Acceptable performance and semi-automation in high performance thin-layer chromatography require the use of optimized instrument platforms to perform the unit operations of sample application, development, and chromatographic evaluation. This provides a high level of flexibility in the selection of instrumentation appropriate for different applications, particularly in approaches for detection (e.g., absorption, fluorescence, radio-chemical, biological, mass spectrometric, etc.) and scale (analytical or preparative). Most current requirements can be met by commercially available devices, although there is strong synergism between methods under development to improve separation performance,miniaturization, improved sample detectability, and coupled spectrometric techniques, and the construction of laboratory-built devices, and these in turn, will form the basis for future instrument platforms.