Reduce Thermal Validation Labor Costs by 70% with Veriteq Wireless Data Loggers

A comparison of Mapping project setup time: Thermocouples vs. Thermistor equipped data loggers

In a recent survey comparing the time and labor requirements for two methods of temperature mapping, thermocouple based systems were compared to Veriteq's temperature data loggers.

Individuals participating in the survey included engineers from both Validation Service Firms and Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. All participants have years of experience with traditional thermocouple based systems and Veriteq wireless data loggers.

The study focused on labor content, which was broken down into the following categories: Pre-calibration, Sensor Placement, Sensor Removal, and Post-Calibration.

Survey Results

The Veriteq wireless loggers were found to require an average of 70% less labor than a traditional thermocouple system. This conclusion was based on the labor required to perform the following:

32-point Temperature Mapping of a 2,000 square foot room

Labor Savings using Veriteq's temperature monitoring data loggers = 67%

Discussion

How can the Veriteq wireless temperature monitoring system save so much time on pre and post-calibration?

The primary reason is system and sensor stability. Veriteq data loggers use thermistors, which are more stable than thermocouples. This stability allows operators to extend the time between calibration checks.

As an example, one survey respondent explained, "When I use Veriteq loggers to qualify 20 refrigerators, I 'll do them one after another - without any post-calibration until the end. This is because I know from experience that the loggers will still be in spec. But not so with thermocouples. They drift, so I have to perform pre-and post-calibrations every two to three refrigerators - otherwise I end up failing post-calibration and having to redo the entire test."

How can the Veriteq system save so much time during sensor placement and removal?

Veriteq data loggers can be easily and quickly placed in chambers or rooms. There are no thermocouples or power cables to deal with - simply position the loggers and record data. Contrast this to stringing thermocouples wires from a central unit and trying to keep all the wires organized, untangled, and free from physical damage.

If the Veriteq wireless temperature monitoring system saves so much time, why are some people still using thermocouple based systems?

For some time now thermocouple based systems have been the standard for thermal validation, and for that reason many companies still cling to the comfort of tradition - they already own the equipment and are familiar with using it. More importantly, their SOPs include thermocouple based methods for mapping, so validation engineers follow procedure.

Then again, there are still organizations are using thermocouple systems only because they are not aware that there are easier, more accurate alternatives. This appears to be changing. In 2006, Veriteq's Marketing manager Rick Schellenberg said: "About five years ago we first saw the Validation Service Firms buying our product. For many of them it provided a competitive advantage, and still does, meaning: they can perform jobs in less time at a lower cost. In recent years we have started to see more adoption of this method from the pharmaceutical companies. Their in-house validation departments have discovered the substantial time savings that are available, and test runs showed excellent results in measurement accuracy."

What about mapping large warehouses?

Thermocouple systems are typically not used in warehouse mapping applications due to the difficulty, obtrusiveness, and cost of stringing wires across large areas. For this type of application, wireless data loggers are the standard.

What about mapping for relative humidity?

According to survey respondents, thermocouple validation systems were not considered well-suited for relative humidity mapping applications - making a comparison between the two systems on this point impractical. The primary reasons cited were the costs associated with procuring, setting up, and using a set of additional humidity sensors.

In contrast, Veriteq data loggers, which typically include both types of sensors, allow operators to fully map a space for both temperature and humidity - without any additional setup costs.

Conclusion

Veriteq data loggers have a significant time-saving advantage over thermocouple systems for the application of Temperature Mapping of Chambers, Warehouses and Rooms. For most applications it is expected that a switch to wireless data loggers will result in a savings of 50-70% on labor costs.

To find out more about our wireless validation solutions, please contact us.