Pinpoint awarded Smart Cymru grant

Introducing Dr Gilberto Dalmaso

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:31:43 GMT

Scientific & Regulatory Advisor to CAMS

CAMS is delighted to introduce Dr Gilberto Dalmaso as Scientific & Regulatory Advisor.

Gilberto brings over 40 years’ experience in pharmaceutical microbiology, contamination control, and aseptic processing. He began his career at the Verona site of Glaxo (now part of GlaxoSmithKline), where he worked in pharmaceutical microbiology and sterility assurance before going on to lead initiatives in Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Rapid Microbial Methods (RMM).

He has since held senior advisory roles within the environmental monitoring and contamination control sector, including with Particle Measuring Systems, and now operates as an independent consultant.

Gilberto is widely recognised for his expertise in:

EU GMP Annex 1 (2022 revision)
Aseptic processing and contamination control strategy (CCS)
Environmental monitoring strategy design
Rapid and alternative microbiological methods
Quality by Design (QbD) applied to microbiology

Supporting CAMS at Interphex 2026

Gilberto will be joining CAMS on our stand at INTERPHEX in New York , where he will be available to discuss:

Regulatory expectations under Annex 1
The science behind compliant environmental monitoring
Designing robust EM strategies
Practical implementation of modern contamination control

If you would like to meet with Gilberto during the exhibition, please contact CAMS to arrange a discussion.

Gethin’s Diary: Designing the Right Monitoring System for Your Cleanroom

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:32:17 GMT

Flexibility Matters.

One of the biggest misconceptions in environmental monitoring is that there’s a single “correct” way to do it.

In reality, cleanrooms and aseptic environments vary enormously. The airflow patterns are different. The constraints are different. The process risks are different. The physical build is different. The people working in them are different.

So why do so many monitoring solutions assume one fixed configuration will suit everyone?

In this entry of Gethin’s Diary, I want to talk about something we’ve learned the hard way over the years:

The best monitoring system is the one that fits your environment, not the one that forces your environment to fit it.

Cleanroom monitoring is never one-size-fits-all

Even within the same company, two sites can have completely different realities:

legacy facilities with awkward infrastructure
new builds with modern isolators and high automation
Grade A spaces where sampling must run for long periods
RABS environments where integration and validation simplicity is the priority
facilities where downtime is simply not an option

Yet many monitoring systems are offered like a “boxed product”: fixed format, fixed assumptions, limited options.

That might be fine in a simple lab setting. But in aseptic manufacturing, it often creates workarounds, and workarounds create risk.

Flexibility isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s a risk control.

When people hear “flexible”, they sometimes think it means more features or more complexity.

That’s not what I mean.

What matters is flexibility in the way the system can be deployed, so you can meet your monitoring goals without:

complicated engineering
unnecessary shutdowns
awkward validation justifications
or forcing compromises in where and how you sample

In other words, flexibility is about control .

Control over your sampling strategy. Control over how the system fits into your facility. Control over how you adapt as your process changes.

The hidden cost of rigid systems

When a system is rigid, you usually see the same issues crop up:

Sampling points chosen based on what the hardware can reach, not where the risk actually is
Major engineering changes required just to install or upgrade
Validation burden increases because you’ve introduced unnecessary change
Maintenance becomes painful, especially in hard-to-access areas
Teams accept “good enough” coverage because the ideal layout feels unrealistic

Over time, those compromises become part of the norm, until an investigation or an audit forces the question: is the system actually designed around risk?

What “design your own solution” really means

At CAMS, when we talk about flexibility, we’re talking about real-world deployment choices, such as:

Where the sampling head sits (in a cleanroom, on an isolator, within a restricted space)
Where the controller sits (accessible for operators, separated for hygiene or space reasons)
How sampling runs (short targeted samples vs longer monitoring strategies)
How the system integrates (standalone, semi-integrated, fully integrated)
How upgrades happen (without ripping up infrastructure or shutting down lines)

This isn’t about creating a bespoke science project every time. It’s about offering enough configuration options that you can build a solution that makes sense, quickly.

Why slit-to-agar supports flexibility particularly well

Slit-to-agar sampling has a few characteristics that lend themselves to flexible deployment:

It’s a proven viable monitoring method with results that are easy to interpret and defend
It supports longer sampling strategies when designed correctly
It can be integrated into isolators and constrained builds without forcing awkward compromises
It can work as part of a modular system, rather than a fixed “box”

When you can vary configuration without compromising the fundamentals of viable recovery, you give cleanroom teams what they really need: options .

A good way to sanity-check your system design

Here are three questions I often use when reviewing a monitoring setup:

1) If you could start again, would you place your sampling points in the same locations?
If the answer is “no”, the system may be driving your decisions more than risk is.

2) If you needed to upgrade, would it force shutdowns or major engineering work?
If yes, you’re carrying future cost and risk even if things feel stable today.

3) Can your monitoring strategy evolve as your process evolves?
If the system can’t adapt, you’ll end up with workarounds - and workarounds eventually fail.

The practical takeaway

A strong contamination control strategy is built on two things:

clear rationale (why are you sampling here, in this way, at this frequency?)
systems that support that rationale without creating unnecessary friction

If your monitoring system is rigid, you’ll end up bending your rationale around the system.

If your system is flexible, you can design the system around the risk.

That’s the difference.

If you want to explore this further

If you’re working on a new isolator build, a RABS project, a facility upgrade, or you’re simply trying to improve coverage without increasing disruption, it’s worth revisiting how much of your current approach is driven by design constraints.

We’re always happy to talk through options - not in a salesy way, but in a practical “does this fit your world?” way.

That’s what good engineering should feel like.

~ Gethin

Gethin's Diary - Don't change the tech, change the sampler.

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:58:12 GMT

Welcome to 2026

Welcome to a new year at CAMS; I’m excited about what’s ahead.

If you work in environmental monitoring, you’ll know the pace of change has accelerated. Annex 1 has sharpened expectations, real-time systems keep making headlines, and cleanroom teams everywhere are being asked to do more with the same (or tighter) resources.

So for the first Gethin’s Diary post of 2026, I want to share a simple idea that often gets overlooked:

You don’t always need to change your whole monitoring technology. Sometimes, you just need to change the sampling device.

The temptation: “We need something completely new”

At the start of a year, it’s common to see big programmes kick off:

new monitoring platforms
new data systems
new approaches to contamination control
and, increasingly, new “real-time” solutions

Some of these initiatives are absolutely the right move, especially if your facility is changing or your risk profile is rising.

But I also see something else: teams feeling pressured into major change because their monitoring results feel too quiet , their investigations feel inconclusive , or they’re worried an auditor will ask tougher questions than last year.

And that can trigger the assumption: “We need a completely different technology.”

Often, you don’t.

What most teams already have (and why it’s not the enemy)

Let’s be clear: the fundamentals of viable monitoring are not broken.

Agar plates are understood. Growth is understood. Trending, limits, investigations, and microbial ID workflows are established. Regulators understand them too.

That matters, because in a regulated environment, “proven” is not a dirty word. It’s a form of risk reduction.

So if your core EM approach is already validated and embedded, the real question becomes:

Where is the weak link?

In many cases, it’s the sampler.

The weak link: why the sampling device changes everything

Your sampling device is the gateway between your environment and your data.

If that gateway is compromised, everything downstream is compromised too. This is true no matter how good your plates are, how well your incubators run, or how robust your SOPs look on paper.

An outdated sampling device can quietly undermine your EM programme by:

reducing viable recovery (collecting organisms poorly, or damaging them on impact)
introducing inconsistency (variable collection performance across conditions)
limiting sampling strategy (forcing short samples when longer monitoring is needed)
creating false confidence (results look fine because the sampler isn’t seeing what’s there)

And the tricky part is: none of this is obvious day-to-day. It only becomes obvious when you have a real contamination event, a difficult investigation, or a tough inspection.

Why “changing the sampling device” is such an attractive lever

A full technology overhaul is expensive and disruptive. It can also add validation workload, training, change control, and (depending on the tech) new questions from regulators.

By contrast, changing the sampling device for a monitoring device can be:

faster
lower risk
less disruptive
and high impact

You keep the things that already work (plates, incubation, trending, microbial ID), but you significantly improve the quality of what you’re collecting.

That’s why I’ve seen sampling to monitoring device upgrades deliver meaningful gains without the pain of a wholesale system rewrite.

What to look for in an upgrade

If you’re considering a sampling device change, I’d encourage you to focus on performance characteristics that actually affect outcome:

1) Biological collection efficiency
Not “how much air it moves”, but how well it recovers viable organisms reliably.

2) Impact velocity and viability preservation
Too aggressive and you may damage organisms. Too weak and capture performance suffers. You want controlled performance that supports consistent recovery.

3) Sampling duration flexibility
Can you monitor for longer periods without compromising the sample? This matters more as Annex 1 expectations push towards better coverage and stronger rationale.

4) Validation you can defend
Not just “it meets the standard”, but evidence you can include in a validation pack and stand behind.

A practical example: why slit-to-agar matters here

One reason we’ve stayed committed to slit-to-agar monitoring is that it supports the “don’t change everything” philosophy.

You can keep your core tech, such as agar plates and the existing lab workflow, but improve the device performance and monitoring strategy significantly.

With slit-to-agar (and in our case a rotating plate), you get:

active monitoring that works under airflow (rather than hoping something “settles”)
the potential for longer monitoring strategies
performance that can be validated and explained clearly
a method that remains aligned with what regulators already understand

And crucially: you aren’t introducing an entirely new monitoring paradigm. You’re improving the reliability and defensibility of the one you already use.

A simple way to think about it in 2026

If you’re planning EM improvements this year, ask this before you launch a big “new technology” project:

Are we sure our sampling device isn’t the real constraint?

Because if your device isn’t collecting well, you’ll never fix the problem with dashboards, automation, or new reporting.

Better in. Better out.

If you want to explore this properly

A sensible next step is not a sales call. It’s a short technical conversation where we look at:

what you’re sampling today
where your pain points actually are (coverage, viability, investigations, confidence)
and whether a simple upgrade would give you a meaningful improvement without major disruption

If that’s helpful, feel free to contact me , or explore the CAMS resources on slit-to-agar monitoring and validation.

Here’s to an exciting 2026.

~ Gethin

Gethin's Diary: Why Validation at a Government-Recognised Lab Matters

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 14:47:24 GMT

If you work in cleanrooms long enough, you start to spot a pattern.

Most conversations about viable air sampling focus on the “headline” specs: flow rate, portability, ease of use, maybe how it fits into an isolator or a Grade A zone.

All important.

But when quality, validation, or an inspector gets involved, the conversation changes very quickly. It becomes less about what a supplier says their sampler does, and more about what they can prove, and how robust that proof is.

That’s where validation at a government-recognised laboratory really matters.

The uncomfortable truth is that “validated” can mean a lot of things

In our industry, you’ll sometimes hear the word validated used loosely.

Sometimes it means:

“We ran some tests in-house.”
“We tested it at a friendly lab.”
“We’ve got a summary slide somewhere.”
“It meets the standard because we’ve always sold it this way.”

None of that is necessarily dishonest, but it isn’t the same as independent validation carried out under controlled conditions by a lab with formal recognition and a reputation to protect.

And when you’re using the data to support product release decisions, contamination investigations, or regulatory compliance, the difference is huge.

What does a government-recognised lab actually give you?

A government-recognised lab brings three things that are hard to replicate elsewhere:

1) Independence
They are not invested in your product looking good. Their job is to report what the performance truly is.

2) Scientific rigour
Test methods, controls, repeatability, documentation — all done properly, so the results stand up to scrutiny.

3) Credibility under pressure
When questions come (and they do), the validation doesn’t collapse into “trust us”. You have defensible data from an external authority.

That’s not just a compliance tick-box. It’s operational confidence.

What “good validation” looks like in practice

When we talk about validating an active air sampler properly, we mean examining the performance data to answer the questions that matter:

Does it capture the particle sizes you care about?
(Often discussed in terms of D50 and collection performance.)

Does it preserve organism viability?
It’s one thing to impact microbes onto agar; it’s another to do it in a way that doesn’t damage them so your results become artificially low.

Is performance consistent over time and across conditions?
Consistency is what makes a monitoring method usable and trustworthy.

Is the evidence documented, transparent, and repeatable?
A report you can put into a validation pack.

And importantly: can you explain it clearly to a quality team, a validation engineer, and (if needed) an inspector?

Why this matters more now than it did five years ago

Aseptic manufacturing has become less forgiving. Annex 1 has pushed the whole industry toward tighter thinking around contamination control strategy, sampling rationale, and data integrity.

That means the tolerance for anything but robust validation is shrinking.

If you’re challenged on why you chose a method, or how you know it performs as claimed, you want answers that don’t rely on internal confidence or historical familiarity alone.

A practical question to ask any supplier

Here’s a simple test that cuts through a lot of noise:

“Can you share the full validation report — and who carried it out?”

Not the brochure version. Not the one-slide summary. The real report.

If the response is vague, defensive, or “we don’t share that”, it’s worth pausing. Because if you can’t see the data, you can’t assess risk properly.

Where slit-to-agar fits into this

One reason we’ve stayed committed to slit-to-agar is that it’s a method that can be validated and understood with clarity.

It’s not a black box. You can test it. You can document it. You can explain it.

And for cleanroom teams who need results that are not only accurate, but defensible, that matters.

Final thought

Validation is not a paperwork exercise. It’s what turns monitoring from “something we do” into “something we can rely on”.

If you’re reviewing your viable monitoring setup, whether you’re in a new build, an isolator project, or simply trying to strengthen your contamination control strategy,

it’s worth putting validation quality near the top of the list.

If you’d like to talk through what good validation evidence looks like (or what to ask for), you know where to find us. We’re always happy to share what we’ve learned.

~ Gethin

Gethin's Diary: Don’t Just Count Particles. Collect the Ones That Matter.

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 20:33:50 GMT

Why Bio-Collection Efficiency is Important

In cleanroom monitoring, we often focus on how many particles are collected. But what if the real question is how many viable organisms your sampler is actually recovering?

That’s where biological collection efficiency comes in, and why it matters far more than many realise.

What is biological collection efficiency? It’s the ability of your sampler to collect and preserve live, viable microorganisms during sampling, not just total particles. This is important; if your sampler’s design or impact velocity kills those organisms before they reach the agar, your CFU count could give a false sense of security.

Design matters: Some samplers (especially sieve-based designs) hit microbes with so much force that many don’t survive the journey. Others don’t control impact velocity well enough to ensure consistent recovery.

Why CAMS is different

The slit-to-agar design used by CAMS, along with our rotating plate, offers a stable, consistent impact velocity — gentle enough to preserve microbial viability, accurate enough to detect meaningful contamination.

What does this mean for you?

Fewer false negatives
Better detection in Grade A spaces
More confidence during audit or root cause investigation

In short: it’s not just about how much air you sample. It’s about how much truth you collect.

~ Gethin

Calling Partners in North & South America

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:09:54 GMT

CAMS Distribution Partnership Opportunity in North & South America

CAMS is excited to announce our expansion into North and South America. We are actively seeking experienced and motivated distribution partners to join us as we bring our innovative products to new markets.

Our goal is to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with partners who share our vision for excellence and growth.

What We’re Looking For:
• Established Market Presence: We need partners with a deep understanding of their regional market and an established network of retailers or end-users.
• Commitment to Excellence: We value partners who prioritize quality, customer service, and brand integrity.
• Collaborative Spirit: As a CAMS partner, you will work closely with our dedicated team to tailor marketing strategies, share market insights, and drive sales growth.

What We Offer:
• Innovative Products: Gain access to our state-of-the-art offerings designed to meet the evolving demands of the market.
• Marketing & Operational Support: Benefit from our comprehensive support including training, promotional materials, and ongoing strategy consultations.
• Competitive Incentives: Enjoy attractive margins and performance-based incentives as part of our commitment to a successful partnership.

Call to Action:
If you’re ready to elevate your business with a proven brand and join us in our expansion efforts, we’d love to hear from you!

To apply or request more information, please visit our page on partners here . Let’s work together to drive growth and success in the dynamic markets of North and South America.

Join us on this exciting journey—your next big opportunity awaits with CAMS!

Gethin's Diary: Upgrading from PMS to CAMS

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:23:47 GMT

"Still Running PMS? Here’s Why Switching to CAMS Could Be the Easiest Upgrade You Make This Year"

There’s no denying PMS systems have had a long and influential run in cleanroom monitoring. In many facilities, they’re still the dominant player. But when it comes to flexibility, ease of validation, and cost-effectiveness, legacy PMS setups can quietly become a bottleneck.

The hidden costs of legacy systems

Over time, what starts as a robust solution can become burdensome:

High cost of replacement parts and service contracts
Rigid architectures that don't flex with changing room designs
Validation hurdles when integrating with newer equipment.

What’s different with CAMS?

CAMS was designed with adaptability at its core:

Modular systems that slot into your existing EM setup
Rotating slit-to-agar plates for longer, more efficient sampling
Easier validation and regulatory documentation
Lower ongoing costs, with minimal disruption to operations

If you're finding your PMS system is harder to support, or struggling to evolve with your facility, the good news is that CAMS doesn't require a ground-up rethink. It’s a natural evolution—one that’s already validated by some of the biggest names in the sector.

~ Gethin.

Gethin's Diary: A new series from CAMS.

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 12:48:10 GMT

Upgrading from MBV: Why It Might Be Time to Rethink Your Cleanroom Sampling

14th October, 2025.

This is the first in a new series where I'll be sharing observations on CAMS, on the industry, and on some of the things happening around us. I promise to keep these entires short, and I'll try to be as neutral as I can be. However, as CEO of CAMS, talking with pride about our products and services will be part of this diary.

For my first entry, I wanted to talk about MBV. This is an organisation I admire greatly, but the requirements of Annex 1 may be challenging for some older MBV product. Let's look at why.

Upgrading from MBV: Why It Might Be Time to Rethink Your Cleanroom Sampling

If you’ve been working in environmental monitoring for a while, chances are you’ve come across, or maybe even swear by, an MBV sampler. They’ve been part of the landscape for years: solid, dependable, familiar. But so was the fax machine, once.

With the increasing demands of Annex 1 and the evolving complexity of cleanroom manufacturing, it might be time to ask: is your trusted MBV sampler still up to the job?

What’s changed?

Annex 1 is now far more explicit in its expectations around sampling frequency, duration, and data integrity. The regulators are asking tougher questions; not just "Are you sampling?" but "How confident are you in what you’re detecting?"

Where MBV struggles

MBV samplers, while well-established, can pose challenges:

Limited sampling duration without affecting viability
Rigid configurations that can’t adapt to isolators or flexible manufacturing setups
Inconsistent impact velocity affecting biological collection efficiency
Data integration challenges, especially in a digital-first environment

Why CAMS?

CAMS offers a slit-to-agar system with a rotating plate design that supports longer sample times, better viability, and full compatibility with GMP-grade agar. It’s flexible, modular, and ready for integration, whether you’re building a new isolator or upgrading an ageing Grade A cleanroom.

We’re not suggesting you throw out everything. But if your MBV unit is your only line of defence (or if it's struggling to keep up with today’s expectations), it might be time to explore what a modern system can offer.

~ Gethin .

Celebrating Success: Our Role in the AJ Vaccines RABS Upgrade Project

Fri, 31 May 2024 10:01:58 GMT

Enhanced environmental monitoring with CAMS ISO-CON.

We are delighted to have been a part of the successful RABS upgrade project for AJ Vaccines , as highlighted in a recent article on Cleanroom Online .

The project, executed by Syntegon, involved modernizing an older vial filling and closing machine, ensuring compliance with the latest EU GMP Annex 1 guidelines .

Although not mentioned in the article, our CAMS ISO-CON environmental monitoring solution was integral to this success , providing conitinuous monitoring to maintain optimal conditions.

For more details on the project, visit the original article . Learn more about the CAMS ISO-CON here .

At CAMS, we're proud to contribute to advancements in pharmaceutical manufacturing, helping companies like AJ Vaccines stay ahead of regulatory changes and maintain high standards of safety and efficiency .

If you'd like to discuss how we can help you address your challenges, you can contact us here.

Image: AJ Vaccines.

Doing Our Bit To Help

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 18:00:04 GMT

It's four years ago today that then Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown as the first wave of the Coronavirus took hold. Within a year, the roll out of Coronavirus vaccine in the UK had started and was a staggering success.

The rollout was a brilliant testimony to the hard work and skill of everybody involved; the scientists and technicians at Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and their counterparts around the world, the hard working NHS and armed forces teams managing a huge logistical exercise of getting the jab into people’s arms, and the legion of wonderful volunteers, helping out from Land’s End to John O’Groats to support the mission.

The Prime Minister visited AstraZeneca at that time, and we were delighted to see that most of the media coverage featured this picture of him changing the agar plate on an ImpactAir-140.

As a business, we believe in doing our bit to help wherever we can. We’re exceptionally proud of the modest part we played in helping with vaccine development and manufacturing. All of the vaccine manufacturers had to develop and manufacture at speed. When you’re manufacturing injectables at speed, you need to be 100% confident that the manufacturing environment is as clean as it can be, and you need to know that your environmental monitoring is on top of its game. It’s humbling and also a source of great pride, that when that was the case, people turned to our products.

We were happy to see our ImpactAir products called into action to meet this challenge, and we are delighted that they continue to perform, delivering world class environmental monitoring wherever they are needed.

Find out more about the ImpactAir range here , or contact us here .

The one minute guide to active v passive monitoring

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 12:54:00 GMT

In all cleanrooms, measurement of the bioburden (viable bacteria, spores, and moulds) is essential to ensure air quality. Some cleanroom monitoring is described as passive monitoring, and some is described as active monitoring. So what’s the difference?

Passive Monitoring

In some locations, environmental monitoring consists of an agar plate which is left open on a surface in the laboratory or cleanroom to capture any falling microbes and give a sense of the quality of the air. This is passive monitoring, and in this case the plate is known as a settle plate.

Those bugs that stick to the agar on the plate during this process will form colonies, and provide an indication of the air quality in the laboratory.

Active Monitoring

Environmental monitoring which is carried out using an air sampling or air monitoring device is known as active monitoring. Air is drawn into the monitoring system and impacted onto the surface of an agar plate in a controlled way. The subsequent number of colony forming units (CFU) can be measured, and as the rate of air drawn into the system is also known, the number of CFUs per cubic metre can be established.

How do they compare?

Not well for fans of passive monitoring. Active monitoring appears to be anything from 20 to 40 times more efficient than passive monitoring.

Why might this be?

Good question. All cleanrooms have a laminar flow air system that creates a downward flow of air. Typically, the airflow is around 0.45m/s, which means that on a 9cm settle plate, around 175l of air is delivered every minute.

We’ve been researching how this affects passive monitoring. We are still working on it. So far, one theory could be that the effective d50 value for a settle plate in a cleanroom with a downflow as described might be as high as 88u. In which case the settle plate is effectively 50% efficient at collecting microbes of size 88u and above. In microbe world, 88u is huge, and so much of what we’d like to collect is missed.

In addition, the volume of air flowing over the settle plate may be having a dessicating and possibly fatal effect on the very organisms we are trying to capture and measure, leading to less accurate results.

Which to use?

Passive monitoring using settle plates is an option in very low grade environments where an indication of air quality is needed, but high accuracy or quantifiable measures are not needed. It is low cost and easier to do than active monitoring, but is a less accurate measure of air quality.

Active monitoring requires specialist equipment but provides a consistent quantifiable and more accurate measure of air quality. It is the preferred option for controlled environments and cleanrooms up to Grade A.

To find out more about CAMS best-in-class environmental monitoring products, contact us here .

Bioing

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 11:30:24 GMT

Bioing is our partner in the Czech Republic

Bioing is a European partner of CAMS. Bioing operates in the Czech and Slovak Republics, and allows us to provide in-country expertise in CAMS solutions to our customers in those territories.

Bioing offers solutions for environmental monitoring of clean-room areas and tools for sterility control, and this partnership will allow customers in the Czech and Slovak Republic to benefit from our collective experience and expertise.

Bioing can be contacted here:

Tel: +420 776 054 558

Email: info@bioing.cz

Website: c https://bioing.cz/

Congratulations and well done to the team at Bioing on being a CAMS partner. We love working with you!

Our Greatest Engineering Challenge?

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:41:30 GMT

The ISO-90-N PoE

We like to think we're level headed at Clean Air Monitoring solutions, but we did get excited when we had confirmation that the patent for the Power over Ethernet (PoE) version of the CAMS ISO-90 head had been granted.

The product – the ISO-90-N PoE - is the result of some brilliant work by our engineering team. This product simplifies the monitoring head setup, enables reduced infrastructure costs in RABS and isolators, and reduces risk in highly toxic environments.

The Engineering Challenge

A typical sampling head requires two cable connections. One is a cable to carry instructions and data to and from the head, and the other is the mains power supply. The engineering challenge for our team was to develop a version of the ISO-90 that would combine the sampling head and pump, whilst using very low power – low enough that the power could be delivered using PoE technology. This would mean that the device would only need one connection – the data cable.

Using PoE not only reduces the cost and simplifies the implementation (no need for power cables or local plug socket near the device), but also reduces the number of entry points needed into the RABS or isolator, thus reducing the risk of contamination.

PoE technology allows electric power to pass along with data on twisted-pair Ethernet cabling. This allows a single cable to provide both data connection and electrical power to devices where this would be useful. Typical such devices include wireless access points, CCTV cameras, and now, the Pinpoint Scientific ISO-90-N PoE!

The CAMS ISO-90-N PoE

We're delighted to say that the engineering team met the challenge and the CAMS ISO-90-N PoE is the result.

The CAMS ISO-90-N PoE takes all of the high performance and reliability of the ISO-90 range, and adds the convenience of PoE. This makes it ideal for bio-safety cabinets or isolators where the exhaust must be fed back into the same environment through an optional built-in HEPA filter.

This solution replaces the need for large power hungry vacuum pumps and heavy electrical switching. The ISO-90-N PoE simply ties into your PoE switch, making it easier to install and drawing less power when in use.

The CAMS ISO-90-N PoE is an ideal sampler-to-monitor upgrade option for existing isolators. If you have RABS or Isolator system that needs updating, especially if this is in response to the new demands of Annex1, this is simplest and most cost effective way to do it.

You can find out more about the ISO-90-N PoE here .

If you have any questions, we'd be happy to chat. You can contact us here .

Today's The Day: GMP Annex 1

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 09:09:33 GMT

New guidelines are effective from today.

From 25th August 2023, almost all of the guidelines in the latest revision of GMP Annex 1 become effective. If you're responsible for cleanroom environmental monitoring in your organisation, this is something you need to know. We've got you covered:

Haven't got time to read the guidelines in depth? Start here, with the six things you need to know about the new Annex 1 guidelines.

If you do want o see a copy of the guidelines in full, we've got you covered. You can download them here .

If you're looking to understand how to approach implementing the new guidelines in your organisation, then our how-to guide is here .

If you're looking to understand how changing your monitoring systems might save cost as well as ensuring Annex 1 compliance, then find out how one organisation reduced plate costs by over 90%. here .

Finally, if you have any questions around the new guidelines and what they might mean for your organisation, we would be happy to help. Contact us here.

Good luck!

Calling all Mattson Garvin, Biotrace, and Pinpoint Scientific Users.

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 17:39:42 GMT

Support, Servicing and Calibration now available.

As well as supporting our own range of products, at Clean Air Monitoring Solutions we offer support, servicing, and calibration on all Mattson-Garvin air samplers for UK and European customers.

Whether you are using a Mattson-Garvin instrument in a laboratory, on a production line, or in any other application, our servicing and calibration services can help to ensure that your instrument is performing to its full potential. We offer fast turnaround times and competitive pricing, so you can get your instrument back up and running quickly and affordably. Common models still in use include the Air Sampler 220, the Compressed Gas Sampler P-320, and the Compressed Gas Sampler 370.

We'd recommend calibration on an annual basis, so if you have Mattson-Garvin air samplers, and they haven't been calibrated recently, now is the time to act.

We also offer support and calibration on Biotrace air samplers; the ATEM and the ATCG, and on the full Pinpoint Scientific Range of ImpactAir and ISO-CON devices.

More about support, service, or calibration on Mattson-Garvin, Biotrace, and Pinpoint Scientific equipment here .

Meet QS Group

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 13:13:01 GMT

Clean Air Monitoring Solutions' Distribution Partner in Italy

Italy is the home of QS Group, who we are delighted to announce as the latest addition to our team of European partners.

QS Group is a full service provider for contamination control, with innovation at its core. Our partnership will deliver high levels of in-country expertise and experience to our customers in Italy.

QS Group can be contacted here:

Tel: +39 0362 1857411

Email: info@qsgroup.it

Website: http://www.qsgroup.it/

For more information about QS Group and all our other distributors around the globe, click here .

Congratulations and well done to the team at QS Group on becoming a CAMS partner. We look forward to working with you!

AB Scientific is the newest CAMS partner, covering the UK and Ireland.

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:58:11 GMT

Welcome AB Scientific to the Clean Air Monitoring Solutions team

AB Scientific is our new partner across the United Kingdom and Ireland. AB Scientific offers solutions for both clinical and industrial environments, and the CAMS product line will now form part of those solutions where appropriate.

AB Scientific supplies exclusive products from across the world from leading manufacturers to customers in the UK & Ireland. The company is all about quality; every product is carefully selected to achieve this goal. This partnership will allow our UK and Ireland customers to benefit from our collective experience and expertise.

AB Scientific can be contacted here:

Tel: +44 208 396 6171

Email: info@abscientific.com

Website: https://www.abscientific.com

Congratulations and well done to the team at AB Scientific on becoming a CAMS partner. We look forward to working with you!

Tower Bridge image by Chris Schippers via pixels.com.

AB Scientific announces investment in CAMS

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:37:53 GMT

Focus on cost-effective, world-class, Annex 1 compliant air monitoring systems.

AB Scientific is delighted to announce an investment in Clean Air Monitoring Solutions Ltd (CAMS). The AB Scientific owners are partnering with CAMS to accelerate the growth of the company and its ImpactAir and ISO-CON ranges of air monitoring systems. These systems provide world-class continuous air monitoring in cleanrooms, RABS, and isolators, and are fully Annex 1 compliant.

In addition to the investment, CAMS has announced AB Scientific as its UK and Ireland distributor for the whole range of products. AB Scientific will assist CAMS in building a world-wide distribution network for the product over the coming months.

The looming challenge for all cleanroom operators is compliance with the new GMP Annex 1 guidelines, which come into force on 25 ^th August 2023. For many organisations, their existing air sampling technology will not be compliant after this date, which may lead to fines or other sanctions. The CAMS solution is fully Annex 1 compliant across the range.

Gethin Jones, CEO and founder of CAMS said, “We’re really proud of our products; their quality and their technical excellence. However, this is really about helping our customers address the complex environmental monitoring challenges of the new Annex 1 standard.

We help our customers understand how Annex 1 will affect them, we help then plan how they will address it, and then we provide world-class products and services that help them to achieve and maintain compliance.

The evidence so far is that our customers not only achieve 100% compliance with Annex 1 in a cost-effective way , but often they see real cost savings after implementing our solutions.

We’re delighted to be working with AB Scientific. Our partnership will allow us both to help more customers, more quickly, as the demand grows.”

With less than a month to go until the deadline for Annex 1 compliance , and demand for the products growing quickly, the investment is well-timed.

Mark Algar of AB Scientific added, “Gethin and the team at CAMS have created the ultimate solution to viable particle air monitoring and we are excited to be a part of this project. CAMS has a proven continuous monitoring technology that is the answer to the Annex 1 challenges our customers and manufacturers world-wide currently face.

We are delighted and feel honoured to be able to support CAMS across the globe , and specifically to introduce their products to our customers here in the UK and Ireland.”

For more information on CAMS:
www.cleanairmonitoringsolutions.com

For mor e information on AB Scientific:
www.abscientific.com

For distribution enquiries please contact:
Export@cleanairmonitoringsolutions.com

For sales enquires please contact:
Sales@cleanairmonitoringsolutions.com

For enquires in the UK & Ireland please contact:
Info@abscientific.com

Labtech Analytical

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 12:20:17 GMT

CAMS distribution partner in India

Labtech Analytical is our distributor partner in India.

As part of our global growth plan, we are looking to partner with organisations who are able to provide in-country expertise to our customers where possible. Our partnership with the team at Labtech Analytical in India achieves this, and allows customers in India and neighbouring countries to benefit from our collective experience and expertise.

Labtech Analytical is a fast growing entity in the field of Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Food & Beverages markets. The company focuses on supplying high quality microbiology and analytical bespoke products supported by excellent customer service.

Labtech Analytical can be contacted here:

Tel: +91-7226065959

Email: info@labtechanalytical.com

Website: https:// labtechanalytical.com /

Congratulations and well done to the team at Labtech Analytical on being a CAMS distribution partner. We love working with you!

How To Implement GMP Annex 1

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 17:43:37 GMT

A step by step process to ensure compliance.

The latest revision of the GMP Annex 1 guidelines is now published, and for the most part compliance will be necessary by 25th August 2023. If you are working on how to implement the latest revision of GMP Annex 1 in your manufacturing operations, here are the steps you can take to get started.

Familiarize yourself with the guidelines in GMP Annex 1. The guidelines in GMP Annex 1 provide detailed guidance on the design and control of manufacturing processes for medicinal products. It is important to understand these guidelines and how they apply to your specific manufacturing operations. You can access the full guidelines document here , and access the Pinpoint Scientific Six Things You Need to Know About Annex 1 here .
Assess your current manufacturing processes and facilities. Once you have a good understanding of the guidelines in GMP Annex 1, you can assess your current manufacturing processes and facilities to determine how well they align with the guidelines. This will help you identify any areas where changes may be needed to ensure compliance with GMP Annex 1. We'd advise that you do this soon. Your assessment might reveal that you need to upgrade aspects of your operation. Given the compliance deadline, you may need to make allowances for your own organisation's procurement process, which we know in some cases is significant.
Develop a plan to implement the guidelines in GMP Annex 1. Based on your assessment of your current manufacturing processes and facilities, you can develop a plan to implement the guidelines in GMP Annex 1. This may involve making changes to your facilities, processes, and equipment, as well as implementing new quality control procedures and training your staff on the guidelines. Our expectation is that many organisations will need to upgrade their cleanroom environmental monitoring as part of continued Annex 1 compliance.
Implement the changes and monitor your progress. Once you have developed a plan to implement the guidelines in GMP Annex 1, you can begin implementing the changes in your manufacturing operations. It is important to give yourself enough time, monitor your progress, and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that you are able to comply with the guidelines by 25th August 2023.
Seek support and guidance as needed. Implementing GMP Annex 1 can be a complex and challenging process, and it is important to seek support and guidance as needed. At Clean Air Monitoring Solutions, we are happy to offer support and advice to any organisation addressing what to do about GMP Annex 1 compliance. Please contact us here , and we'd be happy to help with your Annex 1 challenges.

Overall, implementing GMP Annex 1 in your manufacturing operations will require a significant commitment of time and resources, but it can ultimately help to ensure the safety and quality of your medicinal products. By following the steps outlined above, you can develop a plan to implement the guidelines in the latest revision of GMP Annex 1 and take the necessary steps to ensure compliance.

Gethin Jones featured in Rapid Microbiology Podcast

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 17:02:06 GMT

Gethin Jones: What you need to know about continuous environmental monitoring

Pinpoint Scientific's Managing Director, Gethin Jones, featured in a podcast hosted by Rapid Microbiology on the subject of the latest thinking in continuous monitoring.

Gethin joined podcast host Paul Carlton, and Andy Whittard, the Managing Director of Cherwell Laboratories for the discussion.

On the podcast, the three discuss a number of topics, including:

The difference between air monitoring & air sampling
The importance of high collection efficiency
D50 - what it is and why it is important?
Continuous monitoring for viables in Annex I

The podcast is just under half an hour long and is well worth a listen . You can access it via the button below.

To discuss further any of the issues raised during the podcast or for more information, please contact us , and we'd be happy to chat.

Achema 2022, Frankfurt

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:17:50 GMT

Find out what alarmed us...

We had a great time at Achema 22 in Frankfurt, working with our friends at Airex to show ImpactAir and ISO-90 environmental monitoring technology .

Achema ‘22 was an excellent event. We talked ourselves hoarse answering questions about the product range – ImpactAir and ISO-90 – from visitors from all over Europe, and it was great to be at a face-to-face event again after the disruption of Covid. It was fun to catch up with friends old and new, and we were humbled by some of our distribution colleagues travelling from all over the world to meet with us at the show.

We heard that foot traffic is down from the last time the show ran in-person, which was pre-covid. However, Achema is still a huge event, “as big as Cardiff!” in the words of one of our team. The size of the show allows big pieces to be displayed, such as full isolators. This is an impressive show.

So, what was it that alarmed us?

We spoke to many of our fellow exhibitors, and especially a number of RABS and isolator builders. What has alarmed us is that we feel far too many of them do not have enough of a sense of urgency about Annex1 . During the early part of the show, we even heard the view expressed that, “we'll see what happens; it’s been going on so long now that it might never happen, etc”.

Well, it did happen, and sooner than anybody thought. The GMP caught the whole industry on the hop by publishing the Annex 1 guidelines on the Thursday of the show, 25th August 2022, with implementation of almost all of them needed by 25th August 2023.

So, now the word is out and the clock is ticking. We have a deadline. We have a monitoring standard that in practice will only be achieved by active monitoring. For many companies, this will mean switching out existing sampling technology for active monitoring technology. In many cases, internal validation processes will take many months, and so the time to act is now.

We know from other conversations that there are people who believe that they’ll be able to address the continuous monitoring needs of Annex 1 by using settle plates. We’re really clear; although Annex 1 does not preclude the use of settle plates, in practice they have nowhere near the performance needed for Annex 1 compliant monitoring in a Grade A environment.

So what do we conclude after Achema 22?

Achema is a great show to attend if it’s relevant to your work. Full of innovation, and the opportunity to talk with others from all over Europe.
If your role involves any kind of responsibility for Grade A cleanroom environments, please educate yourself about Annex 1 and the associated changes coming next year. Start here .
We believe that we produce the best slit-to-agar monitoring systems in the world. If you’re serious about your cleanroom environmental monitoring, or if you’re not sure what to do, please talk to us .

The one minute guide to d50 and why it is important.

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 16:29:04 GMT

The term d50 is used in air monitoring and air sampling circles to describe the physical efficiency of the air monitoring or air sampling equipment. It measures the physical efficiency of the air sampler or air monitor in terms of its ability to collect particles. So, why does this matter?

Physical Efficiency

D50 is the minimum diameter of the particle at which a sampler or monitor is 50% efficient. Consequently, we tend to use d50 as a measure of the smallest particle that can be collected reliably. If a device reports a d50 of one micron, this means that it will reliably collect at least 50% of all particles of one micron in size or above. It will likely capture smaller particles as well, but for particles of at least one micron in size, the figure is 50%.

The GMP Annex 1 standard refers to having a sampler capable of efficiently detecting particles down to one micron in Grade A environments. We can interpret that as meaning a d50 of one; it's 50% efficient at capturing particles of one micron in size.

However, the d50 value is only part of the story. It only refers to the physical efficiency. We need to consider the biological efficiency in terms of keeping the organisms alive as well.

Biological Efficiency

The biological efficiency is important because the standard has changed. The standard used to say that for a grade A clean room, there had to be less than one colony forming unit per cubic meter. Less than one implies zero; in a cubic metre of air, there’s either at least one colony forming unit, or there isn’t. However, some people were interpreting the standard as, “if I sample 12 cubic metres, and I get 11 colonies, then on average, that's less than one.”

That wasn’t the intention of the standard, because if you’ve got eleven colonies in twelve cubic metres of air in a grade A environment, you’ve got a big problem! So, the wording now says you have to have zero growth that and that puts even more emphasis on having the best biological efficiency you can to make sure your instrument is capable of detecting down to the right level.

Summary

In summary, the d50 specification is about getting the live particles onto the agar, and the biological efficiency is increasingly important because they've just changed the standard to zero growth.

The ISO-CON and ImpactAir ranges have a d50 of 0.45 microns. This is the best d50 performance of any air monitoring system on the market today, and ISO-CON and ImpactAir devices are in use today in Grade A environments all over the world.

To find out more about the ISO-CON and ImpactAir ranges, check out our pages on the products and the technology .

To talk to us about your cleanroom challenges, please contact us .