Introduction	Top

At the heart of the Formulation Module are various Labvantage calculations. These calculations are calculations for individual Formulation Ingredients, as well as the overall Formulations.

These calculations, for Formulation Ingredients and Formulations, must be go hand in hand. That is, an Ingredient calculation of Specific Gravity must be used with the overall formulation calculation of Specific Gravity. The Formulation Method assures that like calculations are used with like calculations for consistency when defining new Formulation Projects.

In the Formulation Method the different calculations that must co exist are defined in this abstract layer.

The formulation calculations used are grouped into the following categories.

Lastly the calculations are sensitive to the recipe model of the project. Some calculations are only for the Proportional model, and some are only for the Quantity model.

Formulation Calculations	Top

When defining a Formulation Method determine whether the ingredients are to be entered in proportional or absolute quantities (Manage Formulation Recipe option). Depending on that choice, the following types of calculations can be managed for each Formulation.

OOB Formulation Methods

The following Formulation Methods are provided OOB.

Define a Formulation Method	Top

To define a Formulation Method navigate to LIMS → Formulations → Formulation Methods. The Formulation Method list page opens.

Here you can "Add" new or "Edit" existing Formulation Methods. Choose to create a "New Version" of an existing Method.

To add a new Method click "Add". The Add Formulation Method page opens.

Provide general information about this Method.

Define Formulation Method Parameter Lists

This detail defines the Parameter Lists to be used in the Formulation. Click "Add", the Select Parameter List dialog opens, choose one or more Parameter Lists.

Edit the Parameter List

Selecting a Parameter List and clicking "Edit" opens the Edit Parameter List page. Here you can make changes to the Parameter List.

Save the Formulation Method

Once Saved the Method is available when defining a Formulation Project.

Referencing a Formulation Method on the Formulation Project lets LabVantage know what parameter list (and resulting sdidata structure) to add to all new Formulations at the Formulation, Formulation Ingredient, and the Formulation Stage levels. This occurs when creating new Formulations, or the addition of new Ingredients and new Stages.

These sdidata structures are shown in the Manage Formulation data entry page (Manage Proportions). Shown below you see dataitems for the Formulation Ingredients in the first 7 rows, and additional dataitems for the overall formulation level shown in the last 4 rows.

Calculation Example	Top

This example illustrates the components needed to create the dataset displayed in the Example Formulation Grid below.

A Project is created using "Basic W Cost" as the Formulation Method, and "Proportional Quantities" as the recipe. The "Basic W Cost" Method includes the following 4 Parameter Lists:

Ingredients are added to the first Formulation. The resulting Formulation Grid opens:

Enter values in the Parts, Lower Limit and Upper Limit fields. As you enter values the calculations are updated real time.

Parameter Lists defined in the Formulation Method

Parameter Lists as defined in the "Basic W Cost" Formulation Method provide the editable fields for Parts, Lower, and Upper Limits. Cost and Total Parts are calculated using attributes defined in the Ingredient Product. Formulation Totals are also calculated. The Total Cost Calculations are determined using calculated values from within this Formulation and values from other Formulations within the Project.

Ingredients included in the Formulation

As Ingredients are added to the Formulation they are included in the Grid. The Ingredient's Product provides the values in the columns highlighted in light blue. Here we have highlighted Product A, note that the Ingredient Cost and unit is pulled from the Product. Each Product listed as an Ingredient displays in the Grid. Adding or Removing an Ingredient from the Formulation updates the Calculations, real time, accordingly.

Total Cost Calculations

The Parameters included in the "Formulation Total Cost" Parameter List determine the Aggregate and Comparator Calculations shown in green.

Adding a new Formulation to the Project for Comparison

As additional Formulations are added to the Project the Comparative Calculations are performed.

Formulation 1.1 is a child of Tablet Formulation 1, a savings of -$3.06 $/lb is calculated.

View the Calculation Report to see details of the Calculation. Select a Calculation and click "Data Entry", then "Calculation Report".

Overhead Costs

In the following example we add an Additional Overhead Cost at the Project Level, and Overhead Cost for the Grinding Stage.

Add a New Formulation to the Project.

Note that the Batch Total now includes the two Overhead Cost amounts ($27.24 + 20 + 23 = $70.24).

Unit Conversion	Top

The Ingredients of a Formulation may be defined as a liquid or a solid. Quantities (or Parts) could therefore be defined as either volume or weight measurements. To determine the cost of each ingredient needed for mixing a Batch, Ingredient measurements need to match the unit defined with the Mixing batch size. The following Expression SDIs support the unit conversions required for different Formulation calculations:

Density Calculations

The Density of an ingredient may be used to determine its Cost contribution to the Formulation. To utilize the Density conversions you must:

In the following example we created a simple Formulation to illustrate how density is considered when determining the Ingredient's Cost contribution to the Formulation.

Product 1 is defined with a Density of 1000 g/liter. First, the density of Product 1 is determined to be .45359 per liter. It is then multiplied by the defined cost per liter, .45359 x $10.00 = $4.53. That cost is then multiplied by the Fraction (which is calculated based on the Ingredients parts contribution to the Formulation). In our simple example Product 1 is 1/3 of the total Formulation. The Fraction, .333 is multiplied by the ingredient cost, .333 x $4.53. The Cost of Product 1 within this Formulation is $1.51 per lb.

Product 1.5 has a defined density of 1500 g/liter the calculation is as follows:

The Density is calculated to be .302394 per liter

.302394 x $10.00 = 3.02394 per liter

3.02394 x .333 = 1.00697

Since our Parameter display is set to 2 decimals places the cost is rounded to $1.01. 

Stage Calculations	Top

When Stages are included in a Formulation, Stage Calculations can be used to calculate additional costs for a each Stage, based on the Expected Batch size. Considering entered values such as, Efficiency per hour and a defined cost per hour, a more accurate Stage Cost could be determined.

Parameters and Parameter Lists can be defined for the Stage Calculation. When the Parameter List is associated with the Formulation Method used, a dataset is added for the Stage and values can be collected within the Formulation.

Stage Calculations should only be included when Individual Stages are defined (Support Individual Stages checked, and a Stage defined). If a Stage Calculation is used and a Stage has not defined, an error will occur.

While an example Stage Calculation is not provided OOB you can use this example as a guide when adding your own. To calculate the cost of a Mixing Stage, using the Expected Batch size and an efficiency per hour value, we can calculate the hours necessary, multiplied by a defined cost per hour. Create the following Parameters and Parameter List.

Add Parameters

Add the Parameters "EfficiencyPerHour", "Hours" and "Cost".

Then add a Parameter List called "StageCost" and include the Parameters.

Define the Stage Calculations

This detail defines the Calculation Rule.

Add the Stage to the Formulation Total Cost Parameter Calculation Rule

Add the following to the Formulation Total Cost Parameter list, Batch Total Parameter Calculation Rule.

Add the information highlighted in red:

sum( sum([link:LV_ProductInstrument;s_productid|primary:Cost]) , sum([link:LV_ProductStage;s_productid|primary:Cost]) , [primary:Cost] , [Total;Cost]*[primary:expectedbatchsize]), sum([link:LV_ProductStage;s_productid| *;*;*;* | Cost]))

Add the Stage Cost Parameter List to the Formulation Method

With the Stage Calculation defined, you can now add the Parameter List to the Formulation Method you intend to use when creating the Formulation.

Note that the ParamList is added and the Target Use is "Stage".

Add a Formulation

Within the Formulation we include a Mixing Stage and a Mixing Batch Size of 100 ml.

Upon Saving, the Stage dataset is added, view the dataset by clicking the dropdown menu and choosing "Manage Stage Data".

The dataset opens, enter the EfficiencyPerHour. The Hours and Cost are calculated according to the calculations defined above.

The Calculation Report shows the Calculations performed.