Lab management system
1  Summary
The branch company of Petrochina is a big and integrated petrochemical coorperation whose key business is fuel refining. Its lab is divided into fuel refining and petrochemical. Quality control center lab of refinery is mainly responsible for examining refining equipment. In addition, quality control center lab is responsible for supervising and examining the fuel of Petrochina head office and each city. LIMS systems every branch company implements include all business the above two labs have and are integrated with information system of branch companies. 
 2   Topologic structure of LIMS system 
 3 LIMS system functions
3.1 device connection
Excute analog to digit conversion of the chromatograph without workstation through data capture software and hardware. Chromatograph data system (CDS) deals with data collection, real-time integral and caculation, map matching, graphics/form display, etc.. At last, collect interface by LIMS to collect data to LIMS system. Then the connection with device is implemented.
3.2 sample work flow
3.2.1 type of work flow
1）
fixed-frequency sample examination in plan
2）
Planned and unfixed-frequency sample examination
3）
extra-sample examination
4）
  sample examination consigned by company outside
3.2.2
Procedure of workflow
1） sample registry
2）assignment of examination items
    3） results entering and auto estimation
4）Review
5）COA/generate and print COA/examination report
 3.2.3 use of file folder
     Many LIMS file folders are used in system to organize the samples in order to adapt to all kinds of purpose:
●
  Task assignment: for example sample registry folder
●
  Auto work flow: for example check folder for analyzing job position, sample folder for quality inspector.
●
  Status display: for example unqualified sample folder.
3.2.4 history record/report management
All experiment records are saved in LIMS database. So it is convenient to view relevant data by sample views and interfaces in LIMS. In general, there is no need to print these report. But in orer to print records on paper in need, Crystal report generater is adopted to formulate uniform format of history record. It will benefit a lot from the use of electronic document, not only in saving required information permanently, which promotes standardization and increases searching speed, but also in reducing configuration workload and decreasing the usage of paper, which helps to reach paperless lab operation.
3.3  lab management workflow
1）
   Equipment management: LIMS manages all analytical equipments and their spare parts centralizedly. Equipments/devices files are created in LIMS to record calibrating/maintenance date and expiry date of every equipment and inform equipment keeper and laboratorian before expiry. If it exceeds preset calibrating/maintenance date, label the data. 
2）
   Measurement equipment management: It is similar to equipment management. But calibration unit list and number are added.
3）
   HR management: LIMS creates HR files for quality center and synthesis qunlity division and assign evry single role, such as director, technician, laboratorian, equipment keeper, safty officer, etc.
4）
   Inventory management: LIMS inventory management function opens account for all articles in LIMS to manage inbound/outbound time, quantity, amount, receiver, etc. It will alarm when inventory is under limitation. 
5）
   Document management: LIMS document management function manages standard operation specifications and product standard including version control, and records necessary information such as avtive time, expiry date, void date.
6）
   Standards/reagent management:  LIMS standards/reagent management function manages standard metarials, standard solutions, etc. used in lab, including expiry date management.
7）
   Statistics management: By configuration, according to each laboratorian, team, section office, distillate port, produce equipment in lab, LIMS counts the date/month/year workload, as well as the workload and runtime of each equipment.
3.4 LIMS data searching
1）
  This system adopts LabWare LIMS standard function which provides different interface to different users so that information can be displayed flexibly, rapidly and accurately as user requires. 
2）
  By proper configuration, it provides all managers in lab including equipment keeper, safty officer, statistician, technician, wage clerk with information of equipment, inventory, document, workflow statistics, quality statistics, etc.
3）
LIMS system manager is able to view form and field information of LIMS database directly by data searcher or database searching tool provided by LIMS.
3.5 WebServer function
The Web function of LIMS is a Web remote access for staffs out of lab. The Web pages of LIMS are built by HTML. With proper operation authority, it is able to execute remote access of LIMS’s sample registry, sample application, data inquiry, etc. from this page. The use of LIMS’s Web function can save the quantity of LIMS user licence. It not only save investment but also reduce maintenance as a result that customers don’t have to install LIMS application.   
 WEB function provided by LIMS
1）adjust manufacturing solution
  By  dispatch function of LIMS, a large number of samples are entered in LIMS system automatically and regularly everyday. What sample should be entered every time depends on manufacturing solution of each work shop.
2）planned and unfixed-frequency sample  notice/sample addingFor the planned and unfixed frequency samples, relevant workshop needs to inform lab for sampling, divided into distillate port samples (mainly for manufacturing workshop), product samples/semi-finished product samples (mainly for tank area), raw material samples (mainly for material supply) and outgoing samples (mainly for storage and transportation workshop).
 3）Notice
Except the above notice sent automatically by system when Web user submits sampling application, Web user also can send notice to lab by Web at any time. Moreover, lab’s LIMS user can send notice to Web user.
4） sample results inquiryAccording to different units and colors, LIMS Web users of company and workshop can log in to LIMS and process remote inquiry by Web.
3.6 LIMS’s integration with other systems LabWare LIMS is a flexible system which has integrated with several manufacturing application sub-system successfully, achieving the sharing of quality data and other information. 
1）Integration of LIMS and manufacturing system data platform
2）LabWare LIMS与Aspen IP.21
  Integration of LabWare LIMS and Aspen IP.21 real-time database
3）LabWare LIMS与Aspen Orion
   Integration of Labware LIMS and Aspen Orion (dispatching and scheduling system).