Improving Water Testing Laboratory Efficiency with LIMS

A new case study has been published by Autoscribe Informatics which describes how the Culligan Analytical Lab in Illinois, USA, used the Matrix Gemini LIMS to make significant improvements in laboratory efficiency. Culligan Water provides water treatment solutions to domestic, commercial and industrial markets. Laboratory testing to provide an accurate analysis of a customer’s water quality is a key component of the company’s success, especially as many customers are using wellwater.

Handling around 17,000 samples per year, with each sample undergoing multiple tests and turnaround times as short as 24 hours often required, the need to drive and maintain laboratory efficiency is very important. Replacing the previous LIMS used by the laboratory, Matrix Gemini removed a major bottleneck by using barcoding to replace the manual scanning and saving as PDFs of sample request forms. In addition, the system was configured to automate the collection of test results and eliminate transcription errors by transferring data directly into Matrix Gemini from ICP, IC, UV/Vis, and titration equipment.

The laboratory is certified to be compliant with the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP), which is modelled after similar ISO standards. The audit trail provided within Matrix Gemini is completely in line with the requirements of NELAP.

Using the built-in configuration tools, screens were configured to automatically populate information from the log-in screen to make the flow more intuitive and efficient. With sample requests coming from many different Culligan dealers, Matrix Gemini was able to access all the required dealer information automatically. The system also maintained continuity between results generated by 3rd parties and results generated internally.