Manual and automatic batching and recipe management all in a single device

Safety in recipe management, batch traceability and compliance with legal regulations are gaining ever-growing importance not only in the pharmaceutical industry, but are now also compulsory in the food and cosmetics sectors. As a result, the cost and effort of installing batching programs and recipe and batch management systems are increasing. A new development from technology group Sartorius demonstrates that batching and recipe management can actually be very easy.

The PHASE application kit for the Sartorius Combics Pro weighing terminal enables manual and automatic batching and recipe management in a single device. Batch management systems, such as ProBatch+ from Sartorius, can be connected to Combics Pro over an OPC connection with an S88-phase interface in accordance with the standards of the World Batch Forum (WBF). This means that users can operate ProBatch+ functions easily and comprehensively via Combics Pro. These functions include, among others, recipe control for up to 16 automatic scales on several production lines as well as data management for raw materials, recipes, production plans and reports.

Quick overview
The relevant weighing data are comprehensively presented on a large, high contrast, backlit graphic display on the connected Combics Pro Phase. A color bar graph display (yellow | green | red) ensures that the user can see the current status of all scales, including the active recipe line, at a glance – even at great distance.

The complete system of Combics Pro Phase and ProBatch+ provides assurance that the process was executed in accordance with the prescribed procedures, thus avoiding operating errors. Details of raw material batches, operators and recipe steps can be recorded seamlessly, so that the process is traceable and in accordance with EU regulations. However, the full system has even more to offer: automatic reporting saves time and money, incorrect batches are avoided thanks to the identification of materials, and high weighing process efficiency is ensured. Another useful feature is that when a plant or system is commissioned, a defined process procedure (recipe) can be simulated using the batching function and thus checked without “sacrificing” any raw materials.

Intuitive operation
To enable users from the food, cosmetics and fine chemicals industries to quickly learn how to operate the equipment, there is only one single routine by means of which ProBatch+ is installed quickly and reliably. With the aid of intuitive operator guidance, users can operate the system reliably and confidently after the briefest period of training. This means that commissioning can be planned exactly and costs remain manageable. Due to the use of standards, even future expansion is not a problem and integration into larger plant and systems can be easily achieved.

In combination with high-precision platform scales from Sartorius, the smallest of quantities can be batched exactly. Especially for expensive products, this leads to cost savings because over-batching is avoided. However, the most important selling point is that the user can rely upon reproducible, consistent product quality. Combics Pro PHASE thus becomes an indispensable tool for a high level of quality assurance in the recipe management process.