increasing laboratory efficiency and value of laboratory data by maximising the use of common data...

AGTA Conference Brisbane - October 2012

Roger Chandler Keynetix Limited, UK

1. Paper

2. Links to external publications and

websites

3. This presentation

4. Links to free software

www.keynetix.com/agta2011

My Background

Geotechnical Engineering background

Active member of the AGS Data Management Committee since 1997

Member of the British Standard team on geotechnical data management

UK Representative on the DIGGSml Project

Working on a daily basis assisting laboratories and site investigation companies around the world improve their data management

Keynetix - Co Founder and Managing Director

Supplies range of solutions for Geotechnical Data Management

Onsite PDA and Tablet PC logging

Borehole Logs and Data Management

Geotechnical Laboratory Management

2D/3D Visualisation and CAD

National and Local Web Based Archives

Over 400 customers in over 23 countries

Majority of UK geotechnical laboratories use KeyLAB or KeyAGS.

Current Markets

UK vs. Australia

Client Deliverables

Data vs. Information

AGS

Background and use in Australia

Best way for Labs to capitalise on its introduction

Demonstration

Client

Consultant

Geotechnical Laboratory

Chemical Laboratory

Site Investigation

Company

Client

Consultant

Geotechnical Laboratory

Chemical Laboratory

Site Investigation

Company

Client

Consultant

Geotechnical Laboratory

Chemical Laboratory

Site Investigation

Company

UK …

Large SI companies have their own labs

Many small independent labs

No consultants have labs

Construction market in recession

Labs fighting to survive

Data Deliverables vital for any Civil Engineer job

Australia….

Limited research conducted in July 2011

Data Deliverables not often produced

“Keep saying no and eventually they stop asking”

Market stronger than UK – labs appear very busy

Lots of recognised inefficiencies in handling data

Data

Text file CSV

AGS file

Data logger TXT

Excel Spreadsheet

Information

PDF file

Word file

Excel Spreadsheet

Rule 1 - “Only enter data once”

How many times did you type the sample reference?

Rule 2 - “Get someone else to do it” How many times did site staff type the sample reference?

Log data as close to source as possible

and then transfer in an open format such

as AGS

AGS

Laboratory Software C

Field Staff Software D

Consultant Software B

Client Software A

**Group Name

* Header Names

Units

Data (“Variables”)

Client

Consultant

Geotechnical Laboratory

Chemical Laboratory

Site Investigation

Company

= AGS File Transfer

History 1989 – UK Committee formed

1992 – Version 1

1994 – Version 2

1994 – HK AGS (Hong Kong)

1999 – Version 3

2007 – RTA AGS (Australia)

2007 – NZ AGS (New Zealand)

2010 – Version 4

2011 – Australian Geomechanics Society committee formed for national AGS format

2011 - NZGS formed national committee

Common Adoption 1

Often seen a painful output process

Avoid producing as long as possible

Complain how expensive it will be to produce for the client

Deliver it late to the client

Common Adoption 2

Use format internally to reduce data entry in lab

Sample references

Electronic scheduling

Able to produce it easily when required

KeyLAB

Most used geotechnical LIMS in UK

New version released this year for international market

Works in Microsoft Excel and SQL Server

Easy to extend to additional tests

Easy to customise input templates

Easy to customise reports and certificates

AGS 3.1, AGS 4 compliant

From today it is RTA AGS compliant

KeyLAB

1. Importing of client’s AGS data 2. Printing Laboratory Sheets 3. Entering test data 4. Importing data from loggers 5. Exporting AGS data for client

Free Scheduler

1. Importing of sample data 2. Scheduling 3. Export of AGS data to send to lab

Roger.Chandler@keynetix.com

1. Paper

2. Links to external publications and websites

3. This presentation

4. Links to free software

www.keynetix.com/agta2011

Agents wanted