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05Sep
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17Aug
ForensiX Distributor Meeting 2011
The annual Prionics ForensiX meeting was held in Niederbronn-les-Bains, France on the 26th of May 2011.
The meeting was held to showcase new products and discuss sales and market info on the existing products. A guided tour of the manufacturing facility at CPS technologies gave us a glimpse of the manufacturing and assembly of the backbone product of ForensiX the DNA collection tube. The DNA collection tubes are DNA free and the manufacturing of these products take place on a highly specialized production line to ensure that products are DNA free. Moulded components undergo an extensive treatment (EO) to destroy all DNA traces and are then assembled a specialized DNA free cleanroom by highly trained staff. All precautions are taken to ensure a DNA free product and regular on-going quality control is maintained, to eliminate the chance of “phantom cases”.
Exiting new products added to the portfolio include Fingernail Dirt Collection Tubes, the Nylon Flocked Tube, Paternity Kits, and Genotube (for the genotyping of livestock)
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15Aug
Report: Training at Optimed Atlanta America
Trainee: John Casson
Courses: Optimed Medical Systems
Optimed Product Training
Dates: 25 April – 28 April
Course Leader: Abe Sierra
Basic Structure:
Monday: Introduction and factory tour. Technology overview.
The first day comprised of introductions to all the service dept Personnel and some of the scientists and
engineers. A factory tour put into perspective just how sophisticated and technologically advanced the
Optimed operation really is. From the spotless manufacturing facility to the electronic tracking of every
facet of their operation, for example, every call or query that comes into the service centre is allocated
a “Birthday” or I.D. number and gets tracked through to its conclusion. The allocated I.D. cannot be
killed off until the query/complaint/repair has been signed off as “finalised” by tracking controller.
This tracking controller/query evaluator will also make decisions along the way as to where the query
will be directed, service work bench, sales/marketing, product training or for more complex problems
engineering or science departments, however no matter where it goes it still has to be signed off in
order for the file to be closed.
The afternoon was spent learning about the technology behind the light science that is the basis for
the Optimed range of products. While some of the science and the maths was a “little” beyond me, the
truth is I am far more comfortable with the systems because of it. We also covered basics involved in the
cassettes and buffers as well as the differences between wet and dry cassette technologies and what
those differences mean to a. the client and b. to us as suppliers.
Tuesday: Dedicated to the CCA and Touch machines
This is the day the real training began in terms of Product training and Service, in depth discussion
and practical hands on use of the machines in particular the Opti CCA and the Opti Touch. The training
covered the machine itself, the installation programming and training and basic service training. In this
regard I was extremely fortunate in that I had not only the undivided attention of the training officer
but also got to work on “not Working” machines allowing for some detailed diagnostic work and most
especially understanding how and where to start looking for a problem and how to follow the diagnostic
trail to fault. Although the course was intended as Level 1 training I was fortunate in that because I was
alone I had the opportunity to do some bench work and hands on repair which would normal fall into
Level 2 training.
Tuesday was perhaps the most informative and intense day of the course because all the machines in
the range use the same basic technology and the practical training in terms of installing machines and
training users is very similar for all machines.
Wednesday: More of the same and the Opti-R and Opti Lion
Again more practical hands on training and again fortunately we started on Non Working machines,
again offering the opportunity to employ new diagnostic skills and does some physical repair work, also
again going well beyond the Level1 curriculum.
We also spent a fair amount of time on Wednesday going over the basics of Demonstration of
Competency and Proficiency, and how to set up a short quiz to demonstrate the above during training of
operators.
Also covered were correlation and linearity. We covered the Opti Lion and discovered a fatal main board
problem.
Thursday: More time in the service dept. Recap and written tests (passed with 100% just by the way!)
We also spent some time discussing proficiency testing and the development of a global network of
users, starting in the US but expected to go global shortly this will encompass a network of users so that
clients can judge their results in line with other peers in similar environments and installations. The
introduction of independent Proficiency testing in the near future.
Whilst this report is intended only to provide an overview I need to convey the fact that the course was
extremely informative and genuinely intense, our day beginning at 8:00 and often finishing after 7:00
Whilst my colleagues have done an extremely good job of teaching me in the short while I have been
with K.A.T. the value of the basic training and hands on practice I received at Optimed cannot, in my
view, be overestimated.
Finally I would like to thank K.A.T. Medical for providing me this opportunity for self improvement and
for giving me a chance to demonstrate my ability to be an asset to the company.
Some things we might introduce based on my training.
1 A comprehensive data base of units and their average consumption of supplies.
2 A checklist system for Queries, repairs and complaints.
3 Quick reference guides for users (Available from Opti or we could develop our own
4 An in-service checklist for installation training and in-service training. (sample)
5 A review of what machines may be available for immediate placement in order to create new
consumers.
John Casson
