Elevate Controls offers full-cycle development of embedded controllers. Our consistent development process adapts to the unique requirements of your project and ensures a quality outcome every time. We use industry standard tool chains that ensure efficient use of resources, and design protect to allow for future variation and scalability.
Background
Our client is a global leader in alumina production, supplying approximately 8% of the world market. The efficiency of the refining process is critically dependent upon analysis of the continuously circulating refining liquor. The company needed to replace an aging, manually intensive in-house analyser with a modern, automated solution capable of accelerating throughput, reducing operating costs, and operating in a 24/7 environment with minimal human intervention.
The company engaged Elevate Controls to develop a next-generation multi-analysis titration system—one that could achieve four times the sample throughput of its predecessor, at half the scale-up cost, while maintaining laboratory-grade accuracy and reliability.
The Challenge
Designing a high-performance, automated titration system for continuous operation required overcoming several challenges:
- Unattended 24/7 operation:
The system had to function dependably without manual oversight during varying shifts and production cycles. - High throughput:
It needed to process four times more samples than the previous system, ensuring rapid and continuous chemical monitoring. - Cost and footprint efficiency:
The solution had to be cost-positive and compact, enhancing performance at half the cost and space requirements. - Lab integration:
Compatibility with standard laboratory equipment and direct communication with the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) were essential. - Quality control:
The automated titration system needed to deliver consistent and accurate results with real-time monitoring of data integrity and process deviations.
The Solution
Elevate Controls designed and delivered the ALIAN—a powerful, PC-based automated titration system customised for industrial-scale, multi-point chemical analysis.
Key Features and Benefits
- Advanced automation & parallel processing
- ALIAN integrates effortlessly with industry-standard laboratory instruments, including Gilson Auto Samplers, Mettler, and Metrohm Titrators.
Fully automated scheduling and sample handling
Custom-engineered titration vessels and a modular pump/switching system for fluid routing
Simultaneous analysis of up to four auto-titrators, enabling unmatched efficiency
Compact, scalable architecture
The system occupied half the bench space of its predecessor. Its compact size optimised the lab’s real estate and supported broader analytical capabilities.
LabVIEW-Based Control Interface
Built with National Instruments DAQ boards and LabVIEW software, the system provides precise control, data acquisition, and method flexibility.
- Intuitive GUI for easy titration setup and analysis configuration
- Support for multiple calculation models and user-scriptable methods
- Easy adaptability for future analytical requirements
Real-Time integration and quality assurance
ALIAN connects directly with LIMS for data transfer and result archiving.
- Integrated Statistical Process Control (SPC) tools monitor result trends and flag anomalies.s
- Maintains high result fidelity and traceability across all analysis cycles
The Outcome
The ALIAN system exceeded all key performance benchmarks. It provided a 24/7 automated operation solution with zero manual intervention. It quadrupled sample throughput and halved the build cost and physical footprint compared to the original analyser.
The system’s modular design, advanced automation, and easy integration into our clients laboratory ecosystem delivered transformational improvements in chemical analysis throughput and reliability. Engineers gained real-time insights with total data traceability. The benefited from a reduced operational strain.
ALIAN’s innovative design and process control impact were recognised industry-wide, earning it Finalist status at NI Week 2000 for “Best Applications Paper” in Test and Quality.
By adopting this advanced titration system, our client improved its process monitoring capabilities, supporting more responsive, data-driven control in one of the most demanding industrial environments.
