Ready for the future

(Image: BRIEM Steuerungstechnik GmbH)

When developing, manufacturing, and storing medical or pharmaceutical products, quality assurance plays a major role. Monitoring systems are an important and critical component. With increasing digitalization and often rapidly growing companies, the demand for modernization of existing solutions rises. BRIEM Control Technology supports the development of a customized retrofit.

"When investing in a monitoring system, operators often focus only on what the software currently needs to do," says Sascha Poloczek, Business Development Manager at BRIEM Control Technology GmbH in Nürtingen near Stuttgart, a manufacturer of monitoring systems for cleanrooms and laboratories. Few consider the challenges that lie ahead — for example, because their company is growing and digitalization is increasing worldwide.

"The IT infrastructure must also adapt to this," Sascha Poloczek mentions as one of the challenges. Does the monitoring system support future operating systems? As the company grows, more employees will have access rights. Is this possible with the software, and can different departments be clearly separated through the access control structure? Important factors are also fail-safety and the duration of availability when using supplier-specific hardware — as well as the possibility to connect other sensor types or bus systems to the system if needed.

An often underestimated component, especially in times of increasing digitalization, is the ability to transfer data to other systems. More and more, monitoring systems are "merging" with existing systems such as production planning or batch documentation.

The more affordable alternative

However, even if operators have considered all of this, changing requirements such as product recalls or lack of customization options can still cause monitoring systems to fall behind. "The operator can then decide on a completely new solution — or a retrofit," describes Sascha Poloczek. Modernization is generally more cost-effective — especially if many components of the existing system can be reused: costly particle counters, process-related sensors, or sensors with high wiring effort. This also includes warning lights and horns for alarms. Functional elements like control cabinets, PLCs, data loggers, SMS modems, servers, and monitoring software, however, need to be replaced.

"Users have clear advantages with this approach," reports Sascha Poloczek. "Because, in the best case, we can continue to use all sensors and wiring, we don't need to enter the cleanrooms during installation." This reduces the project duration, and the user saves significantly on costs.

Feasibility study clarifies

A feasibility study is an important element in a retrofit. "Depending on the scope of the project, we conduct this as part of a joint workshop. Detailed planning and project design may be necessary," explains Sascha Poloczek. The goal is to identify both the optimal solution path and potential risks. BRIEM Control Technology examines the existing sensors for their suitability and future viability, and reviews the electrical connections: The experts analyze, among other things, whether the existing cables can be reused regarding length and condition, or if there is enough space for an additional control cabinet.

For integration into the existing IT infrastructure, BRIEM defines the interfaces to be used in advance, such as Active Directory connection, Modbus/TCP, Bacnet, or Profinet. Data integrity must be fully maintained and documented for all connections to other systems. During qualification and validation, the experts coordinate with the operator on how the tests should be conducted and where responsibilities lie. The monitoring system must also be able to recalibrate process-compliantly — in the installed state without interrupting the measurement chain.

"A realistic schedule is essential for a smooth project process, as conversion takes time," says Sascha Poloczek. "We need to precisely determine the days on which this will occur. Backup solutions may need to be planned to avoid data gaps during the conversion," he adds. Also important are the backup power supply and the timing of staff training.

Retrofit solutions thus offer excellent opportunities to bring outdated existing monitoring systems up to current technology standards without having to replace everything completely. The more components of the old system are to be reused, the more important detailed, risk-based planning and a solid feasibility study become.