Tighter integration of the analytical laboratory with a company’s production process took a step further this week, with the announcement that Thermo Fisher Scientific and Capgemini are working together to link LIMS with ERP to generate a dashboard-driven view of the enterprise.
The announcement, made at Pittcon in New Orleans, comes hard on the heels of Thermo’s launch of a new version of its SampleManager software that, it claims, can now act as an all-in-one lab management platform, comprising method execution, data visualisation and laboratory management.
Capgemini, which provides consulting, technology, and outsourcing services, is linking a laboratory information management system (LIMS) into its Service Management and Service Level Agreement (SLA) Reporting Command Centre. As a result, LIMS data will smoothly integrate with the ERP to generate enterprise-wide ‘quality intelligence’ across the supply chain. The two companies expect that the benefits will include improved forecasting, analysis, and supply chain scheduling, together with the ability accurately to assess quality control measures and assurance steps during production.
The combined LIMS/ERP solution has been created with an eye to the growth of big data, cloud and mobility capabilities and is intended to improve the responsiveness of the laboratory in providing views of the data that can be used down the line for management and process decisions.
The new package offers access to real-time quality intelligence from the laboratory to the C-suite; full integration of data from the quality analytical laboratory with the supply-chain ERP system; service level agreements for production; and quick deployments of enterprise software.
Matt Grulke, director of marketing and new business development for the informatics business at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: ‘A well-integrated lab is critical to success across many industries’. Robert Stephens, Capgemini North America oil and gas and chemicals sector lead, continued: ‘Not only are we helping customers increase productivity, we’re enabling companies to take better control of their supply chain data.’
The new version of SampleManager, which Thermo also announced at Pittcon, includes laboratory information management (LIMS), scientific data management (SDMS) and lab execution (LES) functions. According to Thermo, SampleManager can be connected to customers' existing informatics infrastructures, regardless of which or how many instrument vendors they use.
According to Grulke, because SampleManager now encompasses LIMS, LES and SDMS functionalities, ‘laboratories no longer need to purchase, implement, validate, and support software packages from multiple vendors. The significant cost savings can instead be invested back into the business to drive new innovation.’
The software offers more intuitive dashboards and an enhanced Statistical Quality Control (SQC) capability designed to detect non-conformance trending before it reaches pre-defined thresholds. For pharmaceutical QA/QC labs, enhanced SampleManager Stability improves study management, sub-study execution, and planning and maintenance of study inventory. The package also automatically calculates the expiration date throughout a study to verify label claims.
