More efficient and productive work in the test lab 4.0
Digitalization and intelligent networking of all processes in the spirit of „Industry 4.0“ means that technical-physical testing laboratories must also become „smart“ - externally in relation to the other company departments and customers, but above all internally in terms of processes, information management and data handling. This can be achieved through the full integration of laboratory management via a laboratory management system (LIMS) and comprehensive automation.
What does full integration mean in this context?
Fully integrated means that the administrative processes and technical procedures in a physical-technical testing laboratory can be handled very effectively: The data only needs to be entered once and can be used wherever it is needed.
This does not just begin with the set-up in the test laboratory, but already in the quotation phase. The offer to a customer already describes test sequences and test parameters. The test is part of the work preparation, to which a test system is already assigned.
When the customer places the order, all data, e.g. parameters, planned dates or assigned devices, can be transferred from the quotation without having to enter additional data.
The planning of the tests, including test parameters and other details, is transferred to the laboratory automation system. Once the test specimens have been prepared and set up in the test device, the test engineer or technician can start the test or tests. For combined tests, the laboratory automation system offers the option of synchronizing different tests in different devices.
During the test, the current status, measurement data and other parameters such as additional inputs or outputs of the test devices, remaining runtime, etc. can be monitored. As the laboratory automation system monitors the tests of the test devices in real time and saves the data, the data is periodically transferred to the laboratory management system.
After the test, the laboratory automation system transfers all the results to the laboratory management system, where the test reports can be created based on this data.
All these steps can also be carried out remotely.
What are the main advantages?
The most important advantages for everyone involved in the entire process can be listed quickly:
- Reducing complexity for test engineers
- Joint use of a wide variety of test devices from different manufacturers
- Use of existing data
- Data consistency
- No manual entry of data even when using multiple devices
- Real-time information online about the status of devices
- Remote access to all data and status information through to system control
- Automation of test runs
Versatile configuration - can be used remotely
In order to reduce the complexity of using different systems, laboratory automation relies on the uniform definition of device interfaces. This also reduces the failure rate and makes it easier to train new employees in the physical-technical testing laboratory. Linking the laboratory management system (LIMS) and laboratory automation makes it possible to transmit orders directly to the test devices and ensures that the test result data is consistent until the test reports are created.
If different devices need to be synchronized for a combined test, they can be grouped together in clusters. These device clusters are treated as a single test device in the system and can be controlled in the same way as the other test devices. Here too, the use of test devices, access to measurement data and control of a test remain consistent throughout the entire process, right up to report generation.
Thanks to web-based technology, the status of each device and the measurement data can be checked not only on site in the test laboratory, but also at any time from another office, from home or via smartphone. Tests can also be paused, continued or stopped remotely.
Many test laboratories are part of international corporations. The laboratory management system and the test laboratory automation system are therefore multilingual. This means that the same software application can be installed worldwide and support from a central laboratory can be easily organized. If required, the entire system can be quickly and easily expanded to include additional languages.
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