The Symbion product family includes software programs and hardware implementations to cover the great majority of requirements for spectroscopic data processing – from standardized data collection, analysis, and exploration to on-line process configuration and control. Each software product can stand alone. But they can also be used synergistically to provide even more powerful capabilities.
Symbion DX and RX provide a complete application development, networking, and on–line monitoring environment for all process analytical technology (PAT) requirements. These programs include all of the capabilities of Symbion LX and LRX but add comprehensive programming functionality – including the capability to execute programs written in MATLAB™, Octave, or TCL. Symbion DX is designed to meet the diverse requirements of the chemical industries. RX adds the audit trails and other compliance features required for operation in highly regulated industries. Even MATLAB or Octave scripts can be made compliant when contained within the Symbion structure.
The extensive development capabilities of Symbion DX and RX provide for the creation of customized methods and operating screens to meet virtually any requirement. For example, an operator’s screen can range from a simple start button and red/green quality display to a comprehensive set of statistical control plots. Once created, a method can be saved to the database and recalled via secure log-in for subsequent deployment.
A standardized platform for rapid, continuous on-line process analysis and control, Symbion RTM has been designed to provide a flat easily-understood one-button operating environment. Its administrative functions include the Symbion TDE Automation Method Builder, which provides for straight forward step by step a development of fully documented applications without the need for specialized programming skills.
Symbion RTM can be used with a wide variety of analytical instruments, controlling the simultaneous operation of one or more instruments as well as auxiliary sampling equipment, while synchronizing chemometric operations, data display, and storage. The use of multi-threaded data processing enables these operations to run simultaneously, greatly accelerating overall operating speed. In practice, the speed attained is limited only by the capabilities of the instruments and multivariate software being used.
| Capabilities | DX | RX | RTM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instrument Operation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File Browsing and Storage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data Base Search and Storage (Oracle) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Comprehensive Data Visualization Functions | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Complete Vector and Scalar Math Capabilities | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Execution of Symbion QT Predictions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Execution of Most 3rd Party MVA Predictions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Includes TDE Automation Method Builder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Includes Experiment Design and Execution (EDE) Module | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Includes Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Module | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Execution of Matlab ™ and Octave Scripts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Production of Trends Based on Stored Spectra | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remote Communication using OPC, Modbus, and TCP/IP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export of Graphical Results to Third party Programs | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Provision for 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance | ✓ | ||
| Extensible Programming Capability | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Simultaneous Control of Multiple Analyzers | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Autonomous Operation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sampling System Configuration and Control | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time Trending of Multiple Predictions and Process Information | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| System Diagnostics and Alarming | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Synchronization of Diverse 3rd Party Software Products | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Simplified (Flat) User Interface | ✓ | ||
| Multithreaded Architecture for Simultaneous Execution of Disparate Functions | ✓ | ||
| Extremely Rapid Processing of Spectra and Process Variable Outputs | ✓ |
Symbion QT represents a new approach to chemometrics, one which places the chemometrics engine in the background and focuses instead on streamlining the process of building and deploying chemometric models.
The QT Model Builder employs a step by step workflow approach which guides beginner and expert alike through the process of assembling and processing the data needed to build and evaluate calibrations. The resulting calibrations are fully validated and documented and ready for deployment.
The entire QT package has been developed from the ground up to provide a completely natural, non-intrusive development environment which frees the user to focus directly on meeting project requirements without being encumbered by overly complex software.
The fast track to process analytical deployment
SA-2000 appliance employing a miniaturized industrial computer
The SA-2000 Analytical Appliance provides a secure, streamlined approach to process analytical deployment by providing a locked-down hardware and software environment combined with a set of rigorously tested algorithms each of which is dedicated to a specific application. Each algorithm controls a specified analytical instrument and sample system and provides outputs in the form of process variable predictions. The Symbion Appliance thus inherently provides compliance under 21 CFR Part 11 while eliminating the need for validating complex instrument operating software and other third party packages.
Communication between the Appliance and analytical instruments is via a set of instrument-specific drivers which do not require instrument vendor software on the appliance. Communication with control systems, historians, and other data systems is provided by an internal OPC client/server. The client/server also provides communication with the components of a sample conditioning system the operation of which may be integral to a given analytical method.