A Clean Switch

Adam Fabriwerk, located in the Indian Nashik, specializes in the production of mixing and processing systems for the biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Antibiotics, blood plasma products as well as injection and infusion solutions are among the products manufactured by the company. After production, the materials are transferred directly to the filling stations. Adam Fabriwerk not only makes the vessels, they also equip them with the necessary infrastructure. This ranges from magnetic mixers and buffer and storage containers to CIP modules for lyophilizers and sterilization modules for the biopharmaceutical industry. Not only the vessels themselves must comply with the strictest hygienic requirements, but also all components and in particular the elements connecting to other systems.

Each step is therefore monitored by a sophisticated quality assurance system that meets all FDA requirements. An important aspect here are the customer-specific control concepts for the widely different automation levels. To ensure a reliable process, the level in the mixing vessel must be reliably and continuously monitored. Pharmaceutical vessels are rather small compared to those in the chemical industry. Even at Adam Fabriwerk they usually reach a height of only 1.20 m. Therefore, every millimetre counts when measuring the level. Also problematic are magnetic stirrers, turbulence, high temperatures between 50 and 150° C, different vessel bottom geometries and spray balls during CIP cycles.

The company of course already knew about the advantages of radar level measurement technology. After all, the method is not only very accurate, but it also measures independently of temperature and pressure as well as the density of the liquid. What is more, the measuring instruments can be easily and quickly installed and put into operation. The most important aspect in pharmaceutical applications, especially in view of the large agitators: the sensors measure contactlessly.

Up to now, Adam Fabriwerk made do with differential pressure transmitters in the stirring vessels. However, in their customers' everyday production this often resulted in measurement uncertainties, for example when the density of the media changed. Especially for pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies, who change media frequently in their process vessels, this presented additional challenges because the vessels require correspondingly frequent cleaning cycles. Also impractical was the necessary calibration, which also led to inaccurate readings.

Once installed, radar sensor VEGAPULS 64 didn't need to be reconfigured, not even during CIP cycles. This has a particularly positive effect when the vessels are delivered to the pharmaceutical manufacturers. The sensors can be adjusted and adapted to the vessel before delivery. The end customer thus receives a fully operational system.
Adam Fabriwerk was enthusiastic about the uncomplicated collaboration with VEGA and the simple installation of the new sensor.