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[October 2002]
Clay Materials Among Those to Benefit from LIMS
According to Quality Systems International (UK) Ltd, a LIMS - or Laboratory Information Management System - can easily be thought of as just a laboratory tool and yet with its Blending Control Module, the LIMS from QSI offers real benefits in a full production environment.The company adds: "This system warrants careful consideration by any company that blends materials as part of its manufacturing process, as it can effectively close the loop between laboratory testing and production control and even inventory control and purchasing".
The QSI Blending Module allows production departments to optimise a blend not only in terms of product specification variables - such as viscosity, for example - but also in terms of raw material cost and can then use the laboratory testing data to perform blending corrections if necessary.
These corrections can be carried out manually or automatically and the system can even be integrated with ERP/MRP to initiate the purchase of the necessary materials. At all times, the production departments are able to interface directly with the 'Optimiser' via their own input screens, to define parameters such as batch size and maintain overall control of the process.
The system is said to be able to handle virtually any type of material: liquids, including oils, fragrances and even molten metals; powders (minerals, pigments); or semi-liquids such as in the clay and bitumen preparation fields. LIMS is already being used in the kaolin sector, for instance.
ENDS