In perspective: the growing role of test and measurement instrumentation in new product development
Advances in technology, and in particular the development of new materials, have played a major role in fuelling demand for the latest generation of products which are ever smaller, lighter, quieter and offer greater functionality. Lightweight mobile phones, LCD television screens, quieter washing machines and more efficient drugs: these are all examples of how product development is being transformed by technological innovation. But as products become more complex, understanding the characteristics of the constituent materials, together with accurate and repeatable test and measurement during their development, becomes an increasing challenge.
In this article, we take a look at the growing role of test and measurement instrumentation in new product development and how Spectris companies are helping customers to meet the challenges of developing increasingly complex new products, speeding up development cycles and meeting stringent legislation.
Hans Nilsson
Chief Executive
Analytical instrumentation is necessary for research, development and quality control in a range of industries to analyse materials, speed up the introduction of new products, and also to ensure compliance with regulations. The miniaturisation of products, ease of use, focus on cost reduction and higher throughput are also key factors in the growth of laboratory instrumentation: the global laboratory equipment market measured $3.5 billion in revenues in 2001 and is estimated to approach $5 billion by 20061.
Particle
size and shape, structure, active surface area and density are just some
of the characteristics of materials which are critical to their effective
performance. Pharmaceuticals, surface coatings, ceramics and plastics
are examples of materials where measurement of the physical characteristics
is essential at the development stage.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest users of laboratory equipment. Speeding up the time to market of new drugs, reducing development costs as well as improving quality controls are key challenges for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In addition, increasing legislation means that manufacturers have to demonstrate that their development and manufacturing processes comply with specific laws and directives. Examples of these include the FDA's 21 CFR part 11 regulations for electronic records in the USA, where pharmaceutical manufacturers must be able to prove that they have been in compliance with the regulations before a drug can be released to the market, and the Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) initiative to improve product quality and manufacturing efficiency in the pharmaceutical industry.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest users of laboratory equipment
Key to the development of new and more effective drug formulations is a better understanding and control of the physical characteristics such as particle size, shape, surface area and morphology, and dispersion stability. Measuring and understanding the inter-relationship of these parameters helps to reduce formulation time, improve effectiveness and increase shelf life. Spectris company Malvern Instruments supplies the major pharmaceutical companies with a range of patented particle characterisation instrumentation. Accurate particle characterisation is essential and compliance with regulations as laid down by bodies such as the FDA must be clearly documented. The analytical instruments used must be designed, manufactured and serviced using procedures which guarantee the accuracy and precision of the results and Malvern provides a comprehensive validation package.
PANalytical's X-ray instrumentation is also recognised as a valuable tool for numerous application areas in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical manufacturing processes may change the morphology or crystalline state of the ingredients of a drug. As this can affect the extent to which the constituents of the drug can be absorbed and utilised by the body, the final oral dosage form must be analysed. PANalytical's new generation of ultra-fast X-ray detectors have significantly improved detection limits of ingredients as well as greatly reducing measurement times of the sample.
Measuring the properties of materials is key to optimising their performance
Today's consumers demand ever smaller and lighter products with greater functionality, such as mobile phones, televisions and computers. All of these devices originated in the research laboratory, and one of the driving forces behind their technological development is the microchip. As microchips become smaller and more complex, understanding the material properties of semiconductors is key. PANalytical's X-ray analysis techniques are ideal tools for detailed studies of parameters such as composition, layer thickness and density as they are powerful and non-destructive. The ability to measure these parameters is important in understanding and controlling development and production processes.
Both Malvern and PANalytical provide instrumentation which is used to determine the properties of materials in the research and development phase across a wide range of other industries. Particle characterisation is critical in optimising the performance of raw materials in many different industries. Measuring the rheological properties of materials is important in industries such as construction, foods, paints and coatings, cosmetics and consumer products, in order to understand the flow behaviour.
In the automotive industry, a key challenge is to reduce the weight of vehicle components in order to improve vehicle performance. Modern plastics technology enables complex interior components to be designed and also helps to reduce the vehicle's overall weight. A variety of plastics can be manufactured using additives and stabilisers and PANalytical's X-ray instruments are used to analyse and quantify the additives in order to ensure that the desired quality and properties are achieved in the final product.
Measuring sound quality is an important aspect of product design
Another tool used in research and development is noise analysis. With today's growing focus on noise control issues and the emergence of sound quality as an important aspect of product design, acoustic material testing is becoming increasingly important to engineers and designers from a broad range of industries. For products ranging from cars to domestic appliances such as washing machines and lawnmowers, customers are influenced not only by the level but also the quality of the noise the product makes. We want our washing machines, dishwashers and electric shavers, etc., to have a certain level of noise, but give an impression of ample power. Manufacturers, therefore, give sound quality their full attention at the design stage and, as a result, are very demanding when choosing components.
Brüel & Kjær provides testing equipment for sound and vibration used for product development of vehicles and household appliances. Spanish company Copreci, one of the world's most prestigious manufacturers of household-appliance components such as pumps and thermostats, uses Brüel & Kjær's sound and vibration analysers to determine the sound power of its drainage pumps for washing machines and dishwashers in accordance with European standards. Drainage pumps are small devices and difficult to measure and their final mounting has a considerable influence on noise levels. Using Brüel & Kjær's microphones, Copreci are able to investigate and discover the cause of the noise - a major step towards helping the manufacturer to provide customer satisfaction.
HBM's strain gauges, transducers and data acquisition systems enable parameters such as torque, force, pressure, displacement and weight to be precisely measured for product development in the automotive, aerospace, railway, shipbuilding and scale manufacturing industries. HBM's transducers and data acquisition systems are widely applied for optimising vehicle bodywork designs and determining chassis strength. The company's measurement equipment is integrated into industrial test benches and used by leading automotive manufacturers to carry out load, performance and endurance tests on engines, transmissions, brakes and axles. This contributes towards improving vehicle performance and assessing safety and ride quality. HBM is also working with a customer to test a hybrid electric propulsion system which reduces the demand on the engine, thereby lowering emissions and improving fuel economy.
Conclusion
Advances in materials technology, increased customer expectations and stricter legislation are driving demand for test and measurement instrumentation for new product development. Spectris companies are well placed to help customers to meet the growing challenges of developing the next generation of products.
Sources
1. Strategic Directions International: The Global Laboratory Equipment Market, June 2002