Technical

Note: 51241
Process Data Communications with the
Antaris FT-NIR Analyzers – Analog, Digital,
OPC and LIMS
Michelle A. Pressler, Ph.D., Jeffrey Hirsch, Ph.D., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Madison, WI, USA

Introduction Figures 1a and 1b:

Key Words Antaris EX and
Using analytical data to improve manufacturing processes Antaris MX FT-NIR
• Antaris has been standard practice in many industries for decades. Process Analyzers
How the data is communicated and utilized depends
• FT-NIR greatly on the type of measurement that is needed. Some
• OPC discrete, in-process measurements like temperature or
pressure only require analog input or output whereas other,
• PLS more complex types of information like spectroscopic data
• Process sets require higher order data processing and commu-
Communication nication. These higher order processes include not only
analog I/O, but also digital I/O and Object Linking and
Embedding, or OLE, for Process Control. The latter 1b
technique, commonly referred to as OPC, allows the
inclusion of computer-based data analysis which includes
spectroscopic parameters, pass/fail or logical events in a
1a
universal computer communication format. OPC was
designed to let computers talk to one another using a
back. Process control and process monitoring applications
traditional server/client relationship for in-process data
require the process data be sent to a central process control
communication without concerns traditionally associated
center. In process monitoring or data archival applications,
with computer compatibility. In addition, OPC can be
the data is sent to a centralized data historian or remote
“translated” into a large number of machine or instrument-
information management system for long term storage.
specific languages allowing a modern interface to both
This archived data can then be used to investigate quality
older and newer systems.
problems or to improve process parameters. In product
Real-time feed forward and feedback of analytical
and process development, data may be stored on the
data is an essential part of understanding and controlling
process instrument to gain insight into new process tech-
any manufacturing process. The end result of data feedback
nologies and scale-up production runs, but this data does
can be as simple as adjusting a valve to produce the
not require real-time data transfer. It does require pertinent
desired condition change based on known spectroscopic
data to be stored on the process instrument for retrieval at
signals from the analyzer. Or, data can be fed into a more
a later date. RESULT software facilitates information man-
elaborate, centralized process control scheme. There are
agement for both development and production applications.
many different ways that analyzers, computers and
Increasingly, FT-NIR, a molecular-spectroscopy
process control systems can communicate to control a
technique, is finding use as an online measurement tool to
process including OPC using Ethernet communications, or
discern component concentrations due to its ease of use,
digital I/O and analog I/O using a traditional PLC. All
speed and accuracy. FT-NIR can generate a great amount
these communication techniques can be used with Thermo
of in-process data regarding both chemical and physical
Scientific Antaris™ Fourier Transform Near-Infrared (FT-NIR)
characteristics. Common examples of processes that
analyzers with Thermo Scientific RESULT™ software.
incorporate near-infrared data are reaction-endpoint
Data communication and storage are essential to both
determination in the chemical industry, production QA/QC
development- and production-scale operations but each
for polymers, and moisture content in pharmaceutical solid
has a different set of requirements for data handling and
dosage forms. The methodology for implementing data
archival. In a production environment, data is used to
communications for an online FT-NIR analyzer is extremely
make decisions for changing process conditions that, for
varied. With RESULT software, we provide an easy-to-use
example, optimize the yield of a product or monitor an
yet powerful interface to bring FT-NIR analyzers seamlessly
endpoint. Data obtained by a process analyzer, however,
into any process control scheme using digital and analog
rarely resides on the instrument that generated it. The
I/O and OPC communications.
greater use of this information is in feed forward or feed-
Experiment
The Antaris MX and Antaris EX FT-NIR process analyzers
(Figures 1a and 1b) were used for testing communication
protocols with an Ethernet-linked PLC (The Antaris Process
Communication Controller) configured with appropriate
I/O modules (both digital and analog – see Figure 2). This
controller was developed for use with RESULT software and
is also available directly from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Once the digital and analog channels are set up in the
workflow, the analyzer can be seamlessly integrated into
existing PLC systems with simple wire connections to the
Antaris Process Communication Controller.

Figure 2: The Antaris Process

Communication Controller

Figure 3: Process loop drawing for FT-NIR Analyzer

The Report to OPC event in RESULT allows the

workflow designer to add a step in the workflow where an
For OPC communications, RESULT software works as OPC server computer reports any selected data to the
an OPC server upon installation, and customizable work- OPC client. The user adds this event to the workflow by
flows within RESULT provide the specified information to simply clicking the “Add” button and selecting “Report to
the client computer. The server/client relationship can OPC.” This event is shown incorporated into a workflow
easily be set up using traditional DCOM protocols for in Figure 4 on the following page. A value is obtained
Microsoft® Windows® communicating over a conventional from a spectrum taken in the process and quantified by a
Ethernet network. chemometric model. In this case, a value (i.e. concentra-
tion, ratio, etc.) is the measurement being reported. When
OPC Communication this is accomplished, every value assigned in the measurement
section is reported to the OPC client. The data on the
OPC is a standard format for communicating process
client computer shows up regardless of the location of the
control data from an instrument to a host computer.
computer. Another advantage of Ethernet-based protocols
By implementing OPC protocols through a data server,
like OPC is that the client computer can be linked to the
programming efforts are minimized. RESULT software
server computer using either an already existing internal
reports data directly to the client computer via an OPC
network or remotely over the internet using XML protocols.
reporting event (Report to OPC) in the RESULT workflow.
RESULT workflows can also be set up to take commands
A workflow is a customizable series of electronic
from the client computer allowing for true two-way
commands to which the computer and analyzer respond.
interfacing.
For instance, if the goal of the analysis was a raw material
identification, the instrument would collect spectra using a
Analog and Digital I/O Communication
fiber optic probe and then compare the spectrum to a
library of known compounds. The software could then Similar to the OPC communication described previously, a
issue a pass or fail report based on this result. All of these similar communication scheme is available using the Antaris
steps, or events, would be automated and controlled by Process Communications Controller. Both digital and
RESULT software to execute exactly the same way every analog I/O can be added via the “Write to IO” and “Read
time regardless of operator. A customized fit to any from IO” events in RESULT workflows. This allows seamless
manufacturing process (see Figure 3) is the essence of integration of in-process FT-NIR data with existing PLC
RESULT’s electronic workflow. control schemes. The user can customize the controller
channel configuration to correlate to the desired protocol.
 a PASS or FAIL condition. This signal will be one of two In addition to these
possibilities (binary) allowing it to be passed using a digital offices, Thermo Fisher
channel on the controller. So, for example, if the concen- Scientific maintains
tration of a particular component were to go out of spec a network of represen-
during a process run, there would be a FAIL notification tative organizations
sent immediately to either the control center and/or to the throughout the world.
local environment using a digital channel on the controller.
The end result could be, for example, a red alarm light
signaling the need for attention or an alarm signal sent
to the control facility.
Africa
LIMS Communication +43 1 333 5034 127
A LIMS system is often used as a centralized data archival Australia
+61 2 8844 9500
system. These systems commonly use text files to pull Austria
measurement data from a wide variety of instrument +43 1 333 50340
vendors. Input from RESULT software to a LIMS system Belgium
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can take several forms, either an HTML report that the
Canada
LIMS system will then parse, or text files that contain the +1 800 530 8447
necessary information in a delimited format. Either one or China
both of these options can be executed in RESULT using +86 10 8419 3588
the “Report” or “Report to Text” events in a workflow. Denmark
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Any of the data available in RESULT like concentrations Europe-Other
or PASS/FAIL results can be incorporated into a “Report” +43 1 333 5034 127
or a “Report to Text” event just as with the Antaris France
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controller I/O and OPC.
Germany
Figure 4: Workflow including Antaris Controller and OPC events Output is not the only way for RESULT to communicate +49 6103 408 1014
with a LIMS system. The “Request” Event in RESULT can India
be configured to read information from files such as LIMS +91 22 6742 9434
An example of this type of interface is the output of Italy
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an in-process concentration value to an analog gauge on a read sample information provided by a LIMS system. Japan
panel near the instrument. The gauge could be directly RESULT can automatically incorporate information +81 45 453 9100
wired into the controller using an analog channel (4-20 mA) pushed down from a LIMS demonstrating RESULT’s Latin America
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or it could be wired using an existing PLC into the proper ability to function as part of a 2-way I/O scheme for Middle East
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entered in the “Write to IO” event. The chemometric Netherlands
measurement event in the workflow (the source of the +31 76 579 55 55
Conclusion
South Africa
concentration data) is then added to the “Write to IO” RESULT software provides a user-friendly environment +27 11 570 1840
event. Once the desired channel number is designated, the for implementing various customizable communication Spain
process is complete and the desired value will be output protocols within a process environment. The options for
+34 914 845 965
on the analog gauge. Sweden / Norway /
using modules to support both digital I/O and/or analog Finland
Analog I/O is not the only traditional hard-wired I/O communications are very easy to implement and +46 8 556 468 00
option available in RESULT with Antaris process analyzers. require no programming knowledge. The only requirement Switzerland
Digital output is a convenient and simple way to, as an +41 61 48784 00
is to know the desired measurement to be reported and UK
example, send a pass/fail result or alarm condition to a where it is to be reported. In addition, OPC and LIMS +44 1442 233555
remote computer or even to a local alarm light or indicator. communications are also fully-integratable options from USA
In addition, solenoids can be automatically controlled in within a workflow providing a complete process commu-
+1 800 532 4752
this way. The “Write to IO” is used in this case to report nication solution for any type of manufacturing facility. www.thermo.com
the result of a “Check” event in RESULT which designates

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