- 10/16/2026
- Article
- Analysing & automating
When the measuring point thinks for itself: Hygienic sensor technology in transition
Smaller systems, more frequent product changes and ever-increasing amounts of data directly from the process are transforming hygienic sensor technology. What used to need above all to be clean and easy to clean is now becoming more compact, flexible and intelligent. At POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2026, this development could be seen in specific exhibits – from dead-space-free pressure measurement to in-line analytics.
Written by Armin Scheuermann
Less room for dead spaces
Europe’s pharmaceutical production is set to become more resilient. In May 2026, the European Parliament and the Council provisionally agreed on the Critical Medicines Act, which is intended to support the establishment and expansion of European production capacities for critical medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients. At the same time, biopharmaceuticals and personalised medicine are transforming production: batches are getting smaller, product changes more frequent, and equipment and pipework more compact. This also brings the measurement point more into focus. After all, where pipe cross-sections shrink, the sensor technology must adapt – without creating additional niches in which product residues or germs can remain.
At POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, Wika demonstrated just how far this design approach has now progressed, using pressure measurement as an example. In the DMSU22SA, a metallic twin-tube system measures pressure via the deformation of the inner sensor tube. The transmitter measures inline without a pressure-transmitting fluid and is designed for a dead-space-free measuring point; at the same time, the sensor tube system is continuously monitored. This eliminates the risk of product contamination from leaking pressure-transmitting fluid.
Miniaturisation is not limited to pressure measurement. Level and limit sensors are also becoming more compact. One example at the trade fair was the compact Vibranivo VN 7000 vibrating level switch from UWT. With a sensor length starting at 64 millimetres, the device points the way: hygienic sensor technology should take up as little additional space as possible within the process.
Clean – and flexible
At the same time, the role of the plant is changing. Where different products are manufactured on the same line, cleaning and changeovers themselves become a factor in productivity. Sensors must therefore not only be designed to meet hygiene requirements; they must also fit into cleaning concepts, be compatible with CIP and SIP, and be installed in such a way that the process medium and cleaning fluid can drain off completely.
This also raises the question of whether to use stainless steel or single-use components in sensor technology. Single-use systems offer flexibility in development, pilot plants and in many production situations. They can reduce the water, steam and energy requirements for cleaning and sterilising the components they replace. However, this generates additional plastic waste, which, depending on the application, may be biologically contaminated and must be treated and disposed of accordingly; this is often done by incineration. In the case of continuous and long-running processes, however, there are many arguments in favour of permanently installed stainless steel technology.
In practice, therefore, the approach often lies somewhere in between: stainless steel for robust, continuous processes; single-use for frequent product changes or critical transfers. On the measurement side, too, the spectrum now ranges from permanently installed hygienic sensor technology to pre-calibrated single-use sensors and single-use bioprocess probes. The old ‘either/or’ question is thus increasingly becoming a question of selecting the right tool for the respective process step.
From measured value to process insight
Digitalisation is changing the role of the measurement point even more fundamentally. It no longer merely provides a single process value. Additional instrument data, self-diagnosis and in-line analytics are increasingly turning it into a source of information about the process and plant status. At the same time, a long-standing requirement remains relevant: wherever possible, the measurement should have as little impact as possible on the hygienic process.
This is demonstrated, for example, by level measurement. At POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2026, VEGA showcased the VEGAPULS 6X, an 80 GHz radar sensor that measures level non-contact. A version with an encapsulated antenna system and hygienic connection is available for hygienic applications. The sensor thus illustrates a second approach to hygienic measurement points: for suitable level measurement tasks, there is no need for a measuring element to be immersed in the medium. Nevertheless, the hygienic design of the antenna system and process connection remains important
At the same time, the digital capabilities of sensor technology are expanding. With its Compact Line, Endress+Hauser demonstrated hygienic sensors for pressure, level and limit level that combine a compact design with digital diagnostics. HART provides access to additional device information, whilst Ethernet-APL, SPE or PROFINET enable end-to-end data transmission. Even compact level sensors such as the Vibranivo from UWT can now be connected via IO-Link.
The shift of analytics from the laboratory directly into the process goes one step further. With Raman spectroscopy, several parameters can be measured in biopharmaceutical upstream processes using a single probe, supporting, for example, glucose and feed control in the bioreactor. The technology can be scaled from the laboratory through the pilot scale right into production.
And the testing of the sensors themselves is also becoming more digital. With Endress+Hauser’s Heartbeat Technology, measuring instruments can be diagnosed and verified whilst still installed, without having to remove them or halt the process. In the pharmaceutical industry in particular, this is not just about efficiency. Traceability and robust quality and safety evidence are key drivers.
The development that became apparent at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2026 can therefore be summed up in a simple formula: sensors are getting smaller, whilst their role is becoming more significant. Hygienic design remains a prerequisite. However, in addition to a clean surface, connectivity, self-monitoring and process analytics are now key features. The measuring point thus becomes an interface for product quality, plant condition and process knowledge.
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