Improving Process
Accuracy with Metrohm
Process Analytics
Metrohm Process Analytics
offers a range of off the
shelf and bespoke Process
Analysers that automatically
sample and analyse direct
from your process.
M
etrohm Process Analytics offers a range of
off the shelf and bespoke Process Analysers
that automatically sample and analyse direct
from your process. Many processes operate
within tightly defined limits for parameters such as
weight, temperature, pH, or more unique parameters; as
examples, Acid concentration in an etching solution, Nickel
concentration in a plating bath, moisture levels in reactive
drawing oils…
Often control of these parameters is critical to maintain
product and process specifications to achieve optimal
product quality and consistency. Deviation of these
parameters from target can negatively impact on product
quality and/or lead to excessive operating costs, e.g excess
chemical consumption, reduced throughput, lower yield…..
Processes that rely on any analytical measurement to
maintain the process near to an operating target and within
an operating window will be accurate dependant on:
The analytical instrument employed SEP
Error of sampling from the process and any manual
manipulations of the sample
Frequency of analysis
Process variation error
Moving from the laboratory to a process analyser allows
you to run production much closer to your operating target
giving increased yield, improved final product quality and
consistency. All this leads to increased profit margins and
less out of conformance product. Also by reducing the
process/product variation can mean product specification
can be tightened giving a competitive advantage and/or
higher value product versus the competition.
Because process analysers remove the manual sampling
from a process, there is a clear safety advantage. Moving
to a process analyser fully removes the risk associated
with taking samples that are: under pressure, at elevated
temperature, toxic, corrosive, sensitising, noxious,
carcinogenic, harmful, and unpleasant.
Metrohm Process Analytics has experience designing and
integrating Process analysers for many industries and
applications. Metrohm Process Analysers operate on the
methods of Titration, Liquid Chromatography, Photometry,
near-infrared spectroscopy, voltammetry and TOC.
Figure 1. Process Accuracy depends on multiple sources of error
Normal laboratory analysis “off-line can have detrimental
impact on process accuracy by introducing sampling error
and limiting analysis frequency due to manual limitations
and differences between analysts.
Introducing “on-line process analysers reduces the
sampling error and increases the sampling frequency as well
as improving the prediction error for the analysis. Improving
all these steps leads to significant improvements in process
accuracy narrowing the normal operating window to ensure
the process is operating at its most efficient.
Figure 3. Difference in Process Accuracy for laboratory analysis (1) and
continuous analysis (2) , highlighting how the process can be shifted
closer to specification (3) to increase profit.
Figure 2. Operating window for continuous process analysis versus
“at-line” laboratory analysis is significantly improved
Figure 4. Metrohm Analysers have major application in the surface
finishing industry.
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