Appendix VIII: NIR
Additional information from the NIR section of the Pittcon Review article.
Manufacturer: ABB Analytical Measurements
Product name: TALYS ASP500
FT-NIR spectrometer
Used for: Process analysis
Measurement Mode: transmission, transflectance, diffuse reflectance
Special Features: Minimal footprint, shelf- or wall-mounted additional enclosure, embedded processor, continuous monitoring for analysis results and instrument health, standard Ethernet communication link, multiple language capability, variable sample configuration. A USB key interface to update analysis configuration
Software: FTSW100. 21CFR11 compliant, May be used in other equipment (other ABB process analyzers)
Suggested applications: Real-time control of chemical processes, reactor profiling, real-time determination of process end-point, cycle-time reduction, process characterization and early troubleshooting.
Primary benefits: design is optimized to minimize the complexity associated with process equipment implementation.
Unique features: Embedded processor, touch screen, multiple languages, minimal footprint, shelf- or wall-mounted, switch between 3 different process configurations with up to 5 properties per chemistry, ease of use and implementation, seamless transfer between ABB laboratory and process analyzers or between ABB process analyzers
Manufacturer: BaySpec, Inc.
Product name: SuperGamut NIR Spectrometer
NIR spectrometer
New this year: Highly efficient Volume Phase Grating (VPG) as the spectral dispersion element and an ultra-sensitive InGaAs array detector as the detection element, thereby providing high-speed parallel processing and continuous spectrum measurements. Benefiting from experience manufacturing high-volume optical channel performance monitoring device for the telecommunications industry, BaySpec's NIR spectral devices utilize low-cost field proven components. For the first time in instrumentation history an affordable, accurate and ruggedized spectral device is a reality.
Used for: Lab, process analysis
Measurement Mode: Transmission, reflection
Special Features: outstanding optical throughput, compact size, no moving parts, fast response time
Software: Spec 20/20 and SDK supported Available as separate product, 21CFR11 compliant, cGMP compliant, May be used in other equipment, Compatible with other manufacturers' equipment.
Suggested applications: Blender, moisture monitoring; pharmaceutical, medical diagnostics; beverage, food, diary, water safety; content uniformity; raw material ID; In-line/ at-line/ on-line process control; narcotics, counterfeit detection.
Primary benefits: best-in-class performance, long-term reliability, compact size and ultra-low power consumption.
Unique features: Ultra-reliable and highly-efficient Volume Phase Grating (VPG), Fast f/2 optics for improved throughput, No moving parts for high mechanical stability and low phase noise
Manufacturer: Bruker Optik GmbH
Product Name: TANGO FT-NIR Spectrometer
FT-NIR Spectrometer
Used For: Lab, Process analysis
New this year: This is a brand new FT-NIR Spectrometer
Dimensions: 19 kg
Measurement Mode: Background measurements, Transmission measurements, Reflection measurements
Special features: Battery pack optional, embedded PC with 10.5" touch screen display.
21CFR11 compliant, may be used in other equipment.
Suggested Applications: Food and Beverage, Feed Manufacturing, Pharma & Biotechnology, Chemical and Petrochemical, Polymer Industry
Primary benefits: high performance spectrometer, designed to work with any existing calibration method. The touch screen developed for the routine user.
Unique features: Has embedded computer and touch screen display for push button operation.
Manufacturer: B&W Tek, Inc.
Product name: Exemplar
NIR Spectrometer
New this year: The first smart spectrometer featuring on board data processing, USB 3.0 communication, and temperature compensation.
Used for: Lab, Process, Hand-held/portable operation
Dimensions: 3.98 x 2.48 x 1.61inches (101 x 63 x 41 mm)
Measurement Mode: Absorbance / Reflectance / Transmittance over Fiber Optic
Specialty accessory description: A wide range of fiber- optically coupled accessories are available: light sources, sample holders, fibers & probes, and integrating spheres.
Special Features: embedded processor, "SuperSpeed" USB 3.0 communication, multichannel capabilities (up to 18 simultaneous channels), a 2048 element detector, built-in 16-bit digitizer with greater than 2.0 MHz readout speed.
Software: BWSpec included with all B&W Tek products
Available as separate product, may be used in other equipment, compatible with other manufacturers' equipment
Suggested applications: UV, Vis, and NIR spectroscopy and spectroradiometry, spectrophotometry, kinetic reaction monitoring, transient spectral analysis, wavelength identification, OEM systems iIntegration
Primary benefits: transfer up to 900 spectra per second, supports up to 32 devices, low trigger delay (14 ns) & gate jitter (+/- 1ns)
Unique features: Temperature Compensation, 1ms Minimum Integration Time, < 0.5nm Spectral Resolution, UV - NIR spectyral range (200nm - 1050nm), >2.0 MHz Readout Speed
Manufacturer: B&W Tek, Inc.
Product name: Exemplar Plus
NIR Spectrometer
New this year: A high performance smart spectrometer utilizing an unfolded Czerny-Turner spectrograph.
Used for: Lab, Process, Hand-held/portable operation
Dimensions: 7.40 x 5.05 x 2.80 inches (188 x 128 x 71 mm)
Measurement Mode: Fiber Optic
Specialty accessory description: A wide range of fiber- optically coupled accessories available: light sources, sample holders, fibers & probes, and integrating spheres.
Special Features: Same as Exemplar, above, in addition to: TE Cooled back-thinned (BT) CCD detector, long focal length, 190-1100nm spectral range, built-in shutter, resolutions from 0.1 nm to 10.0 nm.
Software: BWSpec included with all B&W Tek products. Available as separate product, may be used in other equipment, compatible with other manufacturers' equipment
Suggested applications: Low Light Level UV to NIR spectroscopy, raman and fluorescence spectroscopy, on-line process monitoring, LCD display measurement, biomedical spectroscopy, gas and water analysis, LED characterization
Primary benefits: Transfer up to 900 spectra per second, supports up to 32 devices, low trigger delay (14ns) & gate jitter (+/- 1ns)
Unique features: High UV, Vis, and NIR response, 2048 detector elements, Over 60% QE at 200 nm, 0° TE cooling (default), over 90% peak QE, built-in shutter
Manufacturer: EssentOptics Ltd
Product name: PHOTON RT
Scanning spectrophotometer
Features: The first spectrophotometer on the market designed specifically to run wide range of optical measurements of parts with thin film coatings – transmittance, reflectance, polarization dependent measurements in wide angular and spectral range, average polarization (S+P)/2, optical density 0-4D, etc. All measurements are done automatically and without any additional external fixtures or accessories.
New this year: Expanded spectral range to 190-4000 nm which is presently the widest range on the market for such product. Added new feature – average polarization measurement, redesigned interface for more easy and convenient operation.
Used for: Lab, Process analysis
Literature included: Operation manual
Measurement Mode: Transmittance, reflectance, angular dependent measurements, polarization dependent measurements, optical density, integral values
Suggested applications: Optical measurement of parts with coatings – all types of optical filters, mirrors, AR coatings, cube polarizers etc in UV, VIS and NIR range (190-4000 nm)
Primary benefits: The instrument offers a surprisingly easy and convenient way to measure optics with coatings – fast, trustful, and no additional costly fixtures. The product is focused specifically on optics. Other products on the market are "adopted" for this application by using a standard spectrophotometer for chemical and biochemical applications and a number of delicate and expensive fixtures.
Unique features: All measurement features are build-in (no fixtures). The instrument is designed just for optics so it does not have any elements not related to this application – neither in design, nor in software.
Manufacturer: FITNIR Analyzers Inc.
Product name: FITNIR Benchtop
Near-infrared spectrometer
New this year: A benchtop version of its online near-infrared analyzer, using the same optical technology as its online analyzer. A compact plug and play unit.
Used for: Lab, Process analysis
Measurement Mode: Transmission
Special Features: Heated vial holder with use of disposable vials (benchtop analyzer)
Software: 21CFR11 compliant, cGMP compliant
Suggested applications: pulp liquor in pulp processing industry, Si, Ca, and Mg to indicate water hardness in oil sands industry, MeOH and Turpentine in condensates, COD in brownstock filtrates, Wet pulp kappa and brightness, pulp fibre properties
Primary benefits: No sample preparation required, no recalibration needed; no drifts, Rapid readings (< 45 sec)
Unique features: Data communications with direct output to plant/mill DCS, simultaneous property measurements, tcks data locally along with a day of trending, FITNIR Benchtop models can transferred to an online system
Manufacturer: Guided Wave Inc.
Product name: ClearView db
Vis-NIR Process Analyzer/Spectrometer
New this year: Stable, dual-beam, low-cost filter photometer, 400 – 2150 nm coverage,
Used for: Process analysis
Measurement Mode: Transmission
Special Features: dualbeam spectrometer/photometer. Multiple options: Enclosure Options: Z-purge Unit Class I, Division 2; ExProof Unit, Class I, division 1, ICEEx ATEX; General Purpose Unit, Modbus, 4-20mA or Ethernet data communication, Compatible with an array of fiber optic probes or flow cells, Built-in VGA touch screen, Optional temperature/pressure correction, Optional turbidity port,
Optional color display
Software: Integrated. Available as a separate product, May be used in other equipment, Compatible with other manufacturers' equipment
Suggested applications: Analysis of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, acid number, ethanol in gasoline, sodium hydroxide (caustic) in water, AS color, APHA color, Saybolt color, OH number in polyols, ethylene in ethylene dichloride, water in various solvents, styrene tower control, epoxy value.
Primary benefits: Dualbeam design decreases drift due to lamp aging – yields low drift long-term performance, low noise
Unique features:Choice of detector types: Si, InGaAs or InGaAs TE cooled, Touch screen interface, single or dual channel, include up to 6 filters
Manufacturer: JDSU Corporation
Product name: MicroNIR Pocket Analyzer
Handheld NIR Analyzer
New this year: The MicroNIR Pocket Analyzer is a completely cordless revolutionary near infrared spectrometer. It is battery-operated and equipped for wireless communication via WiFi.
Used for: Hand-held/portable applications
Dimensions: The size of digital camera. Fits in your palm. Weight: less than 7 ounces (200 grams), the weight of an average apple.
Measurement Mode: Diffuse reflection.
Special Features: The MicroNIR fits in your pocket, is wearable on your wrist, or on tool belt, or on your arm. We have focused on designing the NIR spectrometer as the sensor while leveraging wireless communication to the internet, cloud computing, and the already existing large base of smart mobile devices for the user interface.
Software: Ability to integrate with third party software like Unscrambler or Umetrics SIMCA.
May be used in other equipment (a blender)
Suggested applications: Pharmaceutical, law enforcement, explosive detection, food/feed analysis.
Primary benefits: Field measurement, affordable, integrate with other already-existing software and hardware.
Unique features: Uses an App on a mobile phone or tablet for user interface. Doesn't contain on-board computer. Leverages existing IT systems already in use by the client.
Manufacturer: NIR Technology Systems
Product name: Multiscan S4000
FT-NIR spectrometer
New this year: The Series 4000 is a FTNIR
Used for: Lab, Process analysis
Accessory available: Diffuse reflectance accessory with rotating dish.
Measurement Mode: Transmission, Diffuse Reflection
Features: covers the wavelength range from 800 to 2600nm., resolution selectable from 1,2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 cm-1,. scan speed approximately 5 scans per second.
Software: NTAS software, which provides Scan and Display, transformation into 1st and 2nd derivative, SNV, MSC, Discriminant Analysis,: Library searching and qualitative assessment of spectra, Quantitative Analysis using PLS models, PLS calibration development routines, Spectral Matching: Calibration transfer
Available as separate product, 21CFR11 compliant, Compatible with other manufacturers' equipment.
Suggested applications: NIR analysis of stockfeeds, plant and animal meals, flour, soy bean flour and meal, corn mash, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, petrochemicals, food, agricultural products
Primary benefits: User friendly software that allows user to progress from spectral collection to calibration to analysis in one software platform. Rotating sample dish to measure a large area of sample. Rotating tablet cassette for Tablet Uniformity Testing.
Unique features: The Scan and Display routine displays spectra in cm-1 and shows the corresponding wavelength along with a most likely band assignment. The Analysis Routine uses PLS calibrations to predict new samples for up to 9 constituents, in less than 10 seconds, Spectral Matching Routine allows spectra to be imported from other instruments, aligned and a transfer algorithm developed to allow calibration transfer.
Manufacturer: Polytec
Product name: POLYTEC SPECTROMETER SYSTEM PSS 1721 and 2121
Diode array spectrometer, wavelength range 850-1650nm and 1100-2100nm
New this year: Wide variety of sensor heads to interface to different sample types
Used for: Lab, Process, portable/mobile operation
Dimensions: ½ 19" housing
Accessories: Sensor heads and immersible probes
Measurement Mode: Transmission or reflection, depending on probe
Specialty accessory description: Sensor heads with automated white reference.
Special Features: Standardized wavelength range for easy calibration transfer, 10-30 VFC (stabilized) power supply
Software: Proprietary, 21CFR11 compliant, cGMP compliant
Suggested applications: Process analytics
Primary benefits: Easy and reliable integration and operation
Unique features: Application specific configurations based on standardized system components.
