Batch tracing in diaLIMS for quality assurance in manufacturing companies
Batch tracing in diaLIMS
Incoming goods inspections, semi-finished and finished product inspections, suitability sample assessments and special analyses can be controlled and documented in detail and conveniently.
Customer feedback on delivered goods can be stored and analysed in diaLIMS using the complaints management and process improvement modules. A reference to the delivery or production batch plays a major role in all these areas. Typically, batch information on samples and complaints is stored in diaLIMS.
The path to clear batch tracing is not far away: the use of goods in the individual production steps can also be documented in diaLIMS. This creates links between the respective batches: input quantities and systems are also documented in each case.
In the event of a complaint about a delivered batch, it is possible to look back at the intermediate production steps and the raw materials used in just a few steps. Quality data from the laboratory is linked in each case and provides quick access to analyse cause and effect.
Feature overview
- Management of delivery and production batches
- Store detailed information on batches
- Delivery and production quantities (target / actual)
- Times and dates
- Production locations
- Document batches of raw materials or intermediate products used
- Precise per recipe ingredient
- All-inclusive for the production batch
- Graphical representation of the batch hierarchy
- Interactive navigation through the production process
- Links to quality assurance data
- Traffic light system for specification deviations
- Data import and automation via interface to other company applications
Documenting relationships between batches
All batches used in the production process can be linked together in diaLIMS. It is possible to maintain which raw materials were used in which quantities in an intermediate product and which semi-finished goods and raw materials were used to manufacture a finished product.
These relationships are stored either manually or automatically.
In the simplest case, the batches used are recorded manually in diaLIMS at the start of batch production or when the components are made available. Of course, this can also be done by scanning the container barcodes so that no manual entry of batch numbers is required. If the diaLIMS functions are used to support production, the manufacturing process of a product can be controlled on the basis of the stored recipe. In the production workflow, the raw material batch number is recorded in addition to entering the actual quantities used (via the connection of weighing systems if necessary).
The transfer of batch utilisation from other company applications is also possible via an interface. By posting the utilisation of a raw material in production control, for example, diaLIMS could be informed automatically and the links between the batches could be established in the background. This makes it possible to use the clear diaLIMS tools for batch tracing without any additional manual effort.
Interactive navigation through batch structures
For each batch used, a view can be called up in diaLIMS showing which previous batches were used in which quantities in this production step. This display can be either in tabular form or graphically as a hierarchy tree.
If, starting from a finished product batch, you are interested in a semi-finished product used in it, the corresponding batch can simply be called up with a mouse click using the diaLIMS jump function. The previous batches used in the batch then displayed are then shown. These can also be viewed with a mouse click.
In this way, it is possible to navigate through the batch hierarchies in any direction. For example, starting from a finished product batch that is the subject of a complaint, you can easily navigate down to the raw material level. Here it is shown whether critical raw materials have also been used in other productions.
This all works without the laborious entry of batch numbers or complex research tools - simply by clicking the mouse in the batch hierarchy.
Recognising the causes of quality problems
The QA samples carried out are linked to each batch in diaLIMS. The analysed parameters are clearly displayed in these and deviations from the specification values are shown as coloured markings. Exceedances can be recognised in the samples at first glance.
However, violations of the stored samples are also displayed directly in the batches: Either as a traffic light symbol in the graphical batch hierarchy or as information in the tabular display of the batches used. When navigating through the batch hierarchies, it is therefore immediately recognisable whether anomalies were detected during the QA. The detailed view of a sample of interest can be opened with a click of the mouse using the diaLIMS jump function in order to obtain further information.
In this way, quality problems in the end product can be quickly and easily traced back to existing specification violations in the raw materials used.
Would you like to find out more about batch tracing and other topics in diaLIMS?
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