Lab Wizard FAQ | Plating, SPC, Process Control & Audit Traceability
General Questions
What is Lab Wizard and who uses it?
Lab Wizard is process control and traceability software for plating, metal finishing, and surface finishing operations. It supports bath scheduling, lab analyses, SPC reporting, traceable process history, and operational visibility across tanks and lines. Job shops, production plants, and audited suppliers use it to replace spreadsheet-based lab control and keep chemistry, records, and process data in one controlled system.
What are the pricing options for Lab Wizard Cloud?
How does Lab Wizard help me manage tank concentrations?
You define bath chemistry, formulas, specification ranges, and analysis frequency. Lab Wizard schedules analyses, records results, flags out-of-tolerance readings, and documents additions and dump or makeup events. Built-in SPC charts show drift and trend behavior so the team can act before a bath moves outside the controlled range.
Can I evaluate Lab Wizard before purchase?
Yes. New accounts can run a time-limited evaluation with representative tanks and analyses so your team can test scheduling, SPC, and recordkeeping with your own data. A no-cost Cloud tier remains available for smaller deployments. Contact to request access and scope the evaluation to the modules you plan to use.
Which version of Lab Wizard should I choose: Cloud or Desktop?
Lab Wizard Cloud suits most sites: browser access, hosted updates, alerting, and optional live process monitoring without local server maintenance. Lab Wizard Desktop installs on your network for shops that must keep all process and lab data on premises. Assisted migration from Desktop to Cloud is available; contact for timing and data validation steps.
Lab Wizard Cloud
What do I need to run the Cloud version?
You need a current web browser and reliable internet access. We provision a dedicated tenant for your organization. After login setup, you configure users, roles, tanks, and analyses. No on-site application server is required for standard Cloud use.
How is my data secured in the cloud?
Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with role-based access and change logging on critical actions. Backups and infrastructure monitoring are part of the hosted service. Your organization retains ownership of the data and can export records for internal retention or audit packages.
What process visibility does Lab Wizard Cloud provide?
Cloud supports scheduled lab data, SPC charts, alerts on out-of-limit conditions, and optional live signals from rectifiers and related shop-floor equipment. Visibility is organized by tank, station, and time so operators and quality staff can review current status and historical trends from the same record set used for audits.
Lab Wizard Desktop
What are the system requirements for the Desktop version?
The system requirements include:
- Windows 10 or newer (64-bit)
- 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)
- Intel i5 or equivalent CPU
- 500 GB SSD (or larger)
- 1920×1080 display (or higher)
- Local network access for database backups; internet connection recommended for updates
Can Desktop run without internet access?
Yes. Lab Wizard Desktop runs on your local network without requiring outbound internet for daily operation. Remote Console use stays on the same LAN as the Desktop server, which limits external exposure while still allowing floor-side review of tank status.
Monitoring & Alerts
What can Lab Wizard monitor in a plating process?
Lab Wizard can monitor scheduled lab results, SPC behavior, tank status, and optional live electrical signals from rectifiers and related equipment. Depending on configuration, teams track current and voltage trends, alert limits on bath parameters, and recorded maintenance or loading events tied to the same timeline used for quality review.
How does Lab Wizard help visualize rectifier behavior?
When rectifier monitoring is enabled, current and voltage readings are stored over time and displayed as trends per tank or circuit. Operators and engineers can compare electrical delivery across shifts, spot drift, imbalance between paths, unstable connections, and intermittent faults that may not appear in end-of-shift lab samples alone.
How do I set up rectifier monitoring and alerts?
Contact with your rectifier count, tank layout, and how signals will be collected. We define which parameters are logged, set practical alert thresholds, and confirm notification paths (in-app and email). Deployment planning includes where hardware connects and how trends will be reviewed during normal production.
What types of alerts can Lab Wizard send?
Alerts can fire on SPC rule violations, out-of-limit bath readings, rectifier or sensor thresholds, and overdue tasks. Delivery options include in-app notifications on the Cloud home view and email to designated recipients. Alert rules should match your response procedure so operators know when to investigate versus when to adjust chemistry or stop a line.
Data & Reporting
How do I generate SPC and control charts?
Open the SPC module, select the bath or analyte, set the date range and control limits, and Lab Wizard builds control charts with capability metrics where configured. Charts use the same analysis history stored for daily lab work, so SPC review stays tied to production records rather than a separate spreadsheet export.
Can I get audit-ready history reports on demand?
Yes. Analyses, adjustments, maintenance notes, and user actions are timestamped and tied to tanks and stations. Filter by date, tank, or event type and export datasets or formatted reports suitable for internal review or customer and auditor requests.
Integrations & API
Does Lab Wizard integrate with ERP or MES systems?
Prebuilt ERP or MES connectors are not standard, but our team can support custom interfaces or share technical documentation for your IT group. Exported bath results, additions, and SPC summaries can feed upstream planning and production systems when both sides agree on field definitions and update frequency.
How can I pull chemistry and process data into another system?
Today, most sites export filtered CSV files from Cloud for bath readings, events, and SPC results. API access for programmatic queries is planned for Lab Wizard Cloud. Until then, define a regular export cadence and field map so MES, ERP, or data warehouse imports stay consistent.
Support & Training
Where can I find documentation and user guides?
How do I submit a feature request?
Do you offer on-site or remote training?
Quality & Compliance
How does Lab Wizard support NADCAP audits?
Lab Wizard Cloud records who performed each analysis or adjustment and when. You can produce station history, chemistry logs, and SPC charts in formats auditors expect for process control evidence. Preparation is faster when limits, corrective actions, and monitoring data already live in one traceable system.
Can I demonstrate traceability for every chemical adjustment?
Yes. Manual and system-driven adjustments are logged with user, timestamp, tank, and quantity where applicable. Filter and export adjustment history to show what changed, when, and in response to which analysis or alert during internal or external audits.
Does Lab Wizard help me meet ISO/AS requirements?
Lab Wizard supports ISO 9001 and AS9100 style evidence through controlled records, SPC charts, and documented reactions to out-of-control conditions. It does not replace your quality manual or procedures, but it gives operators a consistent place to execute and prove process control activities.
How do I validate Lab Wizard for a regulated environment?
Validation approach depends on your quality system. Lab Wizard provides timestamped records, access controls, and exportable history suitable for IQ/OQ/PQ evidence you build. We do not supply a universal validation package; regulated sites map our logging and reporting features to their protocols. Contact if you need scoping help for a specific standard or customer requirement.