Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical industry operates under the most stringent regulatory requirements for process control, hygiene, and documentation. FDA, GMP, and ASME BPE compliant instrumentation with CIP/SIP compatibility ensures consistent product quality.
Overview
The pharmaceutical industry operates under the most stringent regulatory requirements for process control, hygiene, and documentation. Production of drugs, biologics, and ultrapure water demands instrumentation that meets FDA, GMP, and ASME BPE standards while delivering the measurement precision needed for consistent product quality. Level and pressure sensors must feature hygienic designs with polished surfaces, CIP/SIP compatibility, and full material traceability. In biopharmaceutical manufacturing, sensitivity to contamination is especially high, requiring sensors that integrate into clean-in-place and sterilize-in-place protocols. Complete documentation and validation support are essential for maintaining regulatory compliance throughout the instrument lifecycle.
Industry Challenges
Key challenges we help address
Validating sensor calibration for GMP-regulated processes
Monitoring ultrapure water systems to pharmacopeia standards
Preventing cross-contamination between production batches
Managing temperature-sensitive biologics in storage
Ensuring full batch traceability for regulatory audits
Handling solvent vapors safely in reaction vessel environments
Maintaining sterile conditions in filling and packaging areas
Solutions for This Industry
Industrial IoT
Use Cases
Explore specific scenarios and challenges in this industry
Agitating tank
Pharmaceutical Industry
In the pharmaceutical industry, numerous liquids with widely different properties are required. Liquid intermediate products must be made available and held ready for further processes. To ensure smooth, continuous production, reliable level measurement and point level detection are essential.
Autoclave
Pharmaceutical Industry
In the production of medical consumables, autoclaves are commonly used for sterilization. Every autoclave has 4 chambers where medical products are sterilized. They work with dry, saturated steam at 2.7 bar pressure and 130 °C. To regulate the water level in the condensate sump, a reliable level measurement is required. The overpressure is also measured to ensure an optimal and safe autoclaving process.
Batch holding tank on a filling system
Pharmaceutical Industry
Pharmaceutical products such as drugs and vaccines are held in batch filling holding tanks ready to be filled into injection vials under absolutely sterile conditions. After each batch, the holding tank has to be totally sterilized using an autoclaving procedure. During this process, the sensor is exposed to a pressure of 2.5 bar and a temperature of 130 °C for at least half an hour. The rapidly changing levels of the aqueous liquids are continuously monitored. The rapidly changing levels of the aqueous liquids require continuous and precise monitoring.
Batching tank for ointments
Pharmaceutical Industry
Many different ointments and creams are produced in batching tanks. The process conditions in batch production are typically characterized by high temperatures and vacuum. After each batch run, the tank needs to be cleaned quickly and effectively with chemically aggressive cleaning agents ready for the next batch. Contamination of the products during the mixing or reaction process is prevented by the use of a protective gas atmosphere. To ensure a safe, reliable process, both the level and the gas head pressure must be continuously monitored.
Bioreactor
Pharmaceutical Industry
Some pharmaceutical companies use bioreactor vessels to cultivate particular cells or microorganisms required for certain treatments. The very high level of hygiene required means the vessels and all associated parts must be easy to thoroughly clean, because even the slightest contamination with other organisms can lead to an aborted production run. These reactors are mainly "batch-fed", where they are completely filled at the start and not emptied again until the process is completed. The pressure and level in the reactor have to be monitored continuously during process in order to obtain a high-quality yield.
CIP system - cleaning agent storage tanks
Pharmaceutical Industry
In the pharmaceutical industry, cleaning of process equipment takes place within the framework of a validated "Clean in Place (CIP)" process to ensure aseptic conditions are maintained in production equipment, tanks and pipelines. Sodium hydroxide or concentrated acids are frequently used as cleaning agents, which are held in storage tanks within the CIP system. They are diluted in a premix vessel prior to use. Level measurement enables safe storage and optimal usage of these cleaning agents. Point level detection serves as overfill and dry run protection.
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