NDC Technologies

NDC gauges are used in production processes to improve quality and reduce costs. At Powtech, NDC presents its solutions for continuous measurement of moisture content for the bulk, chemicals and minerals industries.

More energy is expended during drying than at almost any other stage in industrial processing. Poor control of the drying process results in wasted energy, higher production costs and out-of-spec products.

The CM710e industrial moisture gauge is designed to help manufacturers of powders, coarse or fine particles, concentrates, slurries, pastes, flakes, granules and similar product formats to optimize their process by providing real-time moisture measurements that can be used to control the process, monitor product quality and warn operators if the process is moving out of specification, thereby increasing yield and improving and maintaining quality. The efficiency improvements can result in substantial cost reductions, with return on investment achieved in months.

The CM710e uses precision NIR (near infrared) technology to make a continuous non-contacting measurement of the moisture content. While accurate to laboratory standards, the CM710e is nevertheless robust enough to survive in an industrial processing environment, and there are a number of options and accessories available to give added protection in the process environment.

The CM710e works on the principle that moisture (water) discretely absorbs certain wavelengths of infrared light. By emitting light at these wavelengths onto the product and then capturing and measuring the reflected unabsorbed light on a light-sensitive detector, the CM710e computes the level of the moisture within the product.

Using highspeed signal processing, the patented 710e “light engine” delivers the highest resolution on-line NIR measurements available today and is unaffected by changes in process conditions such as particle size variation, product height variation, product temperature variation, ambient lighting and relative humidity changes.

The CM710e is typically located over a conveyor belt at a key point in the process: just after a drying process for example, where the product can be measured to give meaningful feedback for process and quality control. It can also be used with an NDC Powdervision in-process powder sampling system.

The CM710e can be incorporated conveniently into closed-loop control systems, using its digital or analog connectivity options, while data can be displayed locally for operators using the 710e Operator Workstation or HMI.

The CM710e is used in conjunction with one or more 710e Peripheral Devices to facilitate data display, networking and process connectivity. Gauges and devices are Ethernet enabled and connect to each other via standard Cat5E cable and all run on 24V DC power. Available devices include:

• OWS – Operator Workstation  - for local display of a single gauge and industrial Ethernet or Fieldbus connectivity

• HMI – Human Machine Interface - for remote display and supervisory control of up to 16 gauges as well as Industrial Ethernet or Fieldbus and analog connectivity

• User Port – for additional digital and analog connectivity

• Switched 7 - Way Networking Hub - for convenient network structures

For further information on NDC’s Series 710e On-line Industrial Gauges visit www.ndc.com/chemicals, www.ndc.com/minerals or www.ndc.com/bulk.

NDC InfraLab At-Line NIR Analyzers are designed to give production and quality management personnel rapid access to reliable, repeatable and accurate data from samples collected from the process.

InfraLab is a cost-effective viable alternative to the time consuming gravimetric or loss-on-drying methods used for moisture analysis, as well as the chemical methods used for parameters such as fat or protein.

InfraLab has a sub-10-second measurement speed - even for multi-component analyses and every measurement is stored in the substantial on-board memory, recording the measurement value and standard deviation for each parameter as well as who made the measurement and the time and date.

Each benchtop near infrared analyzer is optimized for the required measurement parameters in the products to be measured and is delivered with NDC's linear factory calibrations over the desired measurement range.

The InfraLab can be used as a standalone device, networked to your factory network or incorporated into a LIMS network.

In addition, the InfraLab is suppled with NDC's unique InfraLab Manager software which gives the user complete control over and access to the calibration and measurement database.

InfraLab  contains only two consumable parts, the quartz halogen source lamp and the brushless DC motor which rotates the optical filters within the light engine. Both these components are guaranteed for five years. The source lamp can be changed on site by the user using standard tools without intervention from NDC.

As part of the commissioning process, NDC provides user training to ensure best practice in the management of data and to set up effective and reliable sampling and calibration protocols.

InfraLab is available in a number of configurations including:

• InfraLab Food Analyzer

• InfraLab Meat Analyzer

• InfraLab Moisture Analyzer (non-food applications)

For further information on NDC’s InfraLab At-line Analyzers visit www.ndc.com/infralab.

NDC gauges are used in production processes to improve quality and reduce costs. At Powtech, NDC presents its solutions for continuous measurement of moisture, fat & protein for food products in powder, flake or granule form in a wide range of food products such as chocolate, coffee, milk and dairy powders, sugar, flour and many others.

The MM710e is designed to help food processers optimize their process by providing real-time measurements that can be used to control the process, monitor product quality and warn operators if the process is moving out of specification, thereby increasing yield and improving and maintaining quality. The efficiency improvements can result in substantial cost reductions, with return on investment achieved in months.

It works on the principle that constituents such as moisture (water) within a food product discretely absorb certain wavelengths of infrared light. By emitting light at these wavelengths onto the product and then capturing and measuring the reflected unabsorbed light on a light-sensitive detector, the MM710e computes the level of the moisture within the product.

Using highspeed signal processing, the patented 710e “light engine” delivers the highest resolution on-line NIR measurements available today and is unaffected by changes in process conditions such as particle size variation, product height variation, product temperature variation, ambient lighting and relative humidity changes.

The MM710e is typically located over a conveyor belt at a key point in the process: just after a drying process for example, where the product can be measured to give meaningful feedback for process and quality control, or used in conjunction with an NDC Powdervision in-process powder sampling system.

The MM710e can be incorporated conveniently into closed-loop control systems, using its digital or analog connectivity options, while data can be displayed locally for operators using the 710e Operator Workstation or HMI.

The MM710e is used in conjunction with one or more 710e Peripheral Devices to facilitate data display, networking and process connectivity. Gauges and devices are Ethernet enabled and connect to each other via standard Cat5E cable and all run on 24V DC power.

Available devices include:

• OWS – Operator Workstation - for local display of a single gauge and industrial Ethernet or Fieldbus connectivity

• HMI – Human Machine Interface - for remote display and supervisory control of up to 16 gauges as well as Industrial Ethernet or Fieldbus and analog connectivity

• User Port - for additional digital and analog connectivity

• Switched 7-Way Networking Hub - for convenient network structures

For further information on NDC’s Series 710e On-line Food Gauges visit www.ndc.com/food.

NDC gauges are used in production processes to improve quality and reduce costs. At Powtech, NDC presents its solutions for continuous measurement of moisture content for the pharmaceutical  industry.

NDC PH710e pharmaceutical moisture gauges can be used to provide real-time measurements of the drying process. The gauge can either be used to make non-contacting measurements of the powder during the drying process by measuring through a sight glass, or, in fiber-optic format, be used with the GEA Lighthouse™ probe.

The combination of the PH710e with the automated GEA Lighthouse probe is a powerful viable in-process alternative to off-line LOD testing and complements the other real-time outputs used to run a granulation suite by providing:

• a robust real-time measurement of moisture

• improved drying process visualization

• full CIP capability and wash-in-place during production 

Achieving reliable on-line moisture measurement requires the fulfilment of two key criteria:

• reliable and robust analyzer measurement technology

• reliable and robust process interfacing to guarantee that the analyzer measures representative product

The combination of GEA's Lighthouse probe with NDC's PH710e analzyer ensures delivery of both. The Lighthouse Probe™ uses a combination of fiber optics and mirrors to give an exceptionally compact design suitable for simple mounting on the smallest processors without disrupting the process. At the same time it offers the ability to ensure that the analyzed sample volume is consistent with the scale of scrutiny required with respect to a unit dosage.

For further information on NDC’s Series 710e On-line Gauge for the Pharmaceutical Industry, visit www.ndc.com/pharma.

In the majority of cases, the Series 710e NIR Moisture Gauge is installed over a conveyor belt, to make non-contacting measurements of the product flow. In some instances, however, at the desired point of measurement, the product is falling by gravity within an enclosed duct. In such cases the PowderVision Sampler facilitates measurement by capturing product in the falling stream, measuring it and then returning it to the product flow, without the need to remove product physically from the process.

This convenient approach also enables measurement signals to be fed to a PLC or SCADA to enable process control.

The PowderVision is a pneumatically activated device which requires a clean air supply; this obviates the need for moving mechanical components in the process. It comprises a stainless steel tube with industrial sapphire window and sample cup.

The PowderVision is installed horizontally and is held within an adjustable flange which is welded into the duct wall. The PowderVision is adjustable in order to ensure that the cup is positioned optimally within the falling stream of product.

The measurement cycle is as follows:

• the sample cup fills with product

• the gauge measures the product for the desired constituent(s) e.g.: Moisture

• the gauge records the product measurement and displays this on the HMI screen

• the sample is ejected from the cup by a jet of air

• the cycle recommences

The measurements are controlled from the 710e Gauge HMI which sends a signal to the air valve to activate the airjet to empty the sample cup. The measurement frequency is adjusted using the HMI, according to the rate of flow of the product in the duct.

For further information on NDC’s Powdervision Sampler, visit www.ndc.com/powdervision.