Patent ID: 8746559

Claim:
A method for automated replenishment of an inventory of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns, comprising: estimating a usage of consumable chromatographic columns during a preset period; receiving an indication of a pre-purchase of the estimated usage of consumable chromatographic columns; attaching a non-volatile memory to each of the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns; recording an identification to each attached non-volatile memory, the identification including at least one of: a customer, a calibration curve, a retention time, a packing, history, a lot number, a chromatogram, a past separation condition and a preferred container holder for the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic column; recording the identification in a database stored by a central source; recording an amount of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns to be supplied within the preset period by the central source to a customer in the database in association with the identification; providing a single shipment portion of the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns to the customer; transmitting at least one signal indicating the use of the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns by the customer, the transmitting accomplished without action by the customer, the at least one signal generated by a liquid chromatographic system of the customer, the signal transmitted to the database stored by the central source; receiving the signal at the central source; storing the signal in the database at the central source; determining an order point from at least one of a plurality of trigger points, the order point for automated replenishment of the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns, the trigger point based on the at least one signal and at least one of: the estimated usage, a usage included in an initial agreement and a single use of the pre-purchased consumable chromatographic column; initiating a first shipment portion in response to a first order point, wherein a single purchase agreement between the central source and the customer results in a supply of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns for the preset period; initiating a second shipment portion in response to a second order point, the second shipment portion including an amount of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns sufficient to meet the estimated usage of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns during the preset period, the second shipment portion further configured in excess of the estimated usage of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns during the preset period, a sum of all shipment portions during the preset period does not exceed an end limit of pre-purchased consumable chromatographic columns.