We all know the problem: the equipment in our laboratory has reached the end of its service life and it's time to think about new investments again. This often means significant (re)CapEx expenditure - be it for replacing or upgrading systems. However, deciding when and how much equipment to purchase can be a challenge. Gut instinct or spontaneous decisions can quickly become expensive.
Fortunately, there is a better way: Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM). In this article, we explain how you can use targeted data analysis and centralized management of your laboratory equipment to not only make the right decisions, but also achieve significant savings.
Data-driven decision making and asset management in the lab
Data-driven decision making - it sounds complex at first, but the basic idea is simple. Instead of making decisions based on gut feeling or mere assumptions, they are based on solid, well-founded data. This approach is becoming the norm in more and more industries because it significantly improves the accuracy and traceability of decisions.
For laboratories, this means that by systematically recording and analyzing data, you can find out, for example, which devices are actually being used to capacity and which are not. This allows you to make investment decisions with pinpoint accuracy and avoid over- or under-utilization. In short, you maximize the return on investment (ROI) of your equipment.
This is how Data-Driven Decision Making works:
1. data collection: Everything starts with the collection of relevant data. In a laboratory, this could be the collection of usage data and maintenance logs of laboratory equipment.
2. analysis: In the next step, this data is analyzed - ideally with the help of modern software solutions. Statistical methods and analysis tools help to identify patterns and draw well-founded conclusions.
3. decision making: On the basis of these evaluations, you make well-founded decisions that are based not only on assumptions but also on hard facts.
Whether in the lab or elsewhere - the potential is huge. Marketing companies use DDDM to better understand their target groups. Banks use data to assess risks. And in the laboratory? Here, this method enables the use of equipment to be optimized, maintenance to be planned precisely and unnecessary expenditure to be avoided.
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Asset management in the laboratory - more than just centralized management of laboratory equipment!
Asset management goes far beyond simply counting and managing equipment. It encompasses the systematic management of a laboratory's core assets, from acquisition and use to knowledge retention. Efficient asset management maximizes the value of your laboratory equipment and extends its service life - and that saves you money.
What does this mean in concrete terms for your laboratory?
1. inventory: every device, every machine and every instrument is recorded - including specifications, location and area of use.
2. maintenance and calibration: Regular maintenance is the key to avoiding costly breakdowns. Preventive maintenance not only keeps your devices running longer, but also increases the accuracy of your research results.
3. usage monitoring: Which devices are really used frequently? Which ones are subject to peaks in utilization? This information helps to avoid unnecessary purchases and to plan the purchase of new systems precisely.
4. life cycle management: Every device goes through various phases - from purchase and use through to disposal or reuse. Good life cycle management ensures that you make optimum use of your resources.
Systematic asset management not only increases operational efficiency, but also improves the quality and reliability of your research. A well-maintained and optimally utilized laboratory saves costs and produces better results - a win-win situation.
Lack of time as a bottleneck - efficiency through data-driven decision making
Time is often a scarce commodity in the laboratory. Employees are overworked and there are fewer and fewer staff to do the work. Many laboratories are therefore under high cost and optimization pressure.
In the pharmaceutical industry in particular, laboratories are the linchpin of quality control. But although these laboratories are essential, they generate high costs and are therefore constantly the focus of optimization measures. This is where Data-Driven Decision Making comes into play, helping laboratories to make optimum use of resources and use time more efficiently.
However, this is easier said than done: collecting and analyzing data is often time-consuming and complex. Without the right tools and methods, the process can quickly take days or even weeks.
Example: Capacity expansion of an HPLC laboratory
Imagine that the staff in your laboratory are complaining about insufficient capacity in the liquid chromatographs. Sample volumes are increasing and you have to decide: Do we need more devices? If so, how many? Does it make sense to continue with the current manufacturer or are there cheaper alternatives?
Of course, these are important questions - and a gut answer is unlikely to be the right solution. The solution? Data-Driven Decision Making.
But how do we put this into practice? One possibility would be to check the system utilization. The number of injections is often used as a benchmark to determine utilization. However, this is not always accurate, as the methods and run times in chromatography vary considerably depending on the product. Some methods take minutes, others over an hour.
In addition, reservation times, dishwashing times and other factors are often not taken into account. We quickly reach our limits with mere estimates and factors based on gut feeling. We need a more precise data basis to make really well-founded decisions.
The solution: A solid data basis for all laboratory devices
If we really want to rely on Data-Driven Decision Making, we need a detailed data basis. This means that we not only need to know the utilization of our HPLC devices, but also the use of other critical devices such as centrifuges, dissolution testers or UV spectrometers.
The challenge? For many of these systems, there is often no suitable software to measure usage or utilization. This is where the next bottleneck comes in: How do we capture the data? Without the right tools, planning data-driven decision making can quickly become overwhelming.
The answer: LabThunder
This is where LabThunder comes into play. This software solution has been specially developed to support laboratories in data collection and decision-making. While SAP and other systems often stop at the analysis of laboratory devices, LabThunder goes one step further - right down to the device itself.
LabThunder combines asset management and data-driven decision making in one platform. The booking system and the technical logbook function enable valuable data to be recorded with little effort. The utilization, malfunctions, maintenance and cost factors of all laboratory equipment are documented centrally and automatically. This not only simplifies the decision-making process, but also increases the productivity of the entire laboratory.
With LabThunder you know exactly:
- How long a device is down per month
- Which devices cause the most maintenance costs
- Which employees block devices most frequently
- And which systems should be replaced urgently
With this information, you can kill several birds with one stone: data-driven decision making, asset management and the optimization of laboratory use. And last but not least, you are taking a further step towards the digital laboratory.
Conclusion: Use the power of data for your laboratory
Data-Driven Decision Making is not a buzzword, but a valuable tool that helps you make informed decisions and make your laboratory more efficient. By combining it with well thought-out asset management, you can not only save costs but also maximize the useful life of your equipment.
LabThunder offers you the tools you need to bring about this change in your laboratory. Let's work together to make your lab future-proof - more efficient, data-driven and sustainable.
Contact us for a no-obligation consultation. We can help you take the next step towards data-driven decision-making - and take your laboratory to a new level of efficiency.
LabThunder test now!
without risk, without hidden costs!
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