Go your own way
3 Jun 2008 by Evoluted New Media
When it comes to automation, what works in one lab is unlikely to work in another. That is when the extra pair of eyes of a third party can pay dividends says David James
When it comes to automation, what works in one lab is unlikely to work in another. That is when the extra pair of eyes of a third party can pay dividends says David James
MODERN research and development laboratories are constantly striving for efficiency, and often look to automation to solve this challenge. Whilst there are ways of optimising the performance of a laboratory, the processes that are successful in some laboratories are not necessarily the most appropriate in others. Therefore the problem arises in deciphering exactly which methods and processes will increase the efficiency of each laboratory.
The approach is often specific to the circumstances of an R&D laboratory. Most laboratories grow organically over time, adjusting to meet a variety of needs and technical developments, for example changes in sample handling methods and regulatory requirements. The largest opportunities therefore tend to exist where there has been a significant change in the requirements of the R&D laboratory.
By involving a specialist third party to analyse whether the basic processes that are used in a laboratory are the most suitable, it is possible to identify and eliminate pinch-points and to plan for future changes. Services such as these are often drawn and adapted from advanced models within the engineering and manufacturing industries, using both automated and non-automated approaches.
With staff in modern laboratories witnessing increased pressure through growing workloads and time consuming tasks, scientists have little time to reorganise processes themselves. By outsourcing to a team of experts, who can integrate with laboratory staff to identify causes and analyze problem areas to determine which processes can be changed, laboratories are guaranteed the best possible solutions to workflow efficiency. The team can then map the processes using state-of-the-art tools and work with laboratory management to determine control strategies. This ensures the changes take place and future additions to laboratory instrumentation can fit seamlessly and efficiently into the new process.
Employing a specialist team ensures that R&D laboratories are provided with the best possible advice on workflow issues and will find the best solutions for each individual laboratory. In turn, this will provide a more efficient working environment where scientists are able to apply their skills for maximum effect, improving working conditions for laboratory staff, and increasing throughput and the quality of results. Furthermore using an ‘idea to market’ service, specialists can identify which processes will improve through automation, design and manufacture, and deliver new bespoke technology to meet this need. Additionally, in situations where automation is not viable, the team will employ models from the engineering and manufacturing industries to reduce pinchpoints.
The issue of efficiency is not one that is simply particular to laboratories, but to companies across the spectrum. Therefore, in some cases, it is useful to study models borrowed from other industries – that can be adapted and applied to laboratories in order to solve workflow issues.
For example, one particular model that is applicable to the industry is ‘lean manufacturing’. The principle of ‘lean manufacturing’ is based upon the notion that eliminating waste from any process will automatically bring about a more efficient process. Such ‘waste’ can be considered as additional labor, raw material or equipment. Using experts to identify the needless stages in production ensures that the process is refined as far as possible, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
By employing this strategy, a thorough analysis is made of the necessity of each process and its efficiency, this includes recording each person or function that interacts with a technology and taking account of each process that the technology goes through. This information must be obtained before a judgment can be made on how to improve the process.
For example, recently a client requested Invetech to provide an additional piece of automated equipment to enable them to meet customer demand. On closer analysis it became apparent that whilst performing within specification, the overall equipment efficiency of the existing equipment was less than 30%. The main contributors were quickly identified as being due to poor yield and equipment uptime. Invetech identified this to be due to variable quality of incoming raw materials, poor operator training and poor management of production staff. These were rectified with minimal investment and the need to purchase an additional machine with all of its associated operating costs delayed for several months.
In order for laboratories to achieve their optimum efficiency, they must ensure they have considered all factors that may comprise production. By using Invetech’s methods to identify where waste can be cut from the production process, the system becomes more economical, leading to considerable reduction of costs long-term.
Contact:
email: instruments@invetech.us
web: www.invetech.us
By David James. David is Director of Invetech’s Manufacturing Innovation Group, based in Melbourne, Australia.
