Reliable, real-time control of laboratory conditions in no time with Dracal
Who is this use case for?
For laboratory technicians, researchers, and professionals in earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences who require accurate and reliable monitoring of laboratory conditions while calibrating sensitive instruments.
What is this about?
Setting up a reliable monitoring station for controlling calibration conditions in a research laboratory
Customer Story
Feedback from a professor at the department of Earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences of University of British Colombia
″I wanted to have a better solution to monitoring laboratory conditions in a room where we carry out calibrations of oceanographic instrumentation - before I had a stand-alone sensor that you had to download, and the memory would fill up and so it wasn’t a reliable way of monitoring conditions at all.
With Dracal software, I can log and display this information on a computer that is running anyway, and the log files can be read by other software that controls our calibration tank.
I thought about just setting up an Arduino system, which would have been cheaper in one way (e.g., for parts cost), and then integrate this with software I’d write, but the value-added for having everything integrated in a nice case, plus your software, really made it worthwhile to go that route.
I was actually surprised at how difficult it was to find something like it around - there are of course many “build-your-own” P/T/RH solutions which are cheaper, and then there are such systems integrated into stand-alone loggers meant to go into the environment, underwater and so on, and they are much more expensive. Or there’s a whole class of products to log conditions in, say, museums, but they are both expensive and somewhat “cheap” at the same time.″
Related TrustPilot Review
Challenge
To replace an existing solution based on a stand-alone sensor that requires manual data downloading. The sensor's limited memory capacity often led to data loss, making the method unreliable for continuous monitoring. This makes it difficult to maintain consistent and accurate calibration conditions.
Solution
Use the existing infrastructure to set up a reliable real-time monitoring station as quickly and easily as possible. Dracal sensors and software are chosen for their ability to log and display environmental data in real-time on a computer already in use. The seamless integration of Dracal software with the USB sensor enables continuous monitoring without manual data downloading. Log files generated by the software can be easily read by other software controlling the calibration tank, ensuring a streamlined and efficient workflow.
Prerequisites and limitations
To implement this solution, the following prerequisites and limitations are considered:
- Availability of a computer for continuous operation and data logging.
- Compatibility of the Dracal Software with the existing computer system and calibration tank software.
- Initial investment in the Dracal USB sensor (the software is free)
Implementation
- Purchase and setup of the PTH420 all-in-one temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric USB sensor.
- Installation of Dracal Software on the laboratory computer.
- Configuration of the software to log and display data in real time.
- Data integration with the calibration tank control software for seamless data transfer and analysis. Code and LabView integration examples available here.
State after implementation
Significant improvement in the reliability and efficiency of monitoring laboratory conditions. The integrated system provides continuous, real-time data logging without the risk of memory overflow. This leads to more accurate calibrations of instruments and a more streamlined workflow. Additionally, the value added by having a ready-to-use solution in a compact form factor outweighs the initial costs, proving the investment worthwhile. Finding a comparable integrated solution is challenging, with other options being either significantly more expensive or lacking in reliability and ease of use.
