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Vindon Scientific: Cryogenic Storage SolutionThe storage of biological samples necessitates an inventory management system that is precise and straightforward to access. Vindon Scientific approached Barcode-IT in 2009 looking for an automated barcoding solution to manage their cryogenic storage facility.
Vindon’s Cryobank is a worldwide biorepository for the collection and storage of biological materials. These biospecimens can be; tissue, stem cells, bacterial cultures, blood and even environmental samples, therefore it is vitally important that the location of these samples is easily traceable should access be required.
The automated system provided by Barcode-IT has allowed Vindon Scientific to create a comprehensive cryogenic storage solution, which is accurate and fully traceable through electronic audit trail. The stock control solution provides peace of mind for their customers, who entrust these important samples to Vindon for potential future, maybe life saving, use and provides Vindon with full details of the location and customer data for each sample at the touch of a button.
“Our need for increased efficiency was paramount. As one of the North’s leading pharmaceutical outsourcing companies, we required a system to match our customer’s expectations." says Patrick Jackson, Director at Vindon Scientific . "Working closely with Barcode-IT has helped facilitate the integration of a barcode tracking system that has proven to be a precise and comprehensive tool for the management of all of our biological samples."
Application OverviewVindon's cryogenic storage solution uses barcodes and mobile terminals to enable the easy location of samples within their Cryobank storage facility.
Stem cell samples are received and their data is uploaded onto the stock control system, eliminating the need for tedious manual input. This data contains comprehensive information about the individual customer and it is therefore imperative that the information is correct. A secondary advantage of eliminating manual input is that the chance of human error in this important data entry process is removed. Once entered onto the system the samples can be put into storage. It is extremely important to keep a record of the exact location of each individual sample for quick and easy extraction when required.
The location of each sample is stored by scanning a series of barcode labels, using a Honeywell Dolphin 7600 scanner. Each Cryofreezer is barcoded externally using a 2D barcode label, each rack within the freezer has a unique barcode label, as has every drawer within the rack where the samples are stored. The samples are stored in cassettes; the cassettes are barcode labelled and stored in the drawers and up to 10 cassettes can be stored in a drawer.
It would be impossible to remember the location of each individual sample and having a paper audit trail is time consuming and data can easily be mislaid, so the automated audit trail provided by the inventory management system is a perfect solution as it is accurate and quick to use.
The barcode labels used have been manufactured to survive in freezing temperatures of up to -196°C, which ensures that the barcode data on each sample does not become damaged over time and the barcodes can be scanned and read for future identification.
Once the location of a sample is fixed, the location data is stored within the Vindon inventory management system for access at any given time, whether that is 1 day or 20 years into the future. A certificate is then produced providing details of the sample and its unique reference for the customer to keep as a record of their investment.
How it startedVindon Scientific found Barcode-IT through an internet search, whilst looking for a solution for inventory management within their stability storage facility. Following discussions about the project, Barcode-IT commenced work on the software solution and continue to work with Vindon on similar projects throughout their facility, for example their Heritage Storage Solution for storing heritage items for the British Library.
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