Laboratory Operations App Suite

The laboratory operations app suite covers a variety of use cases for streamlined laboratory management. These use cases include sample management, inventory management and digitized work instructions for sample procedures. The app suite is divided into three app groups: Laboratory Management, Instrument management and Sample Procedures. This article aims to provide an overview of the app suite. The deatiled description of individual apps can be found in the app group articles.

Physical scope

Examples:

The app suite is designed to serve the needs of multiple laboratory types such as a Pharma QC lab, a Large molecule or an R&D laboratory. As it is shown in the two examples, some of them applications in this app suite are mean to be used in various lab environments (e.g. inventory management or instrument management), whereas other applications are alternatives to each other. For sample management and for navigation to sample procedures the suite includes 2-2 applications. To guide users in choosing form the apps, read the Options for Sample Management article.

Tables used in the app group

Samples: This table is used to store samples. Before the receipt of the sample in the lab, its status is set to ‘REQUIRED’. Upon receipt, the status can be changed to ‘RECEIVED’ or ‘PROCEDURE DEFINED’ if the sample procedures are added manually. Once the sample's status is switched to ‘PROCEDURE COMPLETED’, the user working in the sample management application can either approve or reject the sample, updating its status to ‘APPROVED’ or ‘REJECTED’, respectively.

Tasks: This table stores sample procedures, which can have the statuses ‘PENDING’, ‘IN PROGRESS’, and ‘DONE’ as the task progresses to completion.

Sampling Plans: This table is used to store sampling plans. Each record represents a procedure required for a given sample, identified by the ‘Sample Reference’ field. The Sampling Plan Management application can populate the table; otherwise, it serves as a reference table on a day-to-day basis. This means that Tulip Automation pulls the list of samples and sample procedures from the Sampling Plans table into the Samples and Tasks tables.

Inspection Results: If a sample procedure is an inspection, its output is often an inspection result. Upon completion of the task, the result can be logged in the Inspection Results table.

Product Specifications: This table includes the lower and upper limits for all required inspections by product and procedure IDs. When the inspection results are logged, the Pass/Fail field can be populated by comparing the measured value to these limits.

Materials: The materials table stores all the non-sample inventory items that are used in the Lab. Each record refers to a physical item. This table is used to track the location of the material and the quantity of the material as well.

Material Definitions: Each record in this table refers to a material or product type. It contains the master information about the material type such as the GHS info or the required storage conditions of the material.

The Laboratory Operations app suite includes the following app groups:

Laboratory Management App Group

The Laboratory Management app group streamlines essential laboratory workflows for environments like Pharma QC and large molecule labs. It supports efficient sample tracking, inventory control, and operational oversight, enabling labs to maintain compliance and improve productivity.

Instrument Management App Group

The Instrument Management app group streamlines the management and operation of laboratory instruments. It includes the Instrument Manager app for monitoring instrument statuses, adding new instruments, and accessing procedures, along with a sample pH Meter Calibration app demonstrating an instrument-specific procedure.

Sample Procedures App Group

The Sample Procedures app group within the Laboratory Operations app suite provides tools for managing sample-related workflows and navigating to specific sample procedures.

Connecting to applications and app suites

The Laboratory Operations app suite interfaces directly with the Composable MES for Pharma app suite and other Tulip solutions by utilizing the Common Data Model for consistent data exchange and integration across laboratory systems.
Composable MES for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing