Smart Lab containers – digital laboratories, IoT, automation

Smart Lab in the lab container means: sensors, controls and data capture are integrated into the container architecture at the works — not as a retrofit. Temperature, humidity, differential pressure, CO2, door status and utilities are recorded every minute and an automatic alarm is raised if a limit is exceeded.

Control is based on Loxone building automation with laboratory-specific extensions: GMP-conformant data capture to Annex 11, audit trail, access control and integration into LIMS/ELN. For BSL-3 containers we monitor differential pressure and airlock status in real time — a pressure loss immediately raises an alarm and documents the incident.

The Smart Lab architecture is modular: basic package (environmental monitoring + alarming), standard package (+ access control + LIMS connection), GMP package (+ Annex 11 data capture + electronic signatures + IQ/OQ/PQ). Each package is defined in the execution plan and recorded in the FAT.

Indoor climate is a critical factor in many laboratories. Temperature and humidity affect not only staff comfort, but also the quality of samples and measurements. Our intelligent climate monitoring keeps conditions optimal at all times.

Sensor network

High-precision sensors continuously capture temperature, relative humidity, air pressure and CO2 concentration. Measured values are transmitted in real time to the central controller and compared with setpoints. On deviation, automatic correction is applied or an alarm is raised.

Automatic control

Intelligent control regulates heating, cooling and ventilation automatically so that the required conditions are maintained. The system also takes account of external factors such as outdoor temperature, solar gain or the number of people present.

Historical data

All measured values are stored and can be evaluated later. This is important not only for quality assurance, but also for energy-consumption optimisation. Analysis of historical data identifies savings potential and further improves control.

Access to laboratory rooms must be controlled — for safety reasons, but also to keep track of who worked in the laboratory and when. Our electronic access-control systems offer maximum security with simple handling.

Electronic locking systems: Access via RFID card, transponder or smartphone. No keys that can be lost, and simple management of access permissions.

Biometric systems: For the highest security requirements we offer biometric access control via fingerprint or facial recognition. These systems are virtually tamper-proof and require no cards or codes.

Logging: Every entry is logged automatically — with date, time and identity of the person. Logs can be used for audits or to trace incidents.

Alarming: Unauthorised access attempts or open doors automatically raise an alarm and notify the responsible persons.

Laboratory instruments are expensive and critical to operations. A failure at the wrong time can ruin experiments and cause significant cost. With our equipment monitoring you keep the condition of your instruments in view and can detect problems before they lead to failure.

• Real-time monitoring of operating parameters (temperature, pressure, current draw)
• Automatic alarming on deviations from normal values
• Trend analysis for early detection of wear
• Integration into existing LIMS and maintenance-management systems
• Automatic documentation for quality management and audits
• Remote access to instrument status via web dashboard or app

Laboratories consume a great deal of energy — for HVAC, lighting and the operation of numerous instruments. Intelligent energy management delivers substantial savings without restricting functionality.

Our energy-management system records the consumption of all instruments and systems and identifies savings potential. Automatic shutdown of unused equipment, demand-based HVAC control and intelligent lighting control noticeably reduce energy consumption.

Continuous monitoring also identifies unusual consumption that can indicate defective equipment or leaks. You save energy and prevent damage.

In many sectors, complete documentation of all laboratory activities is mandatory. Our Smart Lab system takes on this task automatically and produces audit-ready records that meet all GLP, GMP or ISO requirements.

Automatic logging: All relevant events — from entering the laboratory via instrument use to environmental conditions — are captured and stored automatically.

Electronic signatures: For operations that require a signature we offer electronic signatures to FDA 21 CFR Part 11 or EU Annex 11.

Audit trail: All changes to data or settings are logged in a traceable way. You can demonstrate at any time who did what and when.

A Smart Lab is not an isolated system, but part of a networked infrastructure. Our solutions offer open interfaces for integration into existing systems:

• LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System)
• ELN (Electronic Laboratory Notebook)
• Building management systems (BMS)
• ERP systems for materials management
• CMMS for maintenance management
• Cloud services and remote access

Standard protocols such as OPC-UA, MQTT or REST APIs enable seamless integration. For building automation we use Loxone with a real-time dashboard and visualisation of all Smart Lab functions.

The IoT configuration follows the intended use. For lab containers for pharma & biotech we implement Annex 11-conformant data capture with audit trail and electronic signatures. Research and university laboratories receive flexible sensor monitoring with LIMS connectivity and ELN integration.

BSL-3 containers monitor differential pressure, airlock status and filter condition in real time. ATEX zones to EN 60079 receive explosion-protected sensors and a separate alarm chain. ISO 17025 testing laboratories document environmental conditions automatically as part of the measurement-uncertainty budget. All systems are integrated into IQ/OQ/PQ.