In a time where budgets are tight, how can you make the most use of your Metrology department standards? In our Metrology department at Promega, a biotechnology company, we have found many applications where our temperature data logger with thermocouple probes could be used for more than just calibrations. Our department has played an important role in validating existing processes and establishing new product procedures using temperature profiles collected with the datalogger. The Type T, 30 gauge thermocouple probes we use are versatile and flexible in their uses and we have taken full advantage of these traits. Our data logger has been used to collect temperature profiles for products in microfuge tubes, one liter bottles, running through shrink wrappers, in microplates on heat blocks of robotic systems, vacuumed sealed, stability tests, in lines of large volume dispensers and even frozen in liquid nitrogen. Often times our only limitation is the length of the thermocouple probe and the extension cord plugged into the data logger. This paper will explain some of the ways and methods we have used our data logger for much more than just calibrations and a few of the lessons we have learned along the way. |