[bika-users] instrument interfacing AIM

[Löscher R. <rob...@ba...>]

Hi lemoene,
 
as you told me I continue our conversation here in the bika-users-list.

First a short discription about our AIM (Analyzer Interface Multiplexer):
A maintenance free, fanless LINUX-box with 16 RS232 interfaces as a platform
to run our programs (interfaces) for the instruments.
We use it several years in the medical LIMS-market. So our interfaces are
most for medical-laboratory-instruments.

First a good message: I got the interface-discription for the METTLER TOLEDO
DL50 (hope there wasn't a misunderstanding with "TL50"). But it's in German.

>>Please do. The Bactec MGIT is actually used in medical labs, for TB cultures and seems to be endorsed by the WHO
Still checking my network

>>I am getting quite hot under the collar regarding the instrument suppliers' reluctance to release technical specs and I think labs >>who buy the instrument will have an unbeatable case in court. They own the instrument, paid expensively for them, surely they have >>the right to know how to communicate with them?!
I never had problems to get the specs - I always ordered them via the customers.

>>I ventured the idea to 'name and shame' these suppliers but that will reflect negatively on ourselves. What do you think of 
>>maintaining an on-line directory of publicly available specs? And we invite instrument suppliers to submit specs? Then the 
>>suppliers who do release specs are at least getting some credit and will apply pressure  on the others to do so too
Don't do that - first we'll get roubles because of the copyrights. Second we need the suppliers when connecting their instruments.
I'm having a very goot connection to the companies - mitakes happen on both sides and we helped each other to correct them.
Better would be a list of all instruments already connected to bikalab. so if a bikalab-user will buy a new instrument he can
look on this list - and I think he will prefer the "already connected". So the manufacturers will wish to be on this list
with their products.

>>I do have a few serial specs, I better go read the copyright instructions in there.  Some were for  a medical lab in Malaysia - 
>>would these be of any use to you?
As you say - copyrights - in normal cases we should not deal with the specs.

>>NB Which instruments are interfaced on AIM already?
>>How much do you charge for it? And how much would you charge to add the BACTEC MGIT 960 to it?
>>The CDC might be paying .... Once I have these information I can approach them via our East African partner
I've attached a list of our interfaces - Interfaces2010.pdf
The scheduled price is Euro 4860,- exckusive VAT and shipping but with two interfaces.
The price for additional interfaces is about Euro 2000,- for monodirectional.
The price for bidirectional interfaces depends on the complexity of the interface.

I'll post the a description of our AIM when the translation is ready.

>>We might have the 2.3 release available by mid next week. We are very late and will release it as soon as it is ready  - maybe we >>should consider your interface and translation as a 'patch' a little bit later. That way you are not under unnecessary pressure
That's ok for us.

>>The worksheet exports are also per instrument - to me it makes more sense to simply add your 'input' format to Bika's export format
If you say so - you are the 'bikalab-expert'. I'm just testing with 2.3 - after solving the update-problems.

>>There are internationalisation dictionaries in Bika's i18n folder, Plone\Data\Products\bika\i18n - easiest is to simply translate >>the English one bika-en.po or hack the German one in the 2.3 release. The translation will only work properly from Bika 2.3+ again.  >>It got neglected in earlier versions and some Bika python code started interfering, was corrected for 2.3
That's the next step after implementing our interface import/export.

>>If you don't mind please post your questions to the Bika user list - that way the information is shared to everybody's benefit and >>you'll also get exposure that can come in handy when we announce Bika's bi-directional AIM interface
done now.

best regards
Robert
 
 
bartelt GmbH
Labor- & Datentechnik 
Ing. Robert Löscher
Neufeldweg 42
A-8010 Graz
Tel: +43 (316) 475328-201
Fax: +43 (316) 475328-43
mailto:loe...@ba...
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