Pharmaceutical Spray Head Thermal Analysis for Non-Destructive Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing pharmaceutical fluid spray devices are destructive, require human inspection, and cannot efficiently assess spray geometry and symmetry, leading to inefficient and costly quality control on assembly lines.
Innovation Solution
A method and device using a heat-sensitive material-coated receiving surface and thermal imaging to analyze spray devices by comparing temperature-differentiated gas flows, allowing non-destructive, automated assessment of spray geometry and symmetry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If laboratory testing of assembled spray devices is performed to check spray properties, then spray quality compliance is verified, but the tested devices are destroyed and cannot be delivered to customers
Solution Approach 1:
A receiving surface coated with heat-sensitive material serves as an intermediary between the spray device and the measurement system. The material changes color in response to temperature variations caused by the spray, allowing indirect measurement of spray properties without destroying the device. This mediator enables compliance verification while preserving the tested device for delivery.
2Measurement precision
If human inspection of tested devices is used to evaluate spray properties, then detailed assessment is possible, but the process cannot be fully automated and requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The manual visual inspection process is replaced by an automated optical measurement system. A camera captures images of the colorimetric changes on the receiving surface, and image processing algorithms automatically analyze the spray pattern, symmetry, and geometry. This substitution eliminates the need for human inspectors while maintaining measurement precision and enabling full automation of the quality control process.
3Ease of operation
If strioscopy is used to visualize compressed air flow through spray heads, then spray angle can be evaluated, but spray geometry and symmetry cannot be assessed and the equipment is complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex, expensive strioscopic equipment with a simple, inexpensive receiving surface coated with disposable heat-sensitive material. The material changes color in response to spray impact, providing visual information about spray angle, geometry, and symmetry. This approach eliminates the need for costly optical benches and complex visualization equipment while enabling comprehensive spray assessment.
4Reliability
If 100% testing of spray devices is implemented, then complete quality control is achieved, but assembly line speed may be substantially slowed down
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is designed to be rapid and continuous, allowing 100% of spray devices to be tested without interrupting assembly line flow. The heat-sensitive material provides immediate visual feedback, and automated image processing quickly analyzes each device. This continuous measurement approach maintains high assembly line speed while achieving complete quality control coverage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables 100% automated, non-destructive testing of spray devices with high accuracy, ensuring compliance with specifications without slowing down assembly lines, using simple and cost-effective components.
Implementation Method 1
sending said flow of compressed gas at temperature T1 onto said receiving surface at temperature T2
Implementation Method 2
said contact zones being coated with a heat sensitive material
Implementation Method 3
visualising the impact zone for said flow of compressed gas on said receiving surface
Data Source
AI summary
A method for analysing a device for spraying a pharmaceutical fluid product including the following steps: providing a spray head of a device for spraying a pharmaceutical fluid product, the spray head having a spray orifice; providing a receiving surface having a plurality of discrete contact zones separated by voids, the contact zones capable of being coated with a heat sensitive material, bringing the receiving surface to a temperature T2, passing a flow of compressed gas through the spray orifice, the flow of compressed gas at a temperature T1 which differs from T2, sending the flow of compressed gas at temperature T1 onto the receiving surface at temperature T2, visualising the impact zone for the flow of compressed gas on the receiving surface, and analysing the visualisation of the impact zone in order to determine whether the spray head complies with predetermined specifications.