The new software "will help customers operating in regulated markets, such as food and pharmaceuticals, improve system security and track results," said the company, which will unveil the package at the Powtech/TechnoPharm meeting in March.

The software has been designed specifically to comply with the US Food and Drug Administration's CFR21 Part 11 guidelines, which make it imperative to maintain careful electronic records throughout the manufacturing and quality control process.

Specifically, the Exponent software is used to measure the flow characteristics of dry and wet powders. This helps manufacturers understand and consequently avoid problems with batch and source variation of ingredients, caking during storage, bridging in hoppers and sticking during production.

The new version speeds up statistical data analysis and report generation and allows new protocols to be written by the operator for specific, bespoke tasks. Additional flow characteristics have also been added to the list of factors that the software can analyse.

Security has been beefed up with an encrypted password protection to log-on and validate calibration checks. In addition, different user levels, restricting access to some data for all but the most senior users, has been added. Another important feature is the ability to copy and print out audit trails, allowing clear visibility to trace results and records.

For more information on this product, e-mail: sales@stablemicrosystems.com or visit the company's website .