Digital Sample Management: Fewer Failed Experiments, Lower Material Consumption
Sustainability does not begin with the selection of environmentally friendly raw materials or energy-efficient synthetic routes, but rather with the organisation of laboratory processes. Every failed experiment consumes chemicals, energy and working time; every lost sample must be reproduced. In many research and testing laboratories, however, paper-based protocols, scattered data storage and incompletely recorded sample inventories make it difficult to work in a reproducible manner. This is where digital sample management comes in: it brings together sample information, process steps and supporting documents in one central location. A case study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) demonstrates the measurable benefits this brings in terms of efficiency, quality and material usage.
Decentralised Data as the Cause of Failed Experiments
Accredited testing laboratories are subject to strict documentation requirements: every result must be traceable and fully documented. In practice, safety data sheets, calibration certificates and process parameters are often scattered across filing cabinets, different drives and handwritten notes. Staff often pass on process knowledge verbally or via sticky notes. These inconsistent structures prolong test preparation, increase the error rate and complicate the running of parallel tests.
This has direct consequences for a laboratory’s resource balance. Deviations in experimental procedures lead to fluctuating product properties, whilst repeated runs increase the consumption of reagents and consumables. At the same time, there is a greater risk that auditors will raise objections regarding incomplete documentation. And furthermore, without digital sample management, there is also no comprehensive overview of existing sample stocks. In the case of complex synthesis processes, where the outcome depends heavily on strict adherence to parameters, the lack of standardisation has a particularly significant impact.
Digital Sample Management in Practice: the Fraunhofer IKTS Case Study
As part of the Limprove project, the ‘Biologised Materials and Structures’ group at Fraunhofer IKTS investigated two processes from their own day-to-day laboratory work: the methacrylation of gelatine and a patent-pending inorganic mineral synthesis process. In the methacrylation process, the researchers chemically modify gelatine to make it light-curable and to specifically adjust properties such as gel formation, viscosity or mechanical stability. The mineral synthesis utilises gel structures to produce nanoscale hydroxyapatite – a bone-like material for implants and scaffolds.
At the heart of the digital sample management system was the ‘Samples’ laboratory and sample management software from Qualitype GmbH. It presents process steps as interactive, step-by-step instructions complete with parameters and videos, links these to the sample information, and automatically archives all data. Safety data sheets and test certificates are stored directly within the system. In addition, a modular shelving system (Smart Rack) from Better Basics Laborbedarf GmbH organises chemicals, equipment and consumables in fixed positions at the workstation, thereby reducing walking distances and search times.
The effects can be quantified. The duration of the methacrylation experiment fell from 70.8 to 37.6 minutes – a reduction of around 47 per cent. In mineral synthesis, the standard deviation of residual moisture – a key quality control parameter – decreased from 25.9 to 1.3 per cent by mass. The results are therefore significantly more reproducible. Furthermore, the team recorded fewer failed attempts, fewer incomplete experiments and fewer sample losses.
From the perspective of sustainability in laboratory practice, the lower error rate is particularly significant: it reduces material consumption and minimises waste from discarded batches. Also it becomes clear that greater precision and more efficient use of resources not only save costs but also reduce the environmental impact. Digital sample management also facilitates the induction of new staff, as standardised instructions make process knowledge available independently of individual staff members. As next steps, the IKTS plans to integrate the shelving system into laboratory furniture and fume cupboards, as well as to record further key performance indicators and video documentation within the software.
Source: Trade journal ‘Laborpraxis’
Photo: metamorworks
