The laboratory environment is often fast-paced and intense. When a tight deadline, sick days, or other unexpected problems hit, there’s a real risk that something will fall through the cracks. After all, even the best lab manager is still human.
- Enterprise connects every instrument in a lab network and stores virtually unlimited data with advanced search
- Automatic cure-complete detection can cut tens of minutes of total test time
- One rubber company cut a mixer troubleshooting effort from nine months to less than a week
- The process manager add-on executes custom logic, alerts operators to trends and flags failed product
As the rubber industry becomes increasingly competitive, laboratories will need to become even more productive and efficient, with less and less room for error. There is a real need for a powerful tool that equips lab managers and technicians to do more.
Laboratory Software for the Next Generation
Enterprise is laboratory management software for the next generation of the rubber industry. Enterprise connects every instrument in a company’s entire laboratory environment, whether that’s a single room or a global network of facilities. Enterprise makes it easy to create and store test methods, access and analyze data, uncover deeper insights, troubleshoot unexpected inconsistencies, and more. In short, Enterprise equips laboratory managers with the tools they need to do more than they ever thought possible by serving as the brain of the lab.
Here are three powerful examples of how Enterprise can share the cognitive load:
An excellent memory
Enterprise stores virtually unlimited data from an entire network of testing equipment, and advanced search lets lab managers and technicians pull highly specialized reports with just a few clicks.
Test specs and serial numbers are stored directly in the system, so there’s no manual data entry and no risk of typos that could distort future reports. The result is more accurate data and smoother lab operations—even across multiple labs.
Saves time
A typical cure test runs for about 10 minutes, but curing may be completed much sooner. Enterprise can detect when curing is complete automatically, end the test, and alert the technician to change the sample. This can cut tens of minutes of total test time, allowing more cure tests per day.
It saves administrative time, too, with tasks as simple as printing reports automatically.
Solve Problems Faster With Enterprise
Troubleshooting a mixer problem, before Enterprise
A similar problem, with Enterprise
Enterprise is perhaps most powerful in a pinch. In one use case, a rubber company encountered a problem with one of their mixers and had to spend nine months sorting through data before they were able to identify and address the issue. After the company integrated with Enterprise, they had a similar problem. Using Enterprise’s powerful reporting tools, they found the source of the problem and fixed it in less than a week.
Enterprise offers unparalleled around-the-clock support because we understand that issues can arise at any time. Alpha’s dedicated software support engineers provide near 24/7 coverage to ensure your lab remains operational and resilient. For instance, there was an incident where a lab manager accidentally deleted their entire network, including Enterprise results, on a Saturday at 10 PM EST, which led to a halt in production. In a state of panic, they reached out to our support engineers, and within hours, we had restored their entire database and got them back up and running.
Process manager makes the judgment calls
In a fast-paced laboratory, a technician or manager may have to make a dozen or more judgment calls every day, based on a long list of criteria. If something goes wrong and troubleshooting is added to their mental load, the risk of overwhelm and decision fatigue is high. Enterprise software offers a powerful add-on called process manager which can be programmed to think and make decisions based on the needs of the laboratory. Process manager can:
- Execute custom logic systems for different scenarios.
- Alert laboratory operators to trends in the data that may indicate a need for human intervention.
- Flag failed product for faster troubleshooting and management.
Enterprise’s intelligent automation capabilities are virtually endless and can be customized based on the specifications of a given scenario. Lab operators can trust Enterprise to make their jobs easier and their labs more efficient so the company can meet its goals.
Laboratory Software as a Point of Pride
For most instrument manufacturers, laboratory software is a necessary evil only used to make the instruments run. For Alpha Technologies, it’s a point of pride. Enterprise is a user-friendly tool for streamlining mundane operations and an intelligent system that elevates laboratory operations to ensure optimum performance.
The user-friendly interface of Enterprise’s workbench program is accessible for everyone. This intuitive design not only simplifies everyday tasks but also seamlessly integrates into existing workflows. Enterprise’s open-ended design ensures that the program can learn and grow intelligently with any expanding business, from small family-owned production facilities to global entities.
The gateway to the next generation of laboratory operations
To learn more about Enterprise, talk to a member of the Alpha Technologies team.