Automated test stands for reproducible results in pharmaceutical development
Precision and reproducibility in the laboratory
Whether developing new formulations or validating technical components - reproducible test results are the basis for reliable decisions. Manually operated test setups quickly reach their limits here. Modern, automated test stands combine process control, measured value acquisition and documentation in a central system. This not only creates greater efficiency and accuracy, but also enables seamless scalability from laboratory tests to production environments.
A recent customer project impressively demonstrates the potential of a fully digitized test environment.
Automated gel production for Botox carrier materials
When formulating medical gels, which are used as a carrier material for Botox products, our customer was faced with the difficulty of recording and evaluating the mixing and shearing process on a laboratory scale under realistic conditions. The existing test setups were largely operated manually, showed a high degree of scatter in the measurement results and did not allow for consistent process documentation. In particular, the torque during the shearing process - decisive for the subsequent viscosity of the gel - could only be recorded inadequately. This severely limited the transferability of the test results to later production systems.
Fully digitalized laboratory test bench with central process control
To solve this bottleneck, we developed a fully automated laboratory test stand that bundles both process control and data acquisition centrally. At the heart of the system is a compact control cabinet with an integrated control system and industrial-grade network connection. The gel preparations are processed between two porous ceramic disks that rotate against each other. During the mixing process, pressure, temperature, flow rate and torque are continuously measured and logged by the software.
Technical integration and user convenience
The system controls seven process valves and an asynchronous motor via a frequency converter. External devices such as coolers, precision scales and torque sensors are integrated directly into the application via serial interfaces, meaning that no manual intervention is required. The operator is provided with a central user interface via which process recipes can be started and all measurement data can be visualized and archived in real time.
The result: greater efficiency, accuracy and traceability
This results in considerable benefits for the customer: Tests can now be carried out reproducibly and with high measurement accuracy. Parameter studies, which previously required several days and numerous manual interventions, can now be automated. The data generated provides a reliable basis for scale-up decisions towards production and enables the sound validation of different recipes and process conditions. At the same time, the documentation effort is significantly reduced - an advantage particularly in the regulated pharmaceutical environment.