Background: In the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, as an alternative to Pasteurization, bacteria are removed by microfiltration. Obviously, these filters must be tested for correct operation at all times.

Project: The customer's engineers devised a system to verify the integrity of a filter by pressurizing it with a known volume of air and comparing its rate of pressure loss against a standard. Product Resources was engaged to turn the customer's engineering prototype into a portable test set which could be manufactured and sold for use by manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. A commercial portable computer was used as a basis for design. Product Resources disassembles the computer, modifies the frame, and adds an A/D board and a printer. A relay board with two pressure sensors was designed by Product Resources as was a pneumatics module with solenoid valves and a pressure tank. All of this hardware is fitted into the portable computer case. Because of the critical application, every instrument is burned in for eight hours, and the solenoid valves are cycled for four hours before final testing. The instrument is currently being manufactured by Product Resources on a regular basis. Finished units are packed by Product Resources in customer packaging and shipped to a customer warehouse. The customer-approved quality assurance procedures allow the product to be shipped directly to the end customer without further inspection.

Technologies: DOS computer software and PC hardware, data acquisition, programming in Extended Basic language, computer I/O to pneumatic interface, pneumatic controls, absolute and differential pressure sensors, sheetmetal work, precision mechanical assembly

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