storers; image analyzers; laser scanners and detectors; buffer/solution mixers; cell liquid separators; and process control managers; and (2) computer hardware and software for operating each item of equipment referenced above and other associated equipment which hardware and software provide feedback, automation, control and validation of data being acquired by the equipment