Datenverarbeitung und Organisation in einem Laboratorium für organische und anorganische Elementaranalysen

To increase the efficiency of the analytical services the analytical methods have been improved by mechanisation and automation, and combined with a real-time data processing system. The hardware consists essentially of a 28 K-words minicomputer with 2 disc storage units, teletypes and optical mark readers. The main functions of this part of the system are as follows: registering the incoming requests, supplying work schedules for the various laboratories, controlling the completion of the work within the required time, collecting, storing, and processing the results, making simple decisions, and finally, editing and printing the analysis reports. Moreover, the computer produces daily reports on the state of progress of requests, and stores the data for usage in statistics and cost accounting. There are 36 lines available for the transfer of data from the laboratories. An important feature of the system design is the transfer of electronically preprocessed data, i.e. already calculated final results. For this purpose, on-line desk-top calculators, alphanumeric display data terminals, and data preprocessing units (percentage-box) designed and developed in our own laboratories are being used. The individual places of work in the laboratories are thus to a great extent autonomous. This hierarchical data processing system yields technical advantages, and most of all, guarantees a permanent service ability of our laboratories since even in the case of a breakdown of the computer, the analytical work can be continued without any interference.