News & Knowledge

We’re your source for automation news. Keep up with the latest industry updates and E Tech employee spotlights, as well as tips and guidance from our manufacturing experts.  

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How Our Automation Training Boot Camp Transforms Our Engineers 

While the Marines require 13 weeks of rigorous basic training in Paris Island, and the Army and Navy demand 10 and 8 weeks respectively, E Tech Group offers 4 weeks of Automation Boot Camp to prepare our recruits to become the best of the best in automation engineering.  We like to think our Automation Boot Camp is just as transformative for our recruits, but without the screaming in their face and the exhaustive overnight hikes through the desert. It also produces a more competent and more confident automation engineer or project manager ready to take on the Life Science Industry.  A Control Systems Integrator Focused on Continued Education For over 30 years now, we have refined and improved our automation training program into 26 online modules within the company portal. These modules are followed by both recent engineering graduates and experienced engineers learning the peculiarities of the Life Science Industry, and contain embedded quizzes that help them soak in the information. The self-paced program includes topics like: The technical modules our new recruits will complete throughout the course of Automation Bootcamp include: This provides our new automation engineers and future project managers with well-rounded background information and template starting points that will ease life considerably once assigned to a project. Soft skills also include customer relations, team work communication, appropriate documentation of meetings, and the proper follow up of customer needs.  Applied Life Sciences Automation Training: Bringing it Into the Real World With the same urgency that the Marines require 3 weeks of intensive, real life target practice with an M16 rifle and live ammunition, E Tech Group provides each recruit with a real batching project with a live PLC (ControlLogix or Siemens S7) and Operator Interface (Wonderware, Factory Talk, WINCC, or Ignition).  As a final hurdle, each recruit demonstrates the functionality of their … Continued

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engineers reviewing documents on a computer
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E Tech Group’s Life Sciences East Division is CSIA Certified for the Eighth Consecutive Time 

E Tech Group is part of an elite group of system integrators achieving the highest level of certification in the Control System Integrator Association’s Certification program and the first to pass its eighth consecutive certification audit as required every three years.   Seabrook, NH – October 5, 2021 – E Tech Group, a leading 3-decades-old control system integrator of custom industrial automation and IT solutions with 400+ engineers across the country, today announced the company has successfully renewed its Control Systems Integrators Association (CSIA) Certification. CSIA Certified control system integrators must pass an intensive audit every three years to demonstrate that they meet stringent performance standards.  Jose M. Rivera, CEO of the CSIA said, “Congratulations to [E Tech Group] for their successful CSIA re-certification. They lead the pack as the only system integrator with eight consecutive certification rounds to date. I congratulate [E Tech Group] for their leadership and for having made the CSIA Best Practices part of their company culture. Keep it up! By supporting the CSIA Certification program [E Tech Group] is not only advancing their company, they are also elevating the playing field for the entire control systems integration community.”   Qualifications of Elite Control System Integrators The intensive CSIA audit process is conducted by an independent third-party consulting firm measuring criteria in general management, financial management, project management, quality management, technical management, human resources, and business development. CSIA Certification ultimately provides benefits to end-users of automation technology by ensuring CSIA Certified control system integrators are financially healthy companies capable of completing projects in a professional and technically sound manner.   In addition to being eight-time certified by CSIA, E Tech Group has passed over sixty quality management and validation audits and is both a Rockwell Automation Solution Partner and Siemens Automation Solution Partner. In June of 2020, E Tech Group announced the company had also qualified as an OSI Soft Solution Partner.  Some of E Tech Group’s specialized expertise is in the biotech and life sciences industries. The company specializes in complex FDA validated automation systems. We offer coast-to-coast capabilities with multiple locations in the biotech and life science hubs of New England and California. E Tech Group’s 400+ engineers at 18 … Continued

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Increased Flexibility & Better Quality for Pharmaceutical Manufacturer
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How to Perform a Risk Assessment  

– By Tony Schalk, Functional Safety Engineer (TÜV Rheinland), Automation Systems Engineer, E Technologies  Sophisticated companies know that safety is a journey, not a destination. It is a part of their strategic and ongoing growth. As more and more companies look to implement safety programs, questions about budget, time, effort, and feasibility come into play. Larger companies may already employ a safety engineer or even a safety team, with well-established metrics and objectives each year. If you don’t fall into that category, don’t be discouraged. The most important thing you can do on any journey is to start. To begin your safety journey, you start with a risk assessment.   In the United States, when an accident originates from machinery, the owner of the machine is responsible for the safety, not just the manufacturer of the machine. This means that if something happens, it’s technically your responsibility. If that doesn’t scare you, it should.  The beauty of the risk assessment is that it is your education on what could happen with the machinery in your facility. What you choose to do with your newfound knowledge is up to you; however, in the immortal words of G.I. Joe, “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.”   There are a few caveats. Although companies could self-perform their risk assessments, it isn’t a job that just anyone in your plant can do. A TÜV certification is needed, as well as an understanding of ISO 13849 or IEC 62061 standards. Anyone could pick up the standard and follow the process, but it’s hard to implement a standard and its many details if you’re new to safety. This is where having a safety professional can be very beneficial for efficiency’s sake. He or she can walk into a situation and quickly identify what needs to … Continued

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Implementation of an FDA-Compliant Biologics Process Control System

E Tech Group’s process control solutions included a manufacturing execution system for FDA-compliant data collection and reporting, as well as a building management system and other vendor-supplied control systems.

Project: Turnkey Factory Automation for a Biologics Client

E Tech Group implemented a $1.8M process control system (PCS) for the Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories (MBL) state-of-the-art facility in Mattapan, MA. The MBL facility performs cell culture and purification of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) and filling of licensed and R&D stage liquid parenteral (injectable) products that cannot be terminally sterilized. The monoclonal antibody production centers around cell culture and purification.

Solution: Build a Custom, Fully-Integrated Automation System

E Tech Group installed a PLC- and SCADA-based PCS system utilizing redundant Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5550 processors with 1756 series I/O, 1794 Flex Series I/O, Festo solenoid blocks, and Mettler Toledo scale indicators. The I/O is distributed between 13 control panels which are interconnected with DeviceNet and ControlNet I/O networks. The PCS communicates approximately 400 data points over Ethernet to the various equipment vendor-supplied systems.

The PCS consists of a SCADA/Historian fault-tolerant server, manufacturing execution system (MES) fault tolerant server, web reporting server, 11 portable client workstations, 7 fixed client workstations, and 2 engineering workstations. The 11 portable workstations contain wireless Ethernet capability and are mounted on a portable cart with an onboard battery and barcode scanner.

The following software packages were used as part of the PCS system:

  • SCADA – GE/Proficy iFix
  • Historian – GE/Proficy Historian
  • Data Analysis – GE/Proficy Real Time Information Portal
  • Reporting – Crystal Reports
  • Manufacturing Execution System – Elan XFP, Oracle database
  • Alarm/Event Storage – SQL Server

The following equipment is located in the MAb production area:

  • Buffer preparation tank
  • Portable pH adjustment tank
  • 55L, 500L, and 2500L bioreactors
  • Portable Q-eluate tank
  • Harvest tank
  • Portable nanofiltration tank
  • Chromatography skid
  • Final bulk tank
  • Ultrafiltration / diafiltration skid
  • Fill / finish production
  • Vial washer, parts washer, and autoclave
  • Depyrogenation tunnel and filling line
  • Labeling and packaging equipment

The following utility systems are located in the MPL Mattapan Facility:

  • Water for injection (WFI) pre-treatment / soft water generation
  • Acid day tank
  • WFI still, and hot WFI storage tank
  • Caustic day tank
  • Compressed air generation
  • Clean in place (CIP) skid
  • Chilled process glycol generation
  • Clean steam generation
  • Hot process glycol generation and distribution

Results: An Efficient, Compliant, Comprehensive Plant-Wide Control System

Our engineers implemented a PCS to control process and cleaning steps for the buffer preparation tank, harvest tank, pH adjustment tank, Q-eluate tank, and nanofiltration tank through hardwired I/O. The PCS coordinates CIP operations with the CIP skid, controls CIP and WFI distribution, and interfaces with the various equipment vendor-supplied systems over Ethernet. The PCS stores alarms and process data from the skids and hardwired I/O.

The PCS provides a MES that includes material tracking, equipment management, barcode recognition and creation, and electronic work instructions (EWI) for execution of process steps in the MBL facility. Operators use barcode scanners to verify and record raw materials, semi-finished goods, finished goods, and equipment that is created and/or used in the MBL facility.

The system also consists of a number of equipment vendor-supplied control systems and a building management system (BMS). The PCS provides supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), batch execution, electronic work instructions, material tracking, equipment management, barcode recognition and creation, historical data collection, and reporting. All data collection is in accordance with 21 CFR Part 11.

With deep domain expertise in the life sciences and biopharma industry, E Tech Group creates process automation solutions that keep you compliant with R&D, production, and quality control regulations while retaining the ability to scale and adapt in this ever-changing industry. Improve processes and reduce costs with strategic, robust building automation.

Provides a MES that includes material tracking, equipment management, barcode recognition and creation, and electronic work instructions (EWI) for execution of process steps in the MBL facility. Operators use barcode scanners to verify and record raw materials, semi-finished goods, finished goods, and equipment that is created and/or used in the MBL facility.

The system also consists of a number of equipment vendor-supplied control systems and a building management system (BMS). The PCS provides supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), batch execution, electronic work instructions, material tracking, equipment management, barcode recognition and creation, historical data collection, and reporting. All data collection is in accordance with 21 CFR Part 11.

Learn More About E Tech Group’s Life Science Capabilities

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Food and Beverage Automation Solutions that Protect Your Reputation and Your Bottom Line

Industrial food production is governed by strict regulations and federal oversight. Automating production processes aids this endeavor by eliminating human errors in tasks like mixing, sorting and packing. And it also improves product quality via improved consistency and sterility. Manufacturing automation systems for food and beverage production must be building-wide, robust and reliable. An effective system will cut defects and downtime while it increased production capacity without compromising quality control. In addition, the cyber security features keep your operations and IP secure. E Tech Group can help you stay competitive in your sector of the food and beverage industry. Increased production, quality, consistency and compliance will protect your reputation and, in turn, your bottom line.