SentroProbe DR LS NIR

Redefining stability for diffuse reflectance measurements

Overview

The SentroProbe DR LS is an ATEX certified probe for measurements in diffuse reflectance. It is a perfect fit to the SentroPAT FO systems and offers several feature for reliable PAT measturements in various unit operations within solid dose pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

Two internal light sources
Internal reference for drift correction and outstanding long term stability
Probe tip with ¾" and different lengths
GMP friendly design
ATEX zone 20/21 certified

Applications

Combined with a SentroPAT FO system the SentroProbe DR LS is a powerful option to monitor many different unit operations in pharmaceutical industry but also in many applications where solids have to be measured in diffuse refelectance.

Commercial Scale in Tablet Press Feed Frame

Numerous installations on tablet presses of all major brands are existent today.

Blend uniformity in various CDC setups

Sentronic systems are empowering inline control of commercial continuous direct compression lines, here used in combination with the EXPO Process TASO sampling interface.

High Shear Wet Granulation

The improvement of consistency in this unit operatoin using the Sentronic NIR solutions has significant potential and is underutilised today. In comparison to just moisture or particle size analyzers, NIR provides a unique combination of physical and chemical information.

Technical Specifications

Light Source / Optics

Electronics

Installation conditions

Ratings, Dimensions

Measurement type	Diffuse Reflectance
Measurement distance	Direct contact with sample material
Spot Size	ca. 5mm
Illumination Source	Two tungsten halogen NIR sources
Illumination Power	max. 5W; configurable
Nominal Source Lifetime	14,000hrs per NIR source
Internal Standard Material	PTFE-based intensity standard
Detection fiber	SMA connector for 400µm fibers

Power supply	24VDC, <8W (standard configuration)
Control	EIA-485 (RS-485) - fully controlled via SentroPAT FO and SentroSuite
Probe window heating	Ambient to 80°C at the tip of the probe

Temperature (probe tip)	0°C-80°C
Temperature (ambient)	0°C-55°C
Pressure rating (probe tip)	0-40 bar

Probe shaft	Stainless steel 1.4404
Measurement window	Sapphire
Probe housing	Aluminium, anodized
Dimensions shaft	Probe tip: Diameter 3/4"; length 65, 100, 170, 200 or 300mm
Dimensions housing	60 x 100 x 77 mm
Classification / Rating	GMP, FDA compliant materials incl. certificate, ATEX 20/21

Download data sheet

Need personal assistance? We’re here to help!

Looking for more tailored support? Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re happy to assist you! Or explore our knowledge base for in-depth insights and technical details.

Get in touch Browse Knowledge Base Newsletter Subscription

Frequent Asked Questions

Learn more about the SentroProbe DR LS and its wide range of applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing. This section provides additional insights and detailed information to help you fully understand the potential and versatility of our cutting-edge sensor technology.

How much does probe-to-probe variation affect NIR spectra? If I replace a SentroProbe DR LS, will I have to update my chemometric models?

For SentroProbe DR LS probes, not very much! This is partially because of the tight manufacturing controls in place. It is also because the SentroProbe DR LS is intended for direct product contact use and does not use focusing optics. As a result, small differences in manufacturing tolerances are less impactful to measurement spot size, alignment, etc as they might be with a focused spot.

Lastly, for many applications, common spectral preprocessing methods minimize the impact of small changes in signal intensity from probe-to-probe. As a result, for many applications, changing a probe can be done without updating a chemometric model. However, the impact of changing a probe should still be assessed.

I have a high OEB-rated compound and do not want to use a SentroProbe DR LS in direct product contact. The probe is listed as intended for product contact. If I use the probe through a sapphire process window, will it still work?

Yes. It should be noted that the thickness of the process windows should be kept to a minimum as the thicker the window is, the more attenuated the NIR signal will be. However, Sentronic has many customers using SentroProbe DR LS systems with a process window.

How often does preventative maintenance on a SentroProbe DR LS need to be performed?

We recommend changing the NIR sources out after a year and executing performance verification testing. However, if a user is in a development lab, using the system infrequently, or in an industry with less stringent regulation than the pharmaceutical industry, we recommend changing lamps when their intensity starts significantly decreasing. The Lamp Check validation test in SentroSuite can help users assess when that happens.

Contact