Middleware in a LIMS Ecosystem – How AP Connect Streamlines Instrument Integration and Data Handling
Different concepts for instrument integration into a LIMS are evaluated, including an in-house solution built by customers themselves, direct integration, and AP Connect as middleware. The comparison covers the full lifecycle—from integration, operation, adaptations, and service. AP Connect demonstrates clear advantages through harmonized data handling, validation efficiency, and scalable architecture.
Introduction
AP Connect is Anton Paar´s lab data management software solution with the mission to make labs paperless. It collects measurement and instrument data of connected instruments from Anton Paar and third party instruments from other vendors at one central database. Third party instruments can be connected to AP Connect via the Instrument Adapter software.
AP Connect supports users in many steps of their lab workflows and in data handling. Customers with complex processes and large sample volumes often as well use a LIMS (laboratory information and management system) for this purpose. Reducing manual steps and avoiding errors are the most important goals why customers aim to increase their degree of lab digitization via automated dataflow between instruments and a LIMS by integrating instruments. Here, the stage is entered by AP Connect, to interact as middleware in this interface ensuring seamless data flow towards a LIMS. It is also possible to set up this interface in other scenarios.
This application report will compare instrument integration through direct integration of each instrument done by a consultant or LIMS integrator and another instance as middleware in between. A middleware can be an in-house (proprietary) implemented tool by an employee at customer site or a software product by a third party, such as AP Connect. Examples of such in-house solutions can be quite creative. For instance various CSV exports are combined into Excel spreadsheets, maybe using AI-written scripts for parsing and mapping, or employing complex macros in Excel.
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