OptiNIR
Reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy analyses
- Perform accurate analyses with your NIRS
- Have a decision-making tool for formulation and process monitoring
- Access a wide range of calibrations
- Implement good laboratory practices
- Enjoy the benefits of an NIRS system: fast, easy to use, cost-effective…
Who is it for?
-
NIRS Operator
-
Quality Manager
-
Formulation Manager
-
Plant Manager
Context
Analytical accuracy is a key concern for feed manufacturers seeking to optimize formulation costs and guarantee livestock performance. To this end, they rely on the services of a trusted chemical laboratory and, increasingly, on NIRS (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) equipment. The advantages of the NIRS system are well established: ease of use, rapid analysis, high reproducibility, low analytical cost, and even environmental friendliness! However, obtaining reliable results with NIRS depends on three key elements: a high-quality spectrometer, precise calibrations (which convert the spectrum into analytical results), and, finally, good laboratory or plant practices.
- With its OptiNIR service, Mixscience offers its partners equipped with a Bruker NIRS system technical support that guarantees the reliability of raw material and finished product analyses.
Deliverables
- Implementation of available calibrations, after technically validating that each calibration is operational within the company’s context (samples analyzed chemically and by spectrometer) and on the basis of its formulation needs.
- Development of custom calibrations not included in the Mixscience catalog
- Initial training for NIRS operators, regular technical support
- Monitoring of calibrations through the implementation of a control plan carried out in the reference chemical laboratory, with annual updates of the calibrations.
- Performance review of the calibrations, presented at agreed intervals to the various NIRS stakeholders
Key features
Mixscience offers a wide range of calibrations to meet the vast majority of feed manufacturers’ needs: nearly 400 calibrations have been validated to date, covering 45 raw materials, 25 finished products, and 6 different types of feed.
Mixscience ensures all conditions are in place to guarantee its partners accurate and robust calibrations: a team of experts specialized in NIRS analysis, use of a recognized, unique reference laboratory specializing in Animal Nutrition (Artémis), an extensive analytical database, high standards for calibration validation, and regular updates.
Each calibration targets a specific objective in animal nutrition: raw material inspection on delivery, proximate analysis for updating the formulation matrix, specific zootechnical criteria, specific process criteria, verification of finished product compliance…
With OptiNIR, your NIRS system becomes a decision-making tool, for both formulation and process monitoring.
For Mixscience, the implementation and adherence to good laboratory practicesare essential for achieving good results: training and technical support for operators, implementation of a control plan, specific handling of “unanalysable” samples (outside the calibration range or “spectral outliers”)…
Mixscience helps manufacturers automate the transmission of data generated by the NIRS (spectra, technical results). This facilitates the monitoring and updating of calibrations, as well as the use of analytical results in formulation.