The following is a wrap-up of news of interest during
the months of May and June 1997.
MORE INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION ... Triple P Information
Systems was acquired by Delaware Computing recently, highlighting
the global nature of the current consolidation trend...
Bristol-Myers Squibb Joins
Electronic Notebooks ConsortiumNational Instruments Announces
new Test Executives Versions for Lab|VIEW and LabWindows/CVIPerkin-Elmer Announces New
Turbochrom C/S CDSPerkin-Elmer Releases New
Version of SQL*LIMSAccelerated Technology Laboratories Introduces
Sample Master Pro
Accelerated Technology Laboratories recently introduced their new Sample
Master Pro LIMS. A true client/server LIMS, Sample Master Pro utilizes either
Microsoft SQL Server or ORACLE on the server and Microsoft Access on the
client. It allows the laboratory to migrate from Sample Master, which uses
an Access back-end, to the power of a SQL database without the hassle of
or modifications to screens, reports, data, etc. Since Sample Master Pro
utilizes Microsoft Access for the front-end, modifications are simple and
fully integrated with Microsoft Office. For details, contact Accelerated
Technology at 415-594-9370 or 800-565-LIMS.
Automated Compliance Systems Adds Features
to Seedpak LIMS
Automated Compliance Systems (ACS) announced a Web-enabled capability and
added several new features to its Seedpak LIMS that increase system ease
of use, including the ability to review chromatograms within the LIMS; instrument/service
tracking; instantaneous data trend analysis; data entry at login at either
the product or sample level; the ability to enter programs/reports without
adding them to the menu; and, the ability to populate a sample from a quote.
A notepad feature that attaches any and all comments to samples and tests,
as well as a graphical review of historical parameter data at the time of
data entry are also now provided. Additionally, users can now relate containers
to products, which will aid in shipping reports and create workgroup/QC
profiles for following SOPs more easily. For further information, contact
ACS at 908-707-4100.
Autoscribe Announces Sample Tracker Software
Autoscribe announced the release of Sample Tracker software, a system for
tracking the progress of samples and/or tasks in the laboratory environment.
The software allows the registration of sample/tasks and allocates a resource
responsible for the work. Samples/tasks may move from one resource to another;
i.e., from one laboratory technician to another. All such transfers, or
chain of custody issues, are tracked by resource identity, time and date.
The product is available in both single user and networked versions. For
details, contact Autoscribe at P.O. Box 5, Riseley, Reading, UK; Tel: +44
(0118) 932-6196; Fax: +44 (0118) 932-6197.
Axiom Systems Acquires Laboratory MicroSystems
and Forms LabVantage Solutions
When Axiom Systems acquired Laboratory MicroSystems (LMS) in a deal that
was finalized and formally announced on April 15, 1997, the result was the
formation of a combined company now known as LabVantage Solutions. LabVantage
Solutions will be headquartered in Axiom's offices in Secaucus, NJ. Axiom's
offices in Pittsburgh, PA and Calcutta, India will be maintained, as well
as LMS' offices in Troy, NY and High Wycombe, UK. "From a legal and
financial standpoint, Axiom has acquired Laboratory MicroSystems,"
states Rick Dool, President and CEO of LabVantage Solutions, "but from
an operational and organizational standpoint, the companies have merged."
LabVantage Solutions will continue to market its suite of LIMS products
-- LabMaestro, LabVantage, LabMaestro Ensemble, and TRACE (a forensic LIMS
application) -- under the LabMaestro brand name. Ongoing product development
in all products would continue as planned according to Dool. For additional
information, contact LabVantage Solutions at 201-601-8888.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Joins Electronic Notebooks
Consortium
Bristol-Myers Squibb has joined the Collaborative Electronic Notebooks Systems
(CENS) Consortium, a consortium made up of eleven Fortune 500 companies.
The consortium's charter is to drive the creation of reasonably-priced,
forward-looking systems to support R&D team project data management,
collaboration and electronic laboratory notebook keeping to meet patent
and regulatory requirements. For details and more information about the
consortium, contact the Collaborative Electronic Notebooks Systems (CENS)
Consortium at 800 West Cummings Park, Suite 5400, Woburn, MA 01801. Tel:
(617) 935-9600. Fax: (617) 935-3113. Email: info@censa.org
Hewlett-Packard Revises HP ChemStation
for GC Systems
Hewlett-Packard has released a new version of the HP ChemStation for gas
chromatography (GC) that includes several quality and performance enhancements
to optimize GC data handling. New features include third and fourth signal
acquisition; manual calibration table entry; peak summing; automatic baseline
reset; and more options for custom reporting. For details and to request
a brochure, contact the Hewlett-Packard Chemical Analysis Group, 2230, P.O.
Box 9000, San Fernando, CA 91341-9981 USA or visit the Hewlett-Packard
web site. Ask for Literature No. 5965-7213E.
LIMS Institute Announces 1997 LIMS Award
Recipient
Dr. Robert D. McDowall of McDowall Consulting (Bromley, Kent, UK) is the
recipient of the 1997 LIMS award. Dr. McDowall was recognized by the LIMS
Institute award committee for his many contributions to the LIMS community.
In particular, the award committee noted his many important publications,
his long career as a teacher of LIMS courses, and his many years of service
as the UK editor of Laboratory Automation and Information Management.
The award will be presented at the LIMS '97 Conference being held this June
in the Netherlands. For more information about the LIMS Institute and the
LIMS award, visit the LIMS
Institute pages in this site.
National Instruments Announces new Test
Executives Versions for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI
New Test Executives versions for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI offer several
new features, including the ability to call tests developed in a variety
of programming languages. Other new features include a modular architecture
so users can easily customize tests; advanced sequencing and subsequencing
capabilities; sequence-level debugging with breakpoint and single-step capability;
and ASCII sequence file generation/loading for test plan documentation or
ISO 9000 requirements. For details, contact National Instruments at (512)
794-0100 or visit their web site at http://www.natinst.com.
National Instruments Highlights New LabVIEW
4.1
National Instruments has released a new version 4.1 of their LabVIEW
graphical instrumentation software. The Windows version of LabVIEW now features
DAQ wizards to streamline DAQ development through automatic point-and-click
program generation. The generated programs are native LabVIEW "G"
source code, which users can further customize and enhance. For details,
contact National Instruments at (512) 794-0100 or visit their web site at
http://www.natinst.com.
National Instruments Introduces New Intelligent
Distributed IO System
FieldPoint, a new distributed, modular, intelligent I/O system from National
Instruments now provides an economical solution for monitoring and control
applications. The product includes isolated analog and digital I/O modules,
terminal base options, and network modules that can adapt the system to
industrial networks. For details, contact National Instruments at (512)
794-0100 or visit their web site at http://www.natinst.com.
National Instruments Highlights New Device
Server Toolkit for OPC Server Development
The Device Server Toolkit from National Instruments is now available for
device manufacturers and systems integrators to use when developing servers
compatible with OLE for Process Control (OPC). With the toolkit, users can
quickly develop servers to communicate with thousands of devices, systems,
and legacy applications in a typical plant or factory. For details, contact
National Instruments at (512) 794-0100 or visit their web site at http://www.natinst.com.
Perkin-Elmer Announces New Turbochrom C/S
CDS
A new Turbochrom Client/Server Chromatography Data Systems from Perkin-Elmer
provides enhanced networked data acquisition from any commercial liquid
chromatograph (LC) or gas chromatograph (GC). The software enables multiple
users to collect data in a Windows NT environment and utilize a distributed
computing architecture to view real-time data on the network, set up and
control instruments, and graphically view and reprocess data. For more information,
contact PE Nelson at 3833 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134; Tel: (408)
577-2298; Fax: (408) 894-0322; Web: http://www.perkin-elmer.com
Perkin-Elmer Releases New Version of SQL*LIMS
A new release of the SQL*LIMS Client/Server LIMS, version 3.1.2, is now
available. The latest release provides enhancements and improved synergy
between Perkin-Elmer's various software solutions, such as SQL*QA and SQL*STABILITY.
In addition, the new release includes a new software solution called SQL*PROTOCOL
for bioanalysis and pharmacokinetics. For more information, contact PE Nelson
at 3833 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134; Tel: (408) 577-2298; Fax:
(408) 894-0322; Web: http://www.perkin-elmer.com
Perkin-Elmer Offers Free Web Site Software
Programs
PE Nelson has introduced a set of CD-ROM demonstration programs that emulate
an Internet Web site. Using standard Web browsers like the Netscape Naviagtor,
users can view actual running demonstrations of PE Nelson's SQL*LIMS or
Turbochrom, its chromatography data handling package. The programs allows
users to experience the real operation of the products. For more information
and a free copy, contact PE Nelson at 3833 North First Street, San Jose,
CA 95134; Tel: (408) 577-2298; Fax: (408) 894-0322; Web: http://www.perkin-elmer.com
SDI Announces Publication of LIMS Reports
SDI has published two LIMS reports recently, their fourth annual survey
of LIMS users in the U.S. and Canada, and their fourth annual survey of
LIMS in North America. For both surveys, LIMS managers in various industries
were asked to give their insights regarding their use and experience with
LIMS. Over one-half of survey respondents indicated their lab had a client/server
PC-based LIMS. The 145-page LIMS in North America report costs $3,195,
while the 85-page Labs on LIMS '97 report costs $745. Both reports
can be ordered from SDI by telephone at (310) 641-4982 or by facsimile at
(310) 641-8851 in the U.S.; or by telephone at +33 (1) 30 99 62 50 or by
facsimile at +33 (1) 34 74 81 62 in Europe.