Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is challenged with increasing production and quality demands. As part of a novel front-edge tablet production technology, Ferring needed a highly accurate and robust vision-system for monitoring and controlling process parameters.
VideometerLabXY for Pharma
A VideometerLabXY system was implemented at the production site in St. Prex, Switzerland, as an automated at-line inspection system.
The vision-system measures shape- and texture-distribution of bulk granule samples and was integrated as a validated and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant system. The analysis is based on multi-spectral digital images scanned by a high-resolution camera. The state-of-the-art image calibration technology ensures that image-standardization is maintained through-out the life-time of the instrument.
Ferring realized that Videometer’s solution was superior to a number of alternative solutions due to its high level of performance and flexibility.
Tue Hansen, Process Specialist at Ferring Pharmaceuticals stated:
“None of the alternative systems we considered acquiring were capable of providing as reliable data on up to 8000 of our granules in the desired timeframe i.e. in less than 15 minutes. Moreover, if we had implemented a classic laboratory vision system based on a digital camera / microscope and standard analysis-software we would have been restricted to doing standard size measurements only. With Videometer’s solution we have a system that is tailored to our needs and which can be easily modified to perform other types of measurements. Further, the system benefits from being rugged. Thus, it posed no concerns to place it directly in the production environment.”
Finally, it is considered an advantage that the equipment does not require expert knowledge for correct measurements to be made.
“Accordingly, the image analysis can be easily integrated into the list of tasks handled by the process operators themselves”.
The Ease of Process Control
Tue Hansen concludes by mentioning a derived advantage of the system:
“The fact, that the process operators are directly involved in getting process feedback does not only result in a reduced response time. It is also expected to convey a greater sense of ownership and control over the process to the process operators, and hereby securing a high level of motivation. By the enhanced process-understanding we gain from the system, Videometer’s system lives up to tomorrow’s demands for process understanding and continuous improvements”.