Biotechnology

Biotech Facility Increases Throughput on Fermentation Vessel

A biotech facility was having issues from the inability to get a repeatable level measurement on their fermentation vessel. In addition, response time was slow and suboptimal for level control. Adding Emerson’s Rosemount™ 3051S Pressure Transmitter improved the accuracy of measurement from an error rate of 3-5% to less than .05%.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facility/Line Efficiency Optimization


Using software, such as DeltaV Spectral Process Analytic Technology (PAT), the critical quality attribute model can be run directly in the control system for real-time prediction and control, eliminating the need to take a sample off-line. For example, blending samples are critical to ensuring materials are mixed properly to minimize deviation and wasted materials.  With the right software, you take a sample and adjust in real-time, greatly increasing production efficiency. 

It is recommended to focus on optimizing materials, equipment, and people. This can involve leveraging software to predict demand and ensure the correct amount of materials are on hand. In addition, predictive maintenance should be in place to plan and schedule downtime so unexpected equipment failures don’t create deviations or bottlenecks. Dynamic real time updates to schedules need to be in place to accommodate the typical fluctuations encountered in production. By using the data and the model from a process, the bottlenecks can be understood. Additionally, “what if” scenarios can be run to determine how to alleviate the bottleneck and determine what would be the next bottleneck in production. Also, consistent operations are critical, so training personnel to handle unexpected issues in real-time results in smooth operations, with many challenges being prevented. A solution like AspenTech ProMV™ analyzes interrelated process data to identify production capacity degradation and determine potential issues before production is negatively impacted.

Balancing the supply and demand of materials, products, and resources is critical to staying on top of production in real time and understanding asset health. This involves having the right sensors, data analytics and predictive maintenance to monitor asset conditions, identify potential failures, and prevent breakdowns. In addition, taking an enterprise point of view with Emerson's Aspen Supply Chain Planner helps you holistically optimize your global supply chain by building optimal procurement, production, distribution, and inventory plans that meet demand and business revenue goals.

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