Malvern Instruments Welcomes New OPC Specification for Analyzer Device Integration


22 October 2009: Malvern, UK: The release of the first OPC analyzer device integration (ADI) specification has been welcomed by Malvern Instruments, one of the founder members of the working group set up in 2008 to develop a common method for data exchange and an analyzer model for process and laboratory systems.

The new standard will ease the integration of analyzers for the implementation of multivariate process control strategies. It is based on OPC-UA (Unified Architecture) which is universally accepted, platform neutral and achieves high speed data transfer. The standard is of particular value in the pharmaceutical industry where commercial pressures, Quality by Design (QbD) and the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative, are combining to promote transformational change in manufacturing practice.

Gerard Michel, Senior Automation Engineer for Malvern's process systems, said, "This is a significant step towards the goal of true plug and play interoperability. At Malvern we have long recognized the importance of integrating different instruments to successfully automate control. For process instrumentation this is often a route to achieving maximum return on analytical spend and we are working hard to ensure that our customers can access all the benefits the standard brings from the outset."

The OPC Analyzer Device Integration Working Group has seen the successful collaboration between members of the OPC Foundation, an organisation dedicated to ensuring interoperability in automation via open standards, and 21 other companies including representatives from instrument vendors and industrial users.

Malvern Instruments offers a range of material characterization tools for both laboratory and process applications. The Insitec range of laser diffraction particle size analyzers, for example, is specified to meet the rigours of the manufacturing environment and provides real-time measurement for both wet and dry streams with particles in the size range 0.1 to 1000 microns. Already widely used in a variety of industrial sectors, Insitec is a PAT tool with proven performance, increasingly adopted by the pharmaceutical industry. www.malvern.com

About Malvern Instruments

Malvern Instruments provides a range of complementary materials characterization tools that deliver inter-related measurements reflecting the complexities of particulates and disperse systems, nanomaterials and macromolecules. Analytical instruments from Malvern are used in the characterization of a wide variety of materials, from industrial bulk powders to nanomaterials and delicate macromolecules. A broad portfolio of innovative technologies is combined with intelligent, user-friendly software. These systems deliver industrially relevant data enabling our customers to make the connection between micro (such as particle size) and macro (bulk) material properties (rheology) and chemical composition (chemical imaging).

Particle size, particle shape, zeta potential, molecular weight, chemical composition and rheological properties measurements are now joined by advanced chromatography solutions (GPC/SEC), extending Malvern's technologies for protein molecular weight, size and aggregation measurements, and synthetic polymer molecular weight and distribution. The company's laboratory, at-line, on-line and in-line solutions are proven in sectors as diverse as cement production and pharmaceutical drug discovery.

Headquartered in Malvern, UK, Malvern Instruments has subsidiary organizations in all major European markets, North America, China, Korea and Japan, a joint venture in India, a global distributor network and applications laboratories around the world. www.malvern.com

For press information, please contact:

Trish Appleton

Kapler Communications

Knowledge Centre

Wyboston Lakes

Great North Road

Wyboston

Bedfordshire

MK44 3BY, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1480 479280;

Fax: +44 (0)1480 470343

trish@kapleronline.com

USA contact:

Marisa Fraser

Malvern Instruments Inc.

117 Flanders Road

Westborough

MA 01581-1042 USA

Tel: +1 508 768 6400

Fax: +1 508 768 6403

marisa.fraser@malvern.com

Please send sales enquiries to:

Alison Vines

Malvern Instruments Ltd

Enigma Business Park

Grovewood Road

Malvern

Worcestershire

WR14 1XZ UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1684 892456;

Fax: +44 (0) 1684 892789

salesinfo@malvern.com

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