Process development
Process engineers work on process development, used interchangeably with process design. Together process design and development describe the creation and improvement of methods of production in various engineering fields including biotech, computer, chemical, mechanical, etc.
Process Development Group
The Process Development Group originated as a division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, a national organization that shares and distributes information about chemical engineering, during the 1990s. The Process Development Group works to promote the sharing of process development ideas. They do this with multiple divisions:
- Process Research and Innovation-learn about working processes and distribute info to AIChE members.
- Pilot Plants-gain information about the improvement of scaling up research projects.
- Technology Transfer-generate ideas on cost effective and speedy commercialization of products.
- Manufacturing-expand in ideas of manufacturing technology while helping AIChE members who work in manufacturing.
- Micro process Engineering-connect the field of process engineering and synthetic chemistry, move from the present device and micro-flow operation level to process development and chemical production
- Process Intensification
- Product Design
Medicine
Vaccinations
Development of vaccines and inoculations has been an ongoing project as viruses mutate. Examples of vaccines for diseases include:
Drugs Development Process
Drugs take a long time to be produced and approved before being widely distributed to the public. The time spent in developing safe drugs reduces danger to consumers.
- Drug Discovery
- Screening
- Pre-Clinical Testing
- IND Application
- Phase I Clinical Trials
- Phase II Clinical Trials
- Phase III Clinical Trials
- New Drug Application (NDA) / Biologics License Application (BLA)
- Phase IV and Beyond
Administering
Chemical Engineers and Biochemical Engineers have worked on various methods of administering medications besides needle injection. Such development led to the birth control pill and more recently the patch.
Computers
Particularily, in the computer industry, where upgrades are constantly being made, is it important to have a good process development team. Producing the best methods and best materials is the only way to stay competitive in the fast moving field.[6]Semiconductors are certain compounds and elements that conduct electricity under certain conditions and don't conduct under others. The type of semiconductors used in different projects are always changing and improving based on industry standards. In addition to the development of good materials, engineers also find processes to decrease the size of microprocessors and transistors, maximizing memory and performance.[7]
Process Innovation versus Learning by Doing
These are two opposite styles of thought for the way to go about process development. Process innovation has high risk but when successful gives a higher reward. This is because process innovation is finding a great system on the first try instead of working up to the great system from poor and decent systems. With learning by doing there is more time spent and thus time wasted but the cost is much lower.[8]
References
- ^ "Process Development Division." Oct. 23, 2007.http://www.pd-aiche.com/structure.html (accessed Oct. 12,2007).
- ^ Byrne, Michael P., and Leonard A. Smith. "Development of vaccines for prevention of botulism," Biochimie 82, 9-10 (2000): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VRJ-431B1CT-K&_user=112642&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=112642&md5=f8f913072b34050f2ac5eb0581cf3e5b (accessed Oct. 12, 2008).
- ^ Hillier, Collette J., and Lisa A. Ware, Arnoldo Barbosa, Evelina Angov, Jeffrey A. Lyon, D. Gray Heppner, and David E. Lanar. "Process Development and Analysis of Liver-Stage Antigen 1, a Preerythrocyte-Stage Protein-Based Vaccine for Plasmodium falciparum," INFECTION AND IMMUNITY 73, 4 (2005): 2109–2115. http://iai.asm.org/cgi/reprint/73/4/2109 (accessed Oct. 12, 2008).
- ^ Bergquist, Robert, and Dan G.. "Schistosomiasis Vaccines: Research to Development," Parasitology Today 14, 3 (1998): 99-104. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TB8-3SBP4XT-5&_user=112642&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=112642&md5=2d08af68af2081f5b8761fcfad424b5d (accessed October 12, 2008).
- ^ Anderson, AddieD., and Dan G.. "Drug Development Process," http://www.ispe.org/galleries/campusconnection-files/DrugDevelopmentProcess.pdf (accessed October 12, 2008).
- ^ Gronowski, Paul E., and William J. Bowhill, Ronald P. Preston, Michael K. Gowan, Randy L. Allmon. "High-Performance Microprocessor Design," IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS 35, 5 (1998): 676-686. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=668981 (accessed October 12, 2008).
- ^ Charles, Weber "Yield Learning and the Sources of Profitability in Semiconductor Manufacturing and Process Development," IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING 17, 4 (2004): 590-596. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=1353315&isnumber=29734 (accessed October 12, 2008).
- ^ Hatch, Nile W., and David C. Mowery. "Process Innovation and Learning by Doing in Semiconductor Manufacturing," Management Science 44, 11 (1998): 1461 - 1477. http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=305455 (accessed October 12, 2008).