Want to be an accurately measured step ahead of the rest? Increase your laboratory’s competitive advantage with the new calibration management system from QBCon. The latest addition to the QBCon stable is a software solution that will help your business and increase the productivity of your laboratory. Interested? Read on…Calibration Management 101Calibration is based on the process of matching a measuring instrument with a measurement standard. By doing this, the relationship between the values that are shown by the instrument and those of the measurement standard are established.
To keep up with the growing needs of its customers, Royal Swazi Sugar Corporation Ltd. (RSSC) recently implemented a laboratory information management system (LIMS) to replace their manual management system. RSSC invested in Lab-i, a LIMS by business solution provider QBCon, to streamline and optimise its business processes. RSSC wanted an application to combine its various manual, paper-based systems into one computerised management system. Lab-i was customised to combine:Client base information and management (client details, pricing, invoicing, reporting)Sample receiving and registrationSample trackingTest methods, unique calculations and formulasDaily laboratory operationsReportingInvoicingLab-i will assist RSSC in managing and measuring daily laboratory activities - from sample receiving and registration to customer reporting and invoicing. The system is designed to reduce paperwork and protect information. Lab-i also minimises calculation errors as all RSSC's unique formulas and calculations have successfully been programmed into the system. The first project initiation meeting was combined with a three-day joint application design (JAD) session to identify RSSC’s unique business processes. This part of the process was completed at the end of May 2010. The system implementation phase was started in middle September 2010 and completed the first week in October 2010. This was one of the quickest implementations that QBCon has undertaken.Said QBCon account and project manager, Winston Connor, “The dedication and determination of all the staff at RSSC was the key driving force behind the success of this project. It has truly been an honour to be involved on this project and to work with such a dedicated team.” To find out more about QBCon or Lab-i, please visit our website at www.qbcon.com
What is continuous improvement? Google it and you will find a plethora of information on it. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_Improvement_Process) suggests the following: Continuous Improvement Process (CIP, or CI) is an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once.The question is, which is best? Should a company direct their efforts at incremental, or breakthrough improvements? This is perhaps a more difficult question to answer, as in most cases this would depend on the company's current situation. This is best explained by example.My mother used to work as an estate agent, a career that required a lot of travelling away from the office to various different houses, and meeting different potential buyers at every meeting. To stay in contact, all the agents had long-range two-way radios. If the buyer wanted to see another property that was not prearranged, the agents could simply pick up the radio and contact the agency, who would arrange a meeting with the next home owner, and then confirm the appointment with the agent again by means of the radio. This worked very well and required a very efficient middleman (as many business processes still do today), but with the pros came a whole list of cons too. One of the largest issues was the lack of immediate feedback, and the resulting waste of time and resources. Today, this type of business is still on the go, and they have moved from radios, through beepers (pagers), to mobile phones. In this instance the improvement in communication was incremental. However, if we consider another process in the estate agents business, show houses, a more drastic change took place in the age of the Internet. Few people would view a house nowadays without looking at it online first. This was a huge stride in saving time and resources. You can look at ten houses online in the time it would have taken you to visit a single house. This is more of a breakthrough type of improvement when one considers the lucky dip of show houses on the weekend, compared to the complex searching facilities of most property websites.The better of the two solutions depends on many factors. The incremental approach in this example needed a lot of investment in devices that are no longer viable. The business still runs in the same manner, and even the receptionist still has a role to play in most offices. Although the business is more efficient, the results to the bottom line were not drastically influenced by the arrival of the mobile phone.The breakthrough improvement has significant impact to the bottom line of this business. The Internet and its virtual house tours eliminated the need for estate agents to have offices and show houses. This savings in time and resources is phenomenal. This saving is surely what any business would like to achieve? Continuous incremental improvement is certainly a prerequisite to survival in today’s competitive marketplace, but this type of improvement is the norm. To boldly influence the future path of your business, breakthrough improvements are essential.So what does this mean for a laboratory? Simply put, continuous improvements on dated paper and Excel-based systems are only incremental. They result in slight improvements in productivity and efficiency, but in contrast, profitability remains largely unchanged.However, implementing a complete laboratory information management system (LIMS) like QBCon's Lab-i system, which can be integrated with all instruments and accounting packages, would be a breakthrough improvement. The resulting change would have a drastic impact on the way the business runs and similarly have a huge positive impact on profitability. To find out more about what QBCon can do to improve your business systems and bottom line, contact to craft a unique solution for you.Written by Lloyd Bekker on behalf of QBCon.
Vesuvius is an international Refractory Company supplying specialised products for the molten metal, glass and renewable energy industries. Vesuvius invested in software from business solution provider QBCon. The company invested in a laboratory information management system (LIMS) combined with business intelligence (BI) tool, EasyAsk. QBCon's LIMS offering, Lab-i, will help Vesuvius manage the quality assurance (QA) process by tracking samples and reporting on the results throughout the manufacturing process. Lab-i reduces paperwork and increases overall laboratory efficiency. The LIMS software is combined with the superior reporting abilities of EasyAsk. EasyAsk analyses relevant data from various databases and creates management information without backroom involvement. EasyAsk relies on natural language processing (NLP), enabling users to access data by typing a question similar to a Google search. The powerful software will facilitate the QA process on all tests Vesuvius conduct. Examples of tests performed include hot properties, strength, density and chemical composition.The Lab-i product will ensure Vesuvius conforms to international standards. It will improve the quality of their QA process, but also give them the ability to track samples within the broader complex testing process.The systems will be successfully integrated with Vesuvius testing equipment by the end of the year.Visit the QBCon website for more information.
The Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC) invested in a laboratory information management system (LIMS) from business solution provider, QBCon.RSSC laboratory processes around 2 000 samples every month. These agricultural samples, ranging from soil to fertiliser, usually have to be analysed quickly. The RCCS required a LIMS to streamline their processes and improve turnaround time. They also needed a solution to meet the ever-growing demands from clients.QBCon’s Lab-i could meet all of the RCCS's needs. Lab-i reduces administration, keeps track of samples through bar coding and encourages accountability through biometrics. The user-friendly LIMS allows laboratories to keep track of samples from the minute they enter the laboratory. Knowing where in the laboratory a sample is, which technician worked on it and how many tests have been performed on it can assist laboratories in identifying bottlenecks and improve turnaround time. The RSSC employs over 3 500 people and produces two-thirds of the country’s sugar. With Lab-i, the company can improve turnaround time on sample analysis to ensure it continues to produce the very best sugar possible. Visit the QBCon home page for more.
The laboratory environment can get complicated. Running the correct tests in the right way, keeping track of samples and which laboratory technicians worked on each sample can take up a lot of time. With Lab-i, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) from business solution provider QBCon, you can focus on the most effective methods of analysis without worrying about time-consuming administration. This week's blog entry focuses on the dry-density/water-content relationship. Why don't you focus on the test and let QBCon take care of your laboratory? Dry-density/water-content relationshipThe aim of the test is to establish the maximum dry density that may be attained for a given soil with a standard amount of compactive effort. When a series of samples of a soil are compacted at different water content the plot usually shows a distinct peak. The maximum dry density occurs at an optimum water content.The curve is drawn with axes of dry density and water content and the controlling values are values read off: rd(max) = maximum dry density wopt = optimum water content Different curves are obtained for different compactive efforts Explanation of the shape of the curveFor clays Recently excavated and generally saturated lumps of clayey soil have a relatively high undrained shear strength at low water contents and are difficult to compact. As water content increases, the lumps weaken and soften and maybe compacted more easily. For coarse soils The material is unsaturated and derives strength from suction in pore water which collects at grain contacts. As the water content increases, suctions, and hence effective stresses decrease. The soil weakens, and is therefore more easily compacted. For both At relatively high water contents, the compacted soil is nearly saturated (nearly all of the air has been removed) and so the compactive effort is in effect applying undrained loading and so the void volume does not decrease; as the water content increases the compacted density achieved will decrease, with the air content remaining almost constant.1. SCOPEThe maximum dry density and optimum moisture content, as defined below, is determinedby establishing the moisture-density relationship of the material when prepared andcompacted with a vibratory hammer at different moisture contents.1.1 DefinitionsMaximum density: The maximum density of a material for a specific compactive effort is the highest density obtainable when the compaction is carried out on the material at varied moisture contents.Optimum moisture content: The optimum moisture content for a specific compactive effort is the moisture content at which the maximum density is obtained. MDD & OMC Soil compaction can be a very economical method of soil improvement, and it is often used to make ground suitable for the foundations of roads and buildings. It is also used in the placing of soil fills and in the construction of earth dams to ensure suitable soil properties. The compaction is normally achieved through the input of energy into the soil by impact, kneading, vibration or static means.The extent of compaction depends on the moisture content of the soil and the compactive effort used. In a compaction test the object is to determine the optimum moisture content and maximum dry density achievable with a given compactive effort. A plot of dry density versus moisture content indicates that compaction becomes more efficient up to a certain moisture content, after which the efficiency decreases. The maximum dry density is obtained at this optimum moisture content.If the compaction process were completely efficient, it would be possible (but not necessarily desirable) to expel all the air from the voids, in which case the dry density would correspond to a zero-air voids state (ie. the sample would be saturated with water). Since perfect compaction is not possible (except at high moisture contents and low dry density) the compaction curve will always fall below the ideal or zero-air voids curve.It should be noted that there are a number of standards for compaction tests, each differing in the amount of energy input into compaction. For a given soil the different tests will produce different maximum dry densities and optimum moisture contents (ie. these parameters are NOT soil properties). The maximum dry density and optimum moisture content are only relevant for a specified compaction procedure which should be stated when presenting the results.In earthworks it is common to specify a dry density within a certain percentage of the maximum determined from a specified compaction test. For this to be a sensible procedure it is important that the compactive effort used in the laboratory is comparable to that supplied by the field equipment.Visit the QBCon website.
Every industry has basic tools enabling businesses to function effectively. These tools can include computers with software for writing documents. E-mail application’s to communicate with employees, partners, clients or financial management software. Most of these tools are no longer a luxury. We rely on these tools in the day to day running of our businesses. Tools like equipment and software are more specialised for each industry. Commercial laboratories are diverse, but the basis of successful operations must be consistent. Laboratories rely on trained staff, clients (samples), formulas, chemicals, testing equipment, and processes. Combining these with good management will give you the basis for your success. What if you could increase your probability of success? Laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are often overlooked when laboratories put together their toolboxes. LIMS provide opportunities for improvement of your lab. If used correctly, LIMS allow a number of tangible benefits, including increased productivity and quality, faster and better service, and can increase your bottom line. QBCon’s Lab-i will do just that. What sets us apart from our competitors? We have been in the industry for 18 years and we have a home grown advantage. We can customize our systems to satisfy our customer’s needs whilst ensuring a short turnaround time. Visit the QBCon home page for more on Lab-i http://www.qbcon.com/
Geostrada Engineering Materials Laboratory (Geostrada) provides laboratory testing for civil engineering projects. A business unit of specialist technical services consultancy, Aurecon, the Hatfield laboratory processes a large number of samples for analysis every month and required a laboratory information management system (LIMS) that would minimise the amount of time spent managing tests and samples, as well as reduce paperwork.Subsequently, Geostrada took a decision to invest in Lab-I, a LIMS development by business solution provider QBCon. The LIMS will replace the current manual system at the Hatfield laboratory and will be implemented in all Geostrada laboratories in the near future.Geostrada opted for Lab-I because the customizable software could be adapted to meet their unique requirements. Additional equipment integration functionalities will be added to the standard laboratory software, as well as technical and graphically reporting requirements.Biometric identification functionalityLab-I’s biometric identification functionality, which is already part of the system, enhances the security aspects of the application. This fingerprint identification functionality allows management to know precisely who was responsible for each phase during the laboratory process. This aspect is of critical importance for ISO 17025 accreditation purposes.Equipment integration functionalityThe equipment integration functionality will add to test result validity and accuracy, leaving no space for human error. An example of this is the weighing of samples on a balance. Previously, a user would enter results, whereas equipment integration functionality means the reading will be automatically recorded into the application, minimising room for mistakes.A customisable computerised LIMS will allow Geostrada to streamline laboratory processes, improve service delivery and increase their profit margin. Laboratory staff will be held accountable for tests performed and automation will ensure greater accuracy – all benefits that equip the laboratory to provide an enhanced service to its clients.
It is important that a laboratory information management system (LIMS) improves laboratory productivity, quality and traceability. The system should be an interactive application, rather than just a database. Ask the following questions before investing in a LIMS:Does the application support at least 90% of your specific business processes?Does the system support the automation of instrument integration?Does the system notify the relevant technician when results are out of the specified range? How well does the system perform data and mathematical calculations?Does the system streamline sample management and tracking?Does the application comply with industry standards and regulations? Does the system support graphical representations of results?Does the system grant users access to information and client reporting?When buying a LIMS, laboratories should take into consideration the complete workflow, from sample registration through to reporting the results and sending invoices for completed tests.
What is a LIMS? Laboratory Information Management System! Even laboratory staff don't know the term or what a LIMS can do for them. Since my first encounter with Lab-i in September 2009 I have learnt a lot about laboratories and the analysts that work in a laboratory environment. I was exposed to an environment that was new to me. Analysts and laboratory staff are very efficient. Being in sales most of my life, I met with people who wouldn't mind telling you outright that they had no idea what you were talking about. When it comes to sales, this is awesome. They would listen and then give you a straight answer - or as straight as they could, depending on who has the spending power. I truly feel all laboratories should use a LIMS. For a commercial laboratory this will be a complete business solution as LIMS can be integrated with your existing systems, like accounting packages etc. Don't wait until you're snowed under by paperwork before considering a LIMS. QBCon Lab-i will be customized to your needs and can be updated as your business grows. The bottom line is a LIMS will make your life a whole lot easier. Until next time,
Everything seems to be about social networking these days. One would think, as a software developer and computer geek galore, I would be the first to create a Facebook account, a Twitter account, a LinkedIn account, a Flickr account, a MySpace account, a YouTube account and a blog. I was quite offended when a friend pointed out that my lack of social networking is ludicrous because I exist, as she so delicately put it, "exclusively for my computer". I tried to retort with a clever remark about my raging and legendary social life, but then I realised she had a point. I am proud to report that this blog is the final step in an aggressive social networking campaign. My beloved laboratory information management system (LIMS), Lab-i, can now be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I know there's about a thousand more social networking applications that I should get involved in, but Rome wasn't built in a day.Lab-i is an awesome programme. I should know, I wrote it and I work on it all day, every day. The trick, I realised in the week past, is to convince others that this programme is much more than my passion project. Lab-i is a business tool. It can double turnaround time in a laboratory, it can increase profit and generally boost business for a laboratory. I hope to spread the gospel of Lab-i through social networking. Here's to Lab-i, and to the future!
Your current system is not as effective today as it was 20 years ago.
Outdated systems can cost your laboratory thousands in paper and labour. With a traditional system skilled staff often spend hours entering data instead of applying their very expensive skills. LIMS software enables laboratory staff to spend less time capturing data, as most of the data capturing is automated. Analysts can spend more time analysing, leading to increased productivity. With automated data capturing, there is very little room for human error.
With a good LIMS system you can keep track of the progress of each sample in a batch. LIMS software can generate detailed reports in a flash, allowing you instant access to important data needed for responsible decision-making. By drawing reports, you can identify and address delays in the testing process, thus increasing productivity.
