Case Study
Fully Text Searchable Digitized Lab Notebooks
Details
Industry: Manufacturing
Recordsforce aided a leading industrial lubricant manufacturer in digitizing over 100 lab notebooks to tackle storage constraints and improve data accessibility. The notebooks were processed using advanced technology, including specialized scanners and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for full-text search. Microsoft Azure’s Cognitive Search indexed the digitized content for efficient retrieval. Following quality review, the files were securely stored and delivered to the client. This initiative enabled swift information retrieval, enhanced collaboration, simplified data extraction, ensured compliance, and provided secure storage of valuable information.
Analyzing The Problem
A leading manufacturer of industrial lubricants faced a significant challenge in managing its extensive collection of lab notebooks, which dated back to the company’s inception. With over 100 notebooks, each containing approximately 520 pages, the company struggled to find adequate storage space. Additionally, the team needed to access information quickly and efficiently, which was cumbersome with the manual, non-searchable format of the notebooks.
Creating A Customized Solution
Recordsforce stepped in with a comprehensive solution to digitize the lab notebooks and make them fully text searchable. We provided pick up and packaging of their books and transported them to our SSAE-18 SOC II Type II certified facility in Portsmouth, NH. Once they arrived in Portsmouth they were checked into our production management system, PACE, where their team had the ability to watch the books move through each step of production.
Upon arrival, the notebooks were meticulously processed using Recordsforce’s advanced technology and expertise. For notebooks with bindings that couldn’t be removed, a specialized book scanner was employed. For those where bindings could be removed, high-speed document scanners were used. This ensured that every page was digitized with precision.
The digitized files then underwent Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert them into searchable text. Once the files were digitized they were OCR’d for full-text search and indexed by title information, such as File Header Level Indexing Book Title. We built a custom solution utilizing Microsoft Azure’s Cognitive Search, we indexed the content of the lab notebooks, extracting text and metadata from the files and creating an index that could be searched
Once the files were prepped, scanned, OCR’d, indexed and quality reviewed, they were then securely stored for a three-month review period before being delivered to the client via Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
Instant Results
As a result, we took the power of a lab notebook and combined that with the efficiency of Microsoft Azure OCR, to create real synergy with a customized solution. By digitizing its lab notebooks and making them fully text searchable, the lubricant manufacturer achieved several key benefits:
- Efficient Information Retrieval: The manufacturer can now quickly search and retrieve information from the digitized notebooks, saving time and effort.
- Enhanced Collaboration: With easy access to digitized content, teams can collaborate more effectively, regardless of their physical location.
- Data Extraction for Analysis: Extracting data from the notebooks for further analysis is now a simple and streamlined process.
- Compliance and Audit Readiness: The digitized notebooks facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements and audits, thanks to their easily accessible and organized format.
- Secure Storage and Preservation: The manufacturer’s valuable information is securely stored and preserved, safeguarding it from loss or damage.
