ABB releases new version of Industrial^IT for PAT

ABB announced today that it has released the latest version of its Industrial IT for PAT (process analytical technology) software; this release includes enhancements for improved data visualization and connectivity to a wider range of third party analytical devices. These enhancements provide manufacturers with expanded capability to process and model information, so that they can reliably integrate these vital analytical measurements with the process control system to improve overall production efficiency and product quality. ABB will feature the newest version of Industrial IT for PAT at Pittcon 2008.

Industrial IT for PAT combines process data collection and analysis with traditional process control and data management functions to produce a complete PAT solution in a single system. This standalone product delivers the customer productivity benefits promised by the FDA’s PAT initiative, which promotes Quality by Design (QbD).

The latest version of Industrial IT for PAT includes improved 2D and 3D data visualization for spectra, chromatograms, histograms, and other multivariate data for more comprehensive analysis.
Customers can graphically view data from any analytical instrument connected to the system or its network, regardless of its physical location or vendor brand.

It also adds two important analyzer interfaces to the existing list of third party devices-- Mettler- Toledo’s Monarc process FTIR analyzer and CDI’s diode array analyzer. These new drivers provide more options for process analysis in lab and production environments.

“Industrial IT for PAT greatly reduces the overall cost of ownership by providing a powerful and flexible solution to improve product quality and process efficiency in a wide range of laboratory and life science manufacturing environments,” said Thomas Buijs, ABB Product Marketing Manager, Industrial IT for PAT.

“This version includes additional analyzer support, enhanced visualization, advanced data mining and analysis capabilities to make it an even more powerful and scalable process tool. Using a single architecture, Industrial IT for PAT helps life science industry customers implement quality by design throughout the entire pharmaceutical product lifecycle, from drug discovery through development to production,” said Buijs.

ABB also emphasized its continued support and participation in the OPC/UA Analyzer Device Integration (ADI) initiative to provide seamless information transfer and a standard data exchange model for complete analyzer control. ABB is working with the OPC/UA – ADI initiative, along with end users and other analyzer suppliers to offer customers advanced data interfaces to their analyzers. “A true industrial process is composed of numerous analyzers from multiple vendors,” said Buijs. “The goal of this initiative is to provide a standard that allows customers to capture data from all vendors’ devices and analyze the data for use in process optimization.”

ABB’s Industrial IT for PAT provides life sciences customers with a single system to access and examine online, real-time process data directly from the manufacturing operation. This configurable, windows-based system collects data from ABB and/or third-party vendor’s analytical instruments and analyzes the data to determine the actual condition of the process.

It then passes the resulting information to the ABB or third party control system, and to other applications that support the drug manufacturing process. Industrial IT for PAT is built on the same technology foundation as ABB’s award-winning System 800xA Extended Automation.