Rotronic RMS real-time monitoring provides Industry 4.0 integration

Bassersdorf, Switzerland: – Leading international measurement solutions specialist Rotronic has helped one of the world’s leading life sciences research organizations take a significant step towards full digital integration in line with Industry 4.0 concepts.

Implementation of the Rotronic Monitoring System (RMS) at a leading biomedical research institute as part of its environmental monitoring system marks a further milestone in a remarkable long-term collaboration for the benefit of the pharmaceutical industry.

Long-term partners

The research institute has been a long-term collaborator with Rotronic, playing an influential role in the development of RMS as a leading real-time and data monitoring system with countless installations worldwide. It was a founding customer for RMS on its launch in 2015, providing specifications and feedback that were very influential in making the highly modular Rotronic monitoring system one of the most flexible solutions on the market and ideally suited to pharma industry needs.

Both parties are enthusiastic about the transformational possibilities of Industry 4.0 digital convergence between people, systems and data, based on the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) and RMS is a modular hardware and software solution that combines IoT, M2M (Machine-to-Machine) and Industry 4.0 concepts. Crucially, RMS sensors and other devices can interact autonomously, transmitting information to the Internet or other devices, either locally or globally. The RMS software collects and analyzes data, and independently monitors, informs, alerts and documents.

Total integration

Rotronic’s Head of Development, Fredi Hagenbucher, sees the business model of the future as a symbiosis of sensors and service.

“In the case of RMS, the device, or rather the individual component, takes a back seat. The focus is on the system as a whole, and the customer’s requirements,” says Mr. Hagenbucher.

“I am convinced that the benefits of digitization will set new standards in creativity. With RMS, Rotronic offers the possibility of user integration into the processes he desires. I am proud that with RMS we can offer solutions for IoT and M2M and that our team has mastered the new digitization at the highest level,” says Mr. Hagenbucher, who pays tribute to NIBR’s pivotal role.

“The RMS concept was developed in 2013 based on my personal interest in Industry 4.0. The idea was presented to the Rotronic management team and, thanks to this advanced requirement, the actual project took shape,” he explains.

Digitally integrated

The client wanted to replace its outdated environmental monitoring system with a digitally integrated platform, while retaining its legacy NTC probes. The new solution had to comply with the US FDA GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) requirements to ensure uniformity, consistency, reliability, repeatability, quality and integrity of chemical non-clinical safety tests.

All new equipment had to be appropriately designed, adequately housed, and easily maintained and calibrated.

Rotronic adopted the client’s Requirement Specifications (URS) and tailored the RMS solution accordingly, producing a system designed with specific pharmaceutical needs in mind.

RMS integration

“The RMS LAN and wireless devices are designed to ensure perfect data integrity. Thanks to various features, data integrity is of the highest level and can cover any risk,” explained James Pickering, Rotronic’s Head of Monitoring Systems

The RMS system recognizes device-specific digital communication between probe and logger such as serial number and calibration characteristics, with encrypted data stored in  SQL database to ensure security. Secure internet (HTTPS) access to the operating system allows RMS to offer total user access and flexibility while AD (analog-to-digital ) conversion allows any analog device to be integrated, along with MODBUS TCP networked devices and JSON files.

RMS is classified as GAMP 5 category 4 software and Category 1 hardware  for GXP purposes and is compatible with EudraLex Annex 11 and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 for data recording.

RMS Application

In cooperation with Rotronic, around 1,000 RMS loggers have now been mounted on the research institute’s refrigerators, connected to existing probes.

After the loggers had been installed and connected to the existing probes, a functional check and initial calibration were carried out.

Every user and administrator was trained and accompanied according to their task. Rotronic and client were thus able to ensure that no user had to perform the first RMS steps without appropriate instruction. The training for the users comprised a total of about 600 people and was held efficiently and directly in small groups.

The system allow the research institute to measure all key parameters across its entire estate, including refrigerator, incubator and cryotank temperatures, laboratory room air temperatures and  humidity. The system also keeps a constant check for undue humidity as a safeguard against water leaks as well as light levels to ensure lights are switched off when rooms are not in use.

Customer Satisfaction

“Rotronic accompanied us very competently during the entire project phase. We appreciated the good and close cooperation and continue to do so, because the after-sales service is excellent,” commented the client’s project manager.

He said key factors driving the selection of Rotronic RMS as the preferred solution were its high industry reputation as a leading manufacturer of measurement and control products, along with superior simplicity, ease of use, and Rotronic’s ability to respond in detail to specific customer requirements.

About Rotronic

Rotronic is an international development and manufacturing company that offers a wide range of products and solutions in the B2B segment. Founded in 1965, the company is headquartered in Switzerland and provides solutions for measuring and monitoring relative humidity, temperature, CO2, differential pressure, pressure, flow, dew point, and water activity. The company began the digital transformation already in the year 2000, investing in automated data transfer (machine-to-machine). With the development and launch of its RMS monitoring software, Rotronic further strengthened its position as a key supplier of measurement solutions. As Rotronic is a company of the PST Group (Process Sensing Technologies), its customers benefit from a wider product range and distribution network.

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