Automation is changing the laboratory environment and workflows. With increasing automation, laboratories benefit from greater efficiency and productivity, as well as improved accuracy and repeatability. When applied to laboratory monitoring, automation can provide valuable insights, further increasing efficiency and productivity—by eliminating time-consuming manual checks—and supporting more flexible and remote work.
To achieve the full benefits of automation, laboratories need a real-time monitoring system that extends beyond individual instruments to include environmental and facilities parameters like temperature, humidity, particles, HVACs, differential pressure, humidity, gas manifolds, water purification, flow hoods, and many more. XiltriX lab monitoring-as- a-service includes the hardware, software, and support required to create a comprehensive, fully automated monitoring solution optimized for your laboratory environment and workflows.
Why automate laboratory monitoring?
Monitoring laboratory instruments and equipment, environmental, and facility parameters can improve data quality, workflows, and ensure valuable samples are safe. However, attempting to monitor all of these parameters manually is extremely time consuming, and diverts skilled laboratory staff away from higher-level tasks.
Manual monitoring and documentation are also insufficient to provide accurate information on sample conditions, trends, and creates a false sense of security. Individual instruments may have monitoring functionality, which can automate this process to an extent. Unfortunately, the data collection and retrieval are suboptimal to say the least, and if the power goes out, so does the monitoring. In addition, relying on multiple discrete systems creates data silos, is inefficient, and fails to provide a complete picture of all relevant parameters.
A comprehensive, automated monitoring system dramatically improves efficiency. It eliminates manual checks and documentation, and provides relevant alerts and notifications so that skilled staff can focus on more complex tasks. A robust monitoring system can consolidate all parameter data into a single platform, compile trend data, provide predictive insights—so you can intervene before the freezer compressor fails—and generate custom reports in an instant.
A truly automated solution must be comprehensive
Monitoring select instruments and equipment provides some insights, but not enough to understand the full picture or root cause of a fluctuation. For example, a freezer monitor may alert users to temperature fluctuations throughout the day. This alert is useful, but without a root cause, it is difficult to take action to solve the problem. Is the compressor failing? Are there frequent door openings? Or is there another factor involved, such as high ambient temperatures or HVAC issues? An automated system monitoring all of these factors makes it easier to identify the root cause of the problem.
Numerous environmental and facility parameters such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and particulate matter, can also affect sample and assay integrity. Monitoring these parameters together is important, but requires accurate data and records laboratories can review to identify the source of variability. A robust automated monitoring system makes it easy for users to review historical data.
In addition to monitoring instrument and environmental parameters, monitoring facility parameters—gas manifolds, flow hoods, water purification systems, backup generators, and more—provides a comprehensive view of the laboratory. A fully automated system easily integrates these parameters and eliminates manual checks.
XiltriX lab monitoring is a comprehensive, fully automated monitoring service designed to cover every inch of a facility—instruments, environmental parameters, and facility systems. Real-time data can be accessed anywhere, anytime, on the cloud based platform, and can be used to verify sample conditions, predict problems, and create custom reports. The SafetyNet Team provides 24/7 service and support, and acts as a last line of defense against missing critical alarms.
Insights require real-time data acquisition
The challenge with periodic checks is that fluctuations that may signal impending instrument failure, or exceed optimal sample conditions, can be missed.
Real-time monitoring delivers continuously updated information streaming at zero or low latency. This allows laboratory staff to address deviations before critical failure, or sample or assay damage and loss, and is an important feature of automated systems.
Real-time functionality can be applied to equipment, environmental parameters, and facility systems. Not only does this provide immediate insights into instrument and equipment status, and laboratory conditions, the data can also be used to create accurate reports on sample conditions.
Automation is creating a more productive, efficient laboratory environment and allows scientific staff to focus on meaningful tasks instead of tedious ones. However, for laboratory monitoring to be truly automated, it must be powerful and comprehensive. XiltriX is a fully automated solution that combines real time instrument, equipment, facility, and environmental monitoring with 24/7 support and service.