Monitoring Sample Stores for a Manufacturer

Nov. 12, 2014
Grant SQ2020 Squirrel Series Data Logger helps streamline QC

Pharmaceutical product manufacturing is synonymous with strict quality control and traceability. To ensure that these requirements are met with efficiency and reliability, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in the UK required a temperature monitoring system to continuously monitor eight different temperature points as well as temperature and relative humidity in two other locations within their retained sample store. The manufacturer also needed alarming capability to alert workers the moment that either temperature or humidity went outside regulatory limits.

Grant data loggers are capable of measuring a wide range of physical values including temperature, humidity, current, voltage and resistance.

The manufacturer recently installed a Grant Squirrel SQ2020 Portable Universal Input Data Logger from CAS DataLoggers in the storage section of its quality testing area. Users connected the datalogger to eight temperature probes and a pair of combination temperature and RH probes to cover all their monitoring points. This system was also supplied with UKAS-traceable (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) calibration certification.

The Squirrel data logger offers users a highly accurate (0.05% accuracy), battery-powered solution featuring 24-bit analog-to-digital converters for precision measurements. Grant data loggers are capable of measuring a wide range of physical values including temperature, humidity, current, voltage and resistance. In this particular application the datalogger is wall-mounted, but the lightweight and portable design of this unit makes it just as convenient to use for numerous applications within industry and research.

The Squirrel data logger has a built-in LCD display and keypad enabling operation either as a stand-alone recorder or as a PC-linked data acquisition system. The SQ2020 datalogger offers 8 to 16 universal analog inputs and 8 digital inputs as well as up to 16 derived/calculated channels and 4 pulse rate/counter inputs. The SQ2020 is easily configured via integral interface or via PC and supports both USB and RS232 connectivity.

In addition to its durability, reliability and ease of use, the SQ2020 data logger was chosen for its standard USB connectivity. USB provides fast downloading of data which is critical in the pharmaceutical industry where regulatory compliance is so important. Programmed setup and configuration data, as well as up to 14 million readings of logged data, can be transferred to and from the logger using removable MMC/SD (Multi Media Card) memory cards. Users then simply plug the datalogger into an office PC and download the data for later inspection to determine optimal storage conditions within the facility.

The Squirrel’s strict monitoring criteria is set up together with its automated alarms, which notify personnel when any temperature or humidity measurement falls outside preconfigured levels. Staff has connected an external warning device — a loud buzzer — to one of the logger’s alarm outputs. This way personnel can take immediate corrective action to help preserve their life science products through HVAC maintenance and by relocating inventory to safer areas.

SquirrelView software is included with every Squirrel at no extra charge. This configuration and analysis software utilizes an intuitive, spreadsheet-style interface allowing quick set-up of the data logger, fast data downloads, and direct export to Microsoft Excel. As a
high-powered option, SquirrelView Plus software is available for additional benefits such as graphical data analysis and advanced reporting options.

The Squirrel data logger has a built-in LCD display and keypad enabling operation either as a stand-alone recorder or as a PC-linked data acquisition system.

The data logger is a cost-effective solution for this application given that it covers multiple monitoring points and records both temperature and humidity. Testers found that the Squirrel logger offers hassle-free data management and trouble-free operation at an affordable price. Easy to use and portable, the LCD lets users configure the system independent of a PC — meanwhile the alarming feature helps protect at-risk products. For more information, visit www.DataLoggerInc.com.