Lab Service LCC project

Lab Service AB report

Lab Service AB report

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INTRODUCTION The SOMMARDESIGNKONTORET is an interdisciplanary group of students brought together to work on design projects from all areas of business. Our office is set-up so that we live and work together. With backgrounds ranging from marketing, industrial, to landscape architecture they are hired for one summer

Brian Devine University of Kansas

to work on a number of projects with businesses in the area (Sundsvall). The nature of the program involves design for businesses that may not have worked with design or designers before.

Patriq Bokerot Therefore we help clients with current projects while introducing them to the design method. Many SUMMARDESIGNKONTORET businesses continue with design on a project basis while others intigrate it into thier business structure.

The design team for Lab Service consisted of three industrial designers.

Per Arlander Arlander Design

Lab Service AB report

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BACKGROUND Lab Service AB is chemical labratory based in Sunds-

for a design that streamlines the process and increases

When we have a good understanding of the process

vall, Sweden. A big part of Lab Service’s business is

efficiency. The goal of the SOMMARDESIGNKONTORET

and the elements involved we can begin to develop

based on the sale of CED solution. The paper indus-

is to develop a system that will simplify and shorten the

ideas for imprvoing the process. These were devel-

try uses this in combination with a lengthy multi-step

tests.

oped mostly through the use of brainstorming, mental

procedure to measure the quality (viscosity) of the pulp

mapping, and sketching. Through these group meet-

it uses to make paper. While a standard procedure

METHOD

ings and those with Lab Service we wer e able to

exists (ISO 5351) it seems that every company has a

Our design method will consist of three different stages:

narrow our ideas down and focus attention to detail on

different method for executing the test. This can cause

research and analysis, ideation, and refinement. After

successful concepts.

inconsistencies in the results, which they often compare

each stage we meet with th eclient to discuss the results.

with one another. Each test takes about an hour to run

Based on the feedback we get at these meetings, we can

from beginning to end. The test is run by a lab techni-

foucs our efforts on certain areas and allows the client to

cian who often finds himself waiting for up to 20 minutes

add input and information.

between steps. This costs the company much working

The research stage will foucs on these two areas:

time that could be better used elsewhere.

+ Defining steps in the process + Understanding how technicians interpret the process

PURPOSE Lab Services AB knows that this process can be simplified and believes that companies will be willing to pay

+ Defining drawbacks of the current system (analysis)

Lab Service AB report RESEARCH Step by Step We visited the labs at the SCA paper factory outside of Sundsvall to watch a technician run through the test.

This diagram show the steps and time it took to carry out each. The total time was 63 minutes and 24 seconds.

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Lab Service AB report ANALYSIS These are the actions that we recorded during the visit.

1. Pull pulp sample

Several of the volumes used (H20 and CED) were be-

2. Press sample sheet

low the ISO standard of 25ml. We believe that this was

3. Dry sample sheet (60 C)

done to double the ammount of tests that a batch of

4. Place in moisture absorbing chamber

CED can produce. We also relised that several stages

5. Weight paper sample

were not dependant on exact timing. Meaning that it

6. Put sample in bottle

needed to run a minimum of X minutes but would not

7. Put copper pellet in bottle

alter the test if it stayed in that stage for quite a bit

8. Add H2O (12.5 ml H2O)

longer

9. Shake 10. Add CED solution (12.5 ml) 11. Expel air 12. Shake (machine) 13. Water bath (25 C) 14. Remove / Shake 15. Pour into cup 16. Apply vacuum tube 17. Remove tube 18. Measure viscocity

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Lab Service AB report

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OBSERVATIONS One of the first thing that we noticed was how the

viscocity results. If each test is being run differently how

The second method uses an automated system that

equipment was spread out all over the lab. The tech-

can you be sure thier results are comparable to yours.

controls the suction by opening and closing valves

nicain had to walk all over the place to run the test. The easist way to improve the whole process would be to place all the equipment in a row in the order you use it.

The multiple times that the technician touches the sample increases the oppurtunity of human error to effect the results. If we could reduce the number of touches

The second thing we noticed was that there was quite a

that the smaple had more consistent results could be

bit of standing around in between steps. Some stages

obtained.

last as long as 20 minutes. So the technician would just hang around waiting for the stage to finish. This could be improved by combinig steps

There also currently exist two different ways to get a

hooked up to a vaccum tube. Then the time is measured electronically with two electrodes that start and stop the time. The advantage to this system is that is free of human error and the machine can be hooked directly to a computer that records the result. However the electricity attracts particles from the copper peices causing build up overtime by the electrodes.

viscocity reading. The first method involves using a vacuum tube to suck the solution up into a test tube.

The main drawbacks of this system are summarised as

Discussions with Lars indicated that what we saw is just

When the solution reaches a certain height the vaccum

follows:

how THIS lab runs the test. He has seen it done several

tube is removed so that the solution will go back down

- Inconsistant interpretation of ISO standard

different ways. This would indicate why the lab uses

the tube. When this happens the technician, holding a

- Incomparable results

half the ISO recomended ammount of 25 ml in the H2O

stopwatch, will start his timer when the solution passes

- Man-hours wasted

and CED stage.

the first line on the test tube. He will stop the clock when

- Human error

it passes the second line on the tube.

- Build up (copper oxide)

This would also seem to be a problem because we were informed that rival paper companies compare thier

Lab Service AB report IDEATION Based on those drawbacks we decided to focus our

ery automation. In the current process actual people

efforts on two main ideas: combining steps and automa-

touch the sample several times but only for a matter of

tion.

seconds. These are minor tasks that can be taken over by machines that measure exact amounts, are sterile,

Combining steps The first thing that we noticed was that many of these

and can save the lab technician time used in waiting for the next step.

steps could be combined into on continuous process.

Instead of shaking at two different points we could

Three concepts

incorporate a way to keep the solution constantly mix-

Keeping these two themes in mind we brainstormed

ing. The same thing could be done with the water bath

different ways to combine and automate steps in the

step. The solution needs to be at 25 degrees when it is

procedure. Some of these involved existing methods

tested. So instead of waiting to end of the cycle to heat

and machinery and some of them were systems that

it, which takes 15 minutes, it could be heated constant-

we have never heard of. During this ideation session

ly, this would allow it to be tested right after the CED

we came up with three different ways to automize the

solution is added.

process into a single machine that only requires the operator to make the sample sheet and measure the

Automation A good way to avoid human error in a test is keep contact to a minimum. This can be done with machin-

proper sample size.

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Lab Service AB report CAROUSEL CONCEPT The first system was based on having four stations situated around a turntable that the samples would sit in.

Each station would do one step in the process. While the stages of shaking, heating, and expelling air would be constant within the bottle holder. This allowed the stage of testing to be visible and remove the process of adding fluids at separate stations within the lab.

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Lab Service AB report CONVEYOR BELT This concept is loosely based on the assembly line method popularised by Henry Ford during the Industrial Revolution. The container would start at one end and make its way down the line stopping to have each step completed. It comes out at the end with an empty bottle and a result that can read on the display screen. Like the previous idea this would heat the bottle throughout the process. The was the first concept where we thought of hooking it to the computer so the result can be directly recorded into its database.

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Lab Service AB report MODULAR The third idea used similar concepts form the first two like constant heating and shaking but allowed the bottle to stay in one position throughout the entire process.

The main benefit of this system is that it can be expanded to run more tests. If the company finds that it needs to run more than two tests at a time it can buy an expansion pack with a third test slot. They all hook up to the same solutions and can record results independently. After talking with Lab Service we determined that this system would have the best marketability.

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Lab Service AB report

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IDEA DETAILS Through these big ideas we developed a number of ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

ways to carry out the individual steps in the process.

When we finally diagrammed the elements involved and

START LINE

WATER

CED STOP LINE

what order they came in we saw that there were things that could be held constant and elements that had to be

25 C WATER

completed in an exact order.

Constants

Heat

Shaking

Expel Air

NITROGEN

SAMPLE

Sequence

H20

CED

Testing

CONTAINER MAGNETIC BEAD -

+

+

-

MAGNETIC STIRRER

WASTE

HEAT

Lab Service AB report IDEA DETAILS

Shaking

These sketches represent some of the different ways we found that the action could be performed. This stage of problem solving is open to a wide variety of ideas from the practical to the absurd. Many of the mixing ideas involved magnets because they can be used easily throughout the process. While heating elements were commonly solved using water baths or heated coils within the system.

Heating

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Expel air

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BLOCK SCHEMATIC We learned a lot in our Lab Service meeting including: - Technical knowledge of current machinery

VACUUM

- Personal experience with the equipment - The idea that a bottle may not be needed at all in

DATABaSE

the test.

- It is possible to use photo cells and light to measure

WATER

the viscosity

We used this information diagram to understand the functions we needed and how they relate to the whole.

VISCOTRON 3000

CED

NITROGEN

By getting a general understanding of the relationships between steps we can start to give the stages specifc details and forms.

WASTE

Lab Service AB report FINAL CONCEPT This system was designed to streamline the viscocity test for paper pulp. Benefits of this machine over the previous system include:

+ Modular component for expanding tests capacity + Efficient use of materials and time + Improved accuracy and test regulation + Reduced exposure to chemicals + Requires less space + Less maintanence + Optical measure to reduce chemical build-up + Results are recorded in computer database

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Lab Service AB report

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VISCOTRON 3000 To elaborate this machine adds value with its:

reduces contact with the solution the practically zero.

Computer database – The results for each test will be displayed on the machine as well as being directly

Modular- A key element to its attractiveness will be the

Space – This machine does the job of five machines

linked to a computer that records the result in it’s data-

ability to grow with a company. The more tests they

in the current system. This means that it takes up less

base

need to run they can just add more modules.

lab space and there is much less running around from machine to machine.

Efficiency – The ViscoMat is more efficient in several ways. First of all it saves time by reducing the length of

Maintenance – Because it is one machine instead of

the overall test and the working time a technician has

five it will require less maintanancece and since it is self

to monitor and handle the test.

cleaning it will save on time again but also the amount of water consumed. It won’t waste water or solution

Accurate – The automation involved will almost re-

because they are all measured exactly every time. The

move human error and the results will be comparable

staff won’t spend time cleaning and the utensil

to other laboratories because the process is consistent. It will be run the exact same way with the exact

Optical measure – By using a light source and photo-

same amount every time.

cells to measure the viscosity there won’t be the copper oxide build-up that occurred in the electric charge

Health benefit – The technicians only have to handle CED solution when hooking up the container. This

method of measure.

Lab Service AB report FUNCTION DEFINITION The VISCOTRON 3000 performs the following steps that were previously done seperately by a lab technician.

1. Add H2O 2. Mix with magnetic propeller 3. Add CED 4. Add nitrogen 5. Mix 6. Lower Viscometer 7. Open vaccuum valve (suck up sample) 8. Close valve 9. Start time measure (optical) 10. Stop time measure (optical) 11. Display result (digital) 12. Feed result to computer 13. Drain chamber 14. Clean Chamber (spray nozzle)

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