Chemistry, Pharmacy & Biotechnology
Process automation solutions from WinMOD
Chemistry and pharmacy
With the introduction of WinMOD in 1995, these industries were among the first users of the WinMOD system platform. The already high quality requirements and established procedures for performing factory acceptance tests (FAT) and process validations favoured the early use of simulation-based software testing.
chemistry
Process control systems with extensive, technology-oriented function libraries are typically used for the automation of technological processes. The main reason for this is to make optimum use of the often complex instrumentation required for control and monitoring – from simple to complex drive and sensor technology.
With the replacement of hardware-based testing systems with software-based (simulated) testing systems from 1995 onwards, factory acceptance tests (FAT) became considerably simpler and more efficient. In this context, WinMOD provides extensive simulation libraries for automation components. In addition, the system offers users the option of expanding these libraries themselves.
WinMOD provides a real-time base library for simulating technological processes and the associated process variables, such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, fill level, concentration or pH value. This enables the simulation of typical control system functions and their combination into complete process function libraries based on them.
Optimised engineering tools, such as process and engineering assistance, also support users without in-depth mathematical or process engineering knowledge and enable efficient use of the software.
pharmacy
The central processes in this area include the chemical or biological synthesis of active ingredients and the fabrication of finished pharmaceutical products. These are usually highly automated and therefore place high demands on the quality assurance of the automation systems used and their programming.
In 1978, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the first guidelines on process validation. The aim of these guidelines was to demonstrate that production processes are repeatable and reproducible. In the pharmaceutical industry, these requirements led early on to the establishment of procedures that ensured the highest level of safety and quality through comprehensive control and reporting obligations.
With the advent of automation and the use of digital control systems – such as PLC and SCADA systems – the topic of process validation also became increasingly important in automation and process engineering.
Starting in 1995, major pharmaceutical companies, particularly those in Switzerland and Germany, recognised the new possibilities offered by WinMOD for simulation-based software testing. Through their early adoption, they significantly influenced the further development of the WinMOD system platform – from basic functions to the verification and documentation capabilities of complex test scenarios.
WinMOD is used in numerous process steps in pharmaceutical production, including multi-stage reactions, filtration, crystallisation, distillation, drying, centrifugation, chromatography, freeze drying, granulation, mixing and packaging. The software is also used in clean room environments and in sterilisation processes.
biotechnology
Traditional automation concepts, combined with increasingly new methods of measurement data acquisition and analysis technology, also require continuous further development of the necessary simulation components.
The production processes used in biotechnology are similar in many respects to those used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, the key difference lies in the use of biological systems – such as microorganisms, cell cultures or enzymes – to manufacture products. Compared to traditional chemical and pharmaceutical plants, significantly smaller quantities of material are processed.
In the pharmaceutical sector, biotechnological production of essential raw materials is becoming increasingly important (see section on pharmaceuticals).
Other biotechnological plants, particularly in the field of green chemistry and energy production, are often operated decentrally in non-industrial environments. They are therefore usually designed to be self-sufficient and highly automated. In this context, virtual commissioning (VC) is becoming increasingly important – for example, in the development and operation of plants for the production of green ammonia or biogas plants for agricultural businesses.
