Raylo Chemical, a leading producer of specialty chemicals, is reducing equipment and maintenance costs and improving process efficiency and batch yields using patented pH sensing technology from the Foxboro Measurements & Instruments Division of Invensys (www.measurements-instruments.com). Implementing Foxboro 871PH Series sensors has helped Raylo reduce manufacturing cycles by up to 20%, which translates into a savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA (PRWEB) September 26, 2006 -- Raylo Chemical, a leading producer of specialty chemicals, is reducing equipment and maintenance costs and improving process efficiency and batch yields using patented pH sensing technology from the Foxboro Measurements & Instruments Division of Invensys (www.measurements-instruments.com). Implementing Foxboro 871PH Series sensors has helped Raylo reduce manufacturing cycles by up to 20%, which translates into a savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
“Batches typically range from 300 to 900 kilograms and even the slightest variation in our process has a significant impact on costs. If our process is off even slightly, the cost implications are significant. Over time, this could add up to substantial losses in production and profitability,” says Rob Pastushak, senior technical supervisor of pharmaceutical manufacturing for Raylo.
Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Raylo Chemical is a member of the Degussa Fine Chemicals Division, the world market leader in specialty chemicals. Raylo Chemical has a 40-year history of custom manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients and advanced intermediates for innovative pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. As a custom manufacturer, Raylo is faced with developing and scaling a wide range of chemistries and products and ultimately delivering these on a commercial basis. “The compounds we produce are used in various human applications from cancer treatments to anti-virals. Processes have to be controlled tightly in order to insure quality and consistent high yields. While our products are generally high value, it is a competitive industry so delivering high yield to the customer is a must,” says Pastushak.
To assure consistent product quality and maximize batch yields, Raylo launched an effort to improve the efficiency of its manufacturing process. Pastushak focused on pH measurement. “Measuring pH was a problem at that time because of the unreliability of our pH sensors. They simply could not hold up under aggressive chemicals that we use, such as hydrobromic acid. The organic solvent constituent caused the probe’s o-rings to degrade during the most critical point of the process. In many cases, three probes, at approximately $600 per probe, would fail during processing just one batch,” Pastushak says.
Because of the unreliability of these devices, Raylo was forced to confirm pH measurements on a bench top meter in their lab. “When you process 3,000 to 5,000 liters and add 5 to 10 kilos of caustic solution at a time, it might take 20 to 40 lab tests to ensure the pH is right during pH adjustment,” says Pastushak. “Going to the lab so often to confirm pH just killed production efficiency, but it was a necessary evil to comply with the strict quality control standards that are essential to our business.”
Pastushak points out that given the competitive nature of the custom manufacturing business and the tight margins that exist in the industry, even a small 1 or 2 percent variance in yield can have a huge impact on the bottom line. "A small 1 or 2 percent increase in the target commercial yield is translated as 100% pure profit. Likewise, a consistent loss of 1 or 2% of the commercial target yield translates as lost profit. You don't stay in business long with this type of performance," says Pastushak.
To resolve the pH measurement issue, Pastushak researched several probes and decided to test the Foxboro 871PH Series sensor, from the Measurements & Instruments Division of Invensys Process Systems. The 871 is a rebuildable pH probe that incorporates patented technology from the award-winning Foxboro DolpHin™ pH sensor line. “We found many vendors that offered quality sensors, but Foxboro was the only one that could provide a robust design that could stand up to all the reagents and solvents in our solutions. The 871’s Ryton® polymer plastic construction is compatible with all the materials in our process and is just what the doctor ordered for our demanding application,” says Pastushak.
Foxboro worked closely with Raylo to fully understand the requirements of the application and provide a solution tailored for Raylo’s process requirements. “Foxboro offered the technical expertise and production capabilities to modify the 871 sensors to include o-rings made out of Kalrez, which was a big factor in us choosing them over their competitors,” says Pastushak. “The other units we considered were only available as is, off-the-shelf. We needed a durable pH sensor with Kalrez o-rings, and Foxboro was able to deliver the solution.”
“We can now complete a pH adjustment in 3 hours rather than the 18 to 24 hours it previously took,” says Pastushak. “And we no longer have to take 40 samples to the lab to confirm measurement accuracy -- we only take one, as a matter of quality assurance protocol. Previously, every time we grabbed a lab sample, we had to put the process on hold until we got the results back. This is significant when you consider not only the yield impact but the cost of a process hour,” says Pastushak.
This reduction in the number of confirmation measurements also improved personnel safety. The fewer the confirmation measurements, the less times the technicians need to open the line to manually obtain samples. This fits in line with Raylo’s strong commitment to implementing the highest precautions with all of its safety controls.
The Foxboro 871PH sensor’s fast response, coupled with the sensor’s long reliable duty cycle and the elimination of 40 grab samples also allows Raylo to produce more batches in the same period of time. The faster, real-time readings have helped Raylo reduce manufacturing cycles by up to 20%, which increases capacity and competitiveness. “Overall, yields have increased and cycle times have been shortened. When you add-in the increase in quality, the improved pH readings by one sensor can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars per year,” Pastushak says.
But the benefits of Foxboro 871PH go far beyond improving Raylo’s bottom-line. “By enabling us to increase product quality and yield, the Foxboro 871PH sensor has allowed us to do our job better so we can contribute to improving the quality of life for countless people and that’s what we’re in business for,” says Pastushak.
For more information on the Foxboro DolpHin™ pH sensor line or other advanced Foxboro measurement and instrument devices, readers can contact their local Invensys/Foxboro representative, visit the Foxboro Measurements and Instruments Web Site at www.foxboro.com/instrumentation or call 866-746-6477 (508-549-2424 outside the U.S. and Canada). The Foxboro DolpHin™ pH sensor line can also be purchased on-line at www.buyautomation.com.
About Foxboro M&I Division
The Foxboro Measurements and Instruments (M&I) Division has a long-standing reputation for providing world-class measurement solutions. With a legacy of accurate, reliable, and innovative products, the group prides itself on working with customers to achieve industry-best total solutions for optimum measurement or analysis of temperature, pressure, flow, and electrochemical variables.
About Invensys
Invensys is the world leader in industrial asset performance management. In addition to its rapidly expanding Global Solutions and Performance Management services groups, Invensys’ automation businesses includes industry-leading brands such as Foxboro, Triconex, SimSci-Esscor, Wonderware, and Avantis, whose products are installed in more than 100,000 plants across the world. These range from small hybrid and batch plants to the world’s largest upstream projects, refineries, gas plants, petrochemicals plants, power plants, and pulp and paper mills.
The Invensys Group (www.invensys.com) is headquartered in London and is listed on the London Stock Exchange, with approximately 30,000 employees working in 60 countries.
Invensys, SimSci-Esscor, Foxboro, DolpHin, Triconex, Wonderware, and Avantis are trademarks of Invensys plc, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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