Labor-Informations-Management-System (LIMS)
Laboratories are individual in terms of their areas of responsibility and often also in terms of their established workflows. This is an initial situation that initially speaks against the sensible use of IT systems to support workflow and data management. Nevertheless, specialized information systems - so-called LIMS - have established themselves on the market and are competing to cover the complex requirements of laboratories in terms of internal organization and the management and evaluation of the data generated. They achieve their goal by offering application modules along a generalized workflow in a pre-structured, standardized form for a wide range of industries. Such process steps range from sample registration, specifying the scope of the analysis or other work tasks and data acquisition of analysis results through to reporting.
However, the performance of an IT system for laboratories depends heavily on the ability to adapt the available program functions to the specifics of the laboratory in question. This must be possible within the scope of the standard software package and at a reasonable cost.
The decision to use a LIMS in the laboratory is rarely based solely on the rationalization aspect. The fulfillment of documentation obligations, early detection of quality problems with the possibility of countermeasures or high information availability of laboratory data in research, for the company, the customer or other partners come to the fore.
What is a LIMS?
Der Terminus LIMS ist ein eingeführter Begriff und steht für Labor-Informations-Management-System. Die exakte Definition für die IT-Applikation LIMS ist abhängig vom individuellen Blickwinkel in Bezug auf den Einsatz im Labor und der Nutzungsart. LIMS sind nur zu einem gewissen Grad standardisiert, da sie in unterschiedlichsten Bereichen eingesetzt werden müssen. Die Anpassung eines LIMS an die individuellen Belange einer Organisation und deren Aufgaben ist somit – in gewissem Rahmen – ein normaler Vorgang und gleichzeitig eine Notwendigkeit, um Akzeptanz beim Anwender zu erzielen. Bei allen Variationen des Einsatzspektrums finden sich dennoch Gemeinsamkeiten bei den verschiedenen LIM-Systemen, was zu folgender Definition führt:
Ein Labor-Informations-Management-System (LIMS) ist eine IT-Applikation, die den Laborbetrieb in Bezug auf die administrativen und koordinativen Aufgaben der Probenbearbeitung sowie hinsichtlich der Erfassung und Auswertung ermittelter Analysendaten unterstützt.
Laboratory IT extensions
Depending on the focus of the laboratory and its tasks, LIMS applications are sometimes supplemented by other specialized software applications. These include solutions that are grouped together with LIMS under the term "laboratory IT applications":
- ELN (Electronic Laboratory Notebook)
Database system for planning and managing experiments in the form of an electronic laboratory notebook. The ELN often focuses on the management of unstructured data from experiments or syntheses, as well as recipes. Dialog forms are supported, which enable entries in customized forms, tables or large free text fields, right up to the recording of reaction equations or images. ELN systems are frequently used in research and development areas.
- LES (Laboratory Execution System)
Software application to support the systematic, documented execution of analyses, preparation steps or reagent production in the laboratory. The user is guided in dialog with notes or instructions and at the same time prompted to enter the relevant data for the respective work step manually or electronically (SOP-oriented dialog forms). LES applications are often found in regulated areas such as the pharmaceutical industry, but also in other laboratories with high documentation requirements. - SDMS (Scientific Data Management System)
Database application for managing scientific laboratory data (raw data, results files, documents). The software applications are often geared towards the orderly long-term storage of complex analysis data such as spectra or chromatograms and, in addition to data acquisition and transfer, also include data visualization and sometimes the creation of reports.
SDMS functionality can also be found in some LIMS products, which are often based on XML-based data storage, for example in the standardized AnIML format (Analytical Information Markup Language).
LIMS technology
LIMS, as database-oriented application systems, require powerful IT technology to efficiently support sample processing and to store the resulting data in a structured, analyzable form. These are
- A server system that holds the LIMS database and on which the LIMS application software is also installed. The database and application are often distributed across several servers, which can be operated internally or externally by IT service providers or in the cloud. Common products such as ORACLE or MS SQL Server are usually used as the database, with open source solutions also being used less frequently. The server hardware typically uses Windows Server or UNIX / LINUX server operating systems.
- Workstations, i.e. PC systems that are usually connected to the server system via a local network. The PCs are normally operated with MS Windows and offer the user the LIMS application with a graphical user interface. The LIMS is often structured as a client/server program, i.e. the application part and database part are separate and communicate via a network.
Various systems are now also based entirely on web technologies. As a result, more and more LIMS applications can be operated in part or completely via a web browser, which facilitates their use as a cloud-based solution. Many LIMS manufacturers are also gradually making parts of the application available on mobile devices such as tablets. - Network infrastructure, i.e. local and sometimes also wide area networks (LAN, WAN) mainly based on Ethernet. TCP/IP is used as the most common network protocol. Servers and clients are connected to each other via the network infrastructure so that the LIMS user has access to all necessary resources that have been released for him.
In addition to these basic components, there are also more advanced aspects of LIMS implementation. These range from networking with higher-level planning systems, such as ERP or MES, to the integration of customers or suppliers via the Internet, for example via dedicated web portals.
LIMS applications
The user who uses the LIMS in his laboratory focuses less on the technology and more on the functionality. They are faced with a software system that offers them an individual range of functions via selection menus, which they can use for their daily work. Essentially, the following basic modules can be found:
- Order registration and sample registration
- Specification of the scope of testing or inspection
- Support with sample distribution and processing
- Recording of results data (manual, electronic)
- Release of the test results
- Reporting and evaluation
- Master data management
In addition, there is a wide range of other functions that are offered in the LIMS basic package or as an extension.
In most cases, the basic version of the LIMS is adapted to the individual characteristics of a laboratory during a design and implementation phase. Different approaches are used, which either provide for consecutive steps or agile techniques that make iterative adjustments until the LIMS module is complete.
LIMS applications often develop further when used in the laboratory, right up to highly specialized systems. If only the basic functions are used at the beginning, special evaluations, statistics, test equipment management or quality control charts, for example, are added later. In some cases, additional modules are also available, e.g. for document management, stability testing or quotation and invoicing. Special laboratory IT solutions such as ELN, LES or SDMS can supplement LIMS applications or, in some cases, be operated independently.
The integration of peripherals, above all the connection of analysis devices for online recording of electronic measurement data, is an essential step towards increasing work efficiency and minimizing errors. However, the heterogeneity of device interfaces and data formats present certain hurdles when implementing such device connections to LIMS. For this reason, intensive efforts are being made to standardize communication protocols and transmission formats. Examples of this include communication standards such as SiLA or OPC UA as well as the XML-based data format AnIML for data exchange and storage.
Another high potential benefit lies in the electronic exchange of data with other IT systems in the company or even across the board. This includes, in particular, the integration of production planning and warehouse management systems, business-oriented applications and also external systems, e.g. those of the client or public authorities. However, it often takes several years to fully implement such a highly integrated application landscape.