sponsoredSensors for Optimal Hygiene and Productivity Measurement — the King’s Discipline in Pharmaceutical Processes

Sponsored by

VEGA Grieshaber KG

In the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, the requirements on flexibility, safety and automation are increasing in order to implement hygiene and reproducibility more efficiently. Within this context, Vega level and pressure sensors can make a decisive contribution.

Production in the pharmaceutical industry has changed fundamentally. To ensure that production facilities are competitive, both today and in the future, process cycles must be constantly optimised and costs reduced. And, of course, this must be acheived without compromising on quality. In the fully automated processes where biotech products are created, flexibility, sterility and perfect reproducibility are the decisive factors. The measurement technology utilised is also one of the most important parts in the process control equation. It has to have many special features to be able to support the high quality requirements over the entire life cycle of a product.

One such feature is the ability to meet the highest hygienic standards: Vega sensors are certified according to the current guidelines and norms of the food and pharmaceutical industries and to comply with the many regulations and standards of the sector, such as FDA, ISPE GAMP, ASME-BPE and EHEDG. In addition, standardised process fittings and a uniform hygienic adapter system ensure maximum flexibility during installation. Diffusion-proof and extremely robust, they offer the right solution for every installation situation, regardless of whether the tanks are rectangular or cylindrical, free-standing or integrated in a system, small or large, with or without agitators or heating coils.

The more flexible the production system, the more support and control is needed from the sensors installed: they need to be capable of integration into the overall system quickly and easily and rule out any possibility of cross-contamination, whilst ensuring that process cycles are fully traceable. This applies to applications for blockbuster drugs, as well as personalised medicines and single-use applications — from batch production to continuous manufacturing.

As a specialist in level and pressure measurement, Vega offers the entire spectrum of measuring principles suitable for this industry. Thanks to their standardised fittings, such as M12 and valve-plug connections, the sensors can be easily and quickly integrated into the system architecture. They are able to detect even the smallest level or pressure changes. The measuring ranges of the pressure transmitters, with a choice of metallic or ceramic measuring cells, begins at just a few millibars, and extends to pressures of up to 1,000 bar. Their performance can directly impact the manufacturing costs of the end product, because perfectly measured quantities will optimise raw-material costs and improve productivity. The high sensor quality and functionality required for this are the result of decades of experience and continuous development: Vega is one of the few manufacturers who develop and produce their own special ceramic-capacitive measuring cell, called Certec.

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Hygienic Design Right from the Start

To help ensure hygienic and sterile drug production processes, Vega offers materials specially tailored to the strict requirements of the industry — with all necessary approvals and material properties. The high-quality materials withstand even aggressive cleaning agents and the hygienic design meets all standards according to EHEDG, 3-A Sanitary and FDA.

The sensors are also characterised by their flush process fittings and leakproof, robust housings (to IP69K). Vega sensors have been specially designed and developed for the requirements in the pharmaceutical industry, which are fulfilled by securely positioned sealing arrangements, all-metal housings and wetted parts with a surface finish as fine as 0.3 µm Ra. The hygienic design is free of gaps and dead spaces and prevents leakage, even during steam jet cleaning.

Vega also have especially designed sensors for the critical aspects of CIP and SIP processes. They ensure that all the required liquid media pumped through the pipelines of the system during CIP are available with sufficient reserves. And they reliably withstand the chemicals used, some of which are highly aggressive: even when CIP cleaning is carried out at 150 °C for up to two hours, or when the SIP process runs with saturated steam at a pressure of 1 bar.

Precise and Safe Pharmaceuticals Production

From preparation, fermentation and separation, to efficient storage, precise dosing and filling, to periodic cleaning processes during operation: the applications of Vega sensors in pharmaceuticals production are many and diverse. Some concrete examples show how Vegapuls radar sensors,Vegapoint capacitive level switches and Vegabar pressure switches are qualified to handle these tasks.

With its versatile hygienic adapters, Vegapuls 42 radar level sensors are particularly suitable for processes with strict demands on hygiene and is the right choice when it comes to end-to-end automation with fast level changes. IO-Link is an especially important communication protocol for the complex measuring tasks in factory automation, as it allows process data to be networked with both business enterpise and laboratory systems. Vegapuls 42 with IO-Link also attracts users with its maintenance-free operation resulting from contactless 80-GHz radar technology. During the development phase, vega dispensed with everything that would make Vegapuls 42 unnecessarily expensive and technically over-complex. The sensor is designed for any measuring distance up to 15 metres and can be used at temperatures of up to 150 °C. For example, It can be used in dosing and downstream processes such as conveyors and filling systems. Vegapuls 42 can be recognised from afar by its innovative, full-colour illuminated ring, which ensures better readability from all directions and at great distances. Incidentally, this illuminated ring is also the trademark of the Vegapoint capacitive level switch, for high accuracy point level detection . Their shared universal fitting hygienic adapter system ensures reduced installation work and spare parts inventory. This means they perfectly meet the requirements for hygienic processes.

Secure Feed and Provisioning

In supply lines carrying heating media, a fast response time is essential. Reliable pressure monitoring of gases, vapours and liquids up to 130 °C is guaranteed by Vegabar 28. Its metallic Metec measuring cell with alloy diaphragm, with self-compensating temperature behaviour, easily withstands sterilisation processes. This measuring cell is elastomer-free, absolutely vacuum-proof and has good thermal shock behaviour. In addition, the thermal coefficients of the materials have been matched in such a way that temperature influences no longer play a role, making them ideal for use in heating media applications. They also share the same universal fitting system with other devices for hygienic adapters, which further ensures reduced installation costs and smaller spares inventory.

In the solvent tank, it’s the high measurement accuracy of Vegapuls 6X that guarantees reliable supply. Thanks to the tight focusing of the radar beam, the continuously measuring level sensor measures right past agitators or other tank internals. Its high dynamic range enables measurement even of products with very poor reflective properties, like oils, solvents or oil-based products. Finally, the Vegaswing 61 vibrating level switch should also be mentioned, thanks to its reliable detection, fail-safe design and long service life, its pefect solution for overflow and dry-run protection, proving particularly useful in storage tanks for cleaning agents. This type of switch technology can be deployed universally for all liquids. Regardless of its mounting position, the instrument detects point levels reliably and with millimetre accuracy.

Stocks under Control

Wireless communication makes it much easier to access sensors in clean rooms, harsh industrial environments and Ex areas. Bluetooth in conjunction with the Vega Tools app enables reliable and fast parameterisation, display and diagnosis from a distance of up to 25 metres — without complex and often costly wiring. Vega Inventory System, which reliably visualises all important process and prognosis information, is the ideal solution for reliable inventory control, for example of cleaning media. Measuring instruments installed on containers, tanks or silos automatically inform the user when replenishment is needed. The user-friendly service software not only accesses current measurement data, but also has past consumption data at its fingertips. Users thus have an up-to-date overview of their stocks at all times and are informed about actual process utilisation. This transparent communication creates efficiency, standardises processes and thus ensures the quality of the end product for the long term.

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