Cockpit Statistical Quality Control Makes On-going Petroleum Quality Assurance Accessible to Every Lab.

Cockpit Statistical Quality Control (SQC) offers a fast and easy way to evaluate the performance of a vapour pressure tester. The software helps laboratory managers certify the quality of the stability, precision, and accuracy of petroleum testing.

Developed by Grabner Instruments, a subsidiary of AMETEK Inc., Cockpit SQC expands the capabilities of the MINIVAP VP Vision vapour pressure tester. The software supports accuracy tests using standard samples with a known accepted reference value (ARV). It also supports precision and stability tests using either standard samples with a known ARV or stable samples from lots undergoing analysis.

Assuring the quality of measurements is critical for lab safety and regulatory compliance. Still, smaller labs struggle with the costs and the amount of time needed to perform ongoing evaluations. Cockpit SQC clears these hurdles. With Cockpit SQC, any test facility can run a quality assurance program for its MINIVAP VP Vision analyzers, fulfill the obligations in the ASTM D6299-17 standard, and pass audits conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Grabner Instruments offers Cockpit SQC under a freemium model. Owners of Grabner Instruments vapor pressure testers can upgrade from Cockpit Basic to Cockpit SQC by accessing www.grabner-instruments.com.

The upgrade from the free software version shipped with every MINIVAP VP Vision to Cockpit SQC adds various statistical graphs to the analytical deck of lab managers. Cockpit SQC plots data in I-charts, MR of two-charts and normal probability charts. In contrast, Cockpit Basic includes features for device configuration, device calibration, firmware update, and import of on-site measurements to a central database.

With Cockpit SQC, Grabner Instruments meets the needs of the petrochemical industry. According to customer survey conducted between 2016 and 2017, 52% of lab managers carry out statistical quality control on a computer. 42% also do the work over a network.