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Matrix Gemini and the nuclear industry

Matrix Gemini and the nuclear industry

As you will have gathered from previous articles, Matrix Gemini biobank software from Autoscribe is extremely flexible and can be configured to meet the precise LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) needs of any application. Our case in point today is the nuclear industry.

To meet that industry’s particular requirements, Autoscribe co-operated with several companies in the nuclear and related fields to create its Matrix LIMS Rutherford configuration. This out-of-the-box LIMS solution has been successfully deployed in a variety of situations, including the Bradwell nuclear power station in Essex.

Bradwell was closed down in 2002, after 40 years in service, but its decommissioning will actually be spread over several decades. During that time, stringent monitoring of the environment around the power station will take place. Regulations covering this work demand routine, accurate testing and measurement, maintenance of secure current and historical data, as well as statistical and trend reports, and preparation of quarterly and annual reports.

The Matrix LIMS Rutherford configuration, installed in 2004, simplifies laboratory operations and reporting, and helps Bradwell to meet the Environment Agency’s requirements. Its customised workflows cover Environmental District Surveys, Liquid Discharge, Gaseous Discharge and Chemistry. In addition, it has proved invaluable in managing all aspects of the work, including tracking of samples and hazardous waste. The system’s flexibility will allow changes to be made on an on-going basis to meet changing needs.

For security, access is controlled by a system that uses a class-based structure related to each individual’s job function and/or level of authority.

By choosing Autoscribe’s commercially designed, configurable LIMS, Bradwell has gained the advantages of a customised solution to its specific biobank software needs. At the same time, however, it has avoided the extra cost of continuing support, documentation and upgrades that a bespoke system would have involved.