Solution Summary

Rapid Testing

Many lab tests require time to complete. A prime example is traditional moisture content testing using an oven. A proper test can take hours, during which time a great deal of product can be made. If that product does not contain the correct amount of moisture, it may be scrap. Moisture content claims are subject to regulatory control.

Alternative methods for moisture testing include using microwave ovens which shorten testing time to minutes from hours. Costs are in the $10 – 20,000 range. Testing can be further cut in half (and accuracy increased) by using InfraRed technology (NIR or MidIR). Costs are in the $30,000 plus area, and a complex standardization process called is required to set up the equipment. Using rapid testing methods can help you achieve significant savings by adjusting the process within minutes of a shift.

QIC has worked with a number of rapid testing instruments in conjunction with our SPC solutions, In addition NIR, MidIR, and micro=wave solutions for fat and moisture, we have worked with chemical composition instruments, gas chromatographs, and other lab instruments.

In the fat scenario, our systems can transform immediate fat measurements to FBD (Fat on a Dry Basis). To provide data collection and analysis of rapid testing instrumentation, we have had excellent success with GainSeeker™ SPC from Hertzler Systems Inc.

Firstly, the vendor and solution meets all of our criteria for selecting systems.

Secondly, GainSeeker SPC provides an excellent balance between very sophisticated statistical analysis capabilities, and extremely easy to use data collection capability. The mathematics are validated by qualified statisticians. Although there are about 150 SPC software packages available, there are only 4 or 5 that are enterprise oriented, 21CFR part 11 compliant, ODBC compliant, configurable, and easy to integrate with other MES and ERP systems.

Thirdly, GainSeeker™ is competitively priced for both small clients as well as multi-plant, multinational implementations.

For an overview of GainSeeker functionality, click here.