Inline Measurement Instead of Snapshots: Why Lab Values Alone Do Not Stabilise Processes

Why measurement values alone do not create process stability

In beverage production, laboratory analyses and final product checks are important parts of quality assurance. They show whether a product meets specific requirements and whether relevant parameters are within the target range.

However, for active process control, later-stage testing is not always sufficient. Many deviations occur during production – for example during filtration, blending, carbonation, deaeration, wort treatment or before filling.

If a problem only becomes visible in the laboratory or in the finished product, the process step in which the deviation occurred is often already complete. The room for corrective action is then limited.

Inline measurement technology starts earlier: directly in the running process.

Typical limits of sampling and final checks

Lab values are precise and necessary, but they usually represent a defined point in time. Between two measurements, the process may already have changed.

Typical challenges include:

• deviations only become visible afterwards
• causes cannot always be clearly assigned to a specific process step
• fluctuations during operation remain undetected between samples
• process parameters are measured but not directly integrated into control
• quality assurance and process control remain separated

This does not mean that laboratory analyses should be replaced. The key is to complement them with continuous process data in a meaningful way.

Technical background

Inline measurement technology records relevant parameters directly in the product or process stream. As a result, measurement values are not only available downstream, but during production.

Depending on the application, different parameters may be relevant, for example:

• oxygen
• carbon dioxide
• density
• Brix
• extract
• original gravity
• alcohol content

In brewing and beverage processes, such values can be important at different points – for example during blending, carbonation, filtration, before the filler or in product preparation.

This allows process conditions not only to be checked, but also observed and evaluated during operation.

Why inline measurement is more than an additional measurement point

An inline sensor alone does not stabilise a process. What matters is how the measurement value is used.

If a parameter is only displayed, it remains information. If it is integrated into process control, automation or recipe control, it can contribute to active control.

This is especially relevant in processes where several factors interact – for example CO₂ content, product flow, pressure, temperature, alcohol content or original gravity.

Inline measurement technology therefore becomes part of an overall system consisting of measurement, process understanding and automation.

Examples of relevant process areas

In beverage production, there are many points where continuous measurement can be useful.

These include, among others:

• CO₂ control during carbonation and carboblending
• O₂ monitoring in oxygen-sensitive process steps
• alcohol and original gravity measurement in high gravity blending
• Brix or extract measurement in soft drinks, syrups or wort
• density and concentration measurement in product and mixing processes
• measurement points before critical transitions such as storage or filling

Which measurement points are useful always depends on the product, plant layout, process objective and available control options.

Why process data belongs in the overall system

Stable processes are not created by isolated individual data points. Measurement values must fit the plant concept.

This includes:

• suitable measurement points in the process
• hygienic and CIP-capable design
• appropriate integration into automation and operation
• traceable process control
• coordinated recipe and control logic
• understanding the interaction between measurement value and process step

Only when measurement values are used in the right context does data acquisition become reliable process control.

Possible technical solutions

Depending on the application, different measures may be appropriate:

• analysis of critical process points
• definition of suitable inline measurement points
• continuous measurement of relevant parameters such as O₂, CO₂, alcohol, density, Brix or extract
• integration of measurement values into automation and process control
• alignment of measurement, recipe management and plant logic
• combination of inline data and laboratory analyses
• review of existing measurement points for relevance and position in the process
• adaptation of process sequences, limits and control logic

The right solution always depends on the existing plant, product, quality objectives and available measurement and control points.

Conclusion: process quality does not begin in the laboratory

Laboratory analyses remain an important part of quality assurance. For stable and reproducible processes, however, deviations should become visible as close as possible to where they occur.

Inline measurement technology helps continuously record process conditions and integrate them into process control.

In this way, quality is not only checked afterwards, but actively supported during the running process.

Further solutions

Learn more about inline measurement technology and process control:
👉 https://www.centec.de/in-en/sensorik-messtechnik

Learn more about process solutions for the beverage industry:
👉 https://www.centec.de/in-en/getraenke

Get in touch with our experts:
👉 https://www.centec.de/in-en/#contact