Which option is NOT one of the three basic automation approaches?

• A. Random Access
• B. Continuous flow
• C. Centrifugal
• D. Discrete

Answer: (A)

Random access is a workflow capability, not a fundamental processing mode. In lab automation, the basic approaches describe how samples are actually processed: continuous flow moves samples through the system in a steady stream, and discrete processing handles each sample as its own unit. A third approach is defined by the kind of automated module or preparation used in the system, but random access refers to the flexibility of selecting any waiting sample for analysis rather than to a distinct method of processing. Because of that, random access does not count as one of the three basic automation approaches.