Staying in Control of Your Analytical Processes

[Carl-Fisher]

In a previous blog post, I talked about the benefit of monitoring industrial processes to ensure the purity of the various solutions or reagents used at different stages of production to achieve optimal results. This post focused on the hardware involved in this process -- i.e.  ion chromatography or high-pressure liquid chromatography systems in combination with on-line sample stream selection and the option for sample preparation that can include dilution, concentration, or cleanup. Such systems can be situated on a lab bench at early stages of process development or secured within environmentally isolated enclosures for protection from potentially harsh industrial settings. The current blog post focuses on the software that controls these systems.

Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ Integral™ Process Analytical systems with Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™  Ion Chromatography or Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™  HPLC systems provides the horsepower for the heavy analytical lifting required for process monitoring, but results can’t happen without an equally capable system to ensure that everything stays in control. When it comes to process analysis, Thermo Scientific™ Chromeleon™ 7 Process Analyzer (PA) software is more than up to the task. This software package is built upon Thermo Scientific™ Chromeleon Chromatography Data System (CDS) Software version 7.3, which is Windows 10-compatible allowing customers who are forced to finally abandon their Windows 7 setups to step up to the latest tools. Those who need regulatory compliance will appreciate the full suite of features available to enable this including data validation, security, e-signatures, audit trails, and automated scheduling of system suitability samples, check standards, and calibrations.

The control of industrial processes does not typically happen in isolation, at least not if true optimization is the goal. Fortunately, Chromeleon 7 PA can use Open Platform Communications (OPC), a standard protocol used in industrial automation that lets software and devices from different vendors exchange data with each other. What this means is that a centralized server or external control system can monitor several processes at the same time and react to alarms and events from each to improve product quality and yield.

Software is rarely ever ready to go right out of the box. Part of the reason for this is that one size does not fit all and, as a user, you expect to get started relatively quickly, but also want to be able to have the flexibility to adjust settings so that they are tailored to your unique requirements. Chromeleon 7 PA offers an abundance of user-customizable options such as Results Based Events (RBE), alarms, alarm actions, control panels, and reports. So, there is no need to settle for an ill-fitting setup that is not responsive to your needs.

One feature that sets Chromeleon 7 PA software apart from the competition is the ability to easily transfer methods from the research and development (R&D) lab to the pilot plant, and finally, to manufacturing. As your instruments migrate, so does your software. No need to mentally shift to another user environment.

Chromeleon 7 PA software combined with Dionex Integral Process Analytical systems smooth out the potential twists and turns of process variability, keeping you firmly in the driver’s seat and always under control.