By Chris Sorensen, VP, Dickson Company
The improvements in temperature and humidity data loggers and chart recorders are no mere bells and whistles. Rather, they can translate into significant savings in the man-hours that pharmaceutical quality managers devote to monitoring conditions in both processing and storage areas. Many of the new features on data loggers also make it highly unlikely that emerging temperature and/or humidity problems can advance far enough to jeopardize product quality.
When sourcing temperature and humidity data loggers or chart recorders the key is to ensure that you are tuned into instrument sources with a wide array of data logger and chart recorder options so that you are able to select the basic instrument and features that are best suited for your specific applications. Here are some tips on the newer features to consider.
Ethernet Connectivity
Because most pharmaceutical processors use multiple data loggers stationed in various places throughout their processing plant and warehouses, the ability to access data from any desktop in a network has an obvious advantage, especially in situations where there are numerous team members who need access to the temperature and humidity data. A few years ago, data loggers with such Ethernet connectivity capabilities were introduced. The time efficiency gained when one is able to sit at one desk and monitor data loggers all over a large facility can be quite a boon.
Graphing Displays
The ultimate time-savings in data downloading time is when one eliminates that step altogether. This is possible with the new graphing display data loggers that enable one to see fully captured and graphed data at a glance. For example, if your application is such that you never want temperatures to go below 40°F or above 45°F you will be able to see in real time, at a glance, whether temperatures are or are not in an acceptable range. Graphing capabilities vary a good deal in both price and quality, i.e. detail, of the graphs produced. On the high end, for approximately US$600 one can obtain data loggers that create graphs comparable to those created with downloaded data. The simplest low end graphing displays cost about US$150 but only show min/max type data graphically.
Logging Continuity
Some of today’s data loggers are now able to use the same flash memory card technology ubiquitous in digital cameras to store and download data to PCs. This means that data loggers can stay in place and data is collected when the flash card is inserted into the logger. In other words, the data loggers stay in place while the data becomes mobile. Moreover, these flash memory cards are now low cost commodities that are widely available in a range of storage capacities at most chain electronics stores.
Compact Size
It’s commonly understood that the processing power of a common laptop computer today is greater than that of a large mainframe computer from the early 70’s. That trend of greater processing power in ever smaller sizes has impacted data logger technology as well. In fact, there are now very low cost (e.g. US$45) data loggers barely larger than a quarter. This enables pharmaceutical processors to monitor temperature and humidity conditions in shipping packages without adding significant weight or complexity to the package. Indeed, if temperature and/or humidity conditions have potential to compromise product quality due diligence requires that such compact data loggers be included in shipping containers as a matter of course, with subsequent examination of the logged data to ensure that acceptable temperature and humidity conditions were maintained during shipping.
For those that prefer chart recorders to digital data loggers, there are comparably smaller footprint designs in chart recorders as well. The latest models of chart recorders using larger charts, usually an 8-inch diameter, are now available with more than a 40% size reduction in overall size while maintaining the resolution of the 8-inch chart.
USB Connections
The latest model data loggers use high speed USB connections to download data. As most of us know from other USB-connected accessories to our computers, USB connections are as much as 4 times faster than earlier serial port type connections.
Durability
Recent data loggers are made with higher quality metal components. Stainless steel enclosures make many data logger designs both waterproof and able to maintain in relatively harsh industrial conditions, even those with corrosive chemicals.
For those that prefer chart recorders to data loggers, there are comparable new design features for durability and ones specific to chart recorder designs such as all-metal components and flip up pen arms for changing pens.
These added durability features on both data loggers and chart recorders mean that they are more reliable than earlier models, assuming one adheres to necessary recalibration schedules.
Alarms
Data loggers and chart recorders today provide both visual alarms and/or audio alarms that can be set for application specific limits. Alarm systems provide great value by preventing loss of product or inventory from out-of-range environmental conditions.
Multi-featured at Lower Cost
One generally does not have to choose between the features described above. Rather, one needs to determine which combination of features are important to specify for the specific range of applications requiring temperature and humidity monitoring in the pharmaceutical processing facility and/or shipping containers. More features do not necessarily mean greater cost. Quite the contrary, the general trend is towards significantly decreased costs of temperature and humidity monitoring instruments, with overall cost reflecting the number and type of features built into a specific model. For example, the most sophisticated multi-featured temperature and humidity chart recorders are now available at half the price of similar models from only last year. True, there is still a wide range of prices in temperature and humidity monitoring instruments that reflects the number and type of features built into the specific model instrument. The adage “You Get What You Pay For” is generally true in that higher priced data loggers and chart recorders have many time-saving features that enable pharmaceutical processors to cut quality control costs. Precluding potentially calamitous costs of releasing compromised products into the marketplace is ultimately why one needs to do diligent reviews of instrument options and keep up with data logger and chart recorder product trends.
About the author:
Chris Sorensen is VP of Dickson Company (www.dicksonweb.com), which offers a wide range of data loggers and chart recorders for pharmaceutical and other applications. Inquiries can be directed to dicksoncsr@dicksonweb.com, 630-543-3747.