ICAS-PAT: A Software for Design, Analysis and Validation of PAT Systems

In chemicals based product manufacturing, as in pharmaceutical, food and agrochemical industries, efficient and consistent process monitoring and analysis systems (PAT systems) have a very important role. These PAT systems ensure that the chemicals based product is manufactured with the specified end product qualities. In an earlier article, Singh et al. [Singh, R., Gernaey, K. V., Gani, R. (2009). Model-based computer-aided framework for design of process monitoring and analysis systems. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 33, 22–42] proposed the use of a systematic model and data based methodology to design appropriate PAT systems. This methodology has now been implemented into a systematic computer-aided framework to develop a software (ICAS-PAT) for design, validation and analysis of PAT systems. Two supporting tools needed by ICAS-PAT have also been developed: a knowledge base (consisting of process knowledge as well as knowledge on measurement methods and tools) and a generic model library (consisting of process operational models). Through a tablet manufacturing process example, the application of ICAS-PAT is illustrated, highlighting as well, the main features of the software.