Date: November 12, 2026 | Category: Headline News, News
Belgian research and development organisation Certech works with companies across the chemical and biochemical industries to develop safer, more efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes. Its research includes product and process development, reaction intensification and the evaluation of novel catalytic and biocatalytic processes, with applications in sustainable chemical manufacturing, decarbonisation and energy.
Translating laboratory research into industrial applications requires reliable experimental data and a detailed understanding of how operating conditions influence process performance. As research environments become increasingly automated, connecting equipment and analytical technologies from different manufacturers is an important consideration.
To support its wider digitalisation strategy, Certech has installed Vapourtec’s R-Series OPC UA server software, enabling its existing continuous flow chemistry platform to exchange process data with other laboratory systems.
Connecting flow chemistry with the wider laboratory
Certech uses the Vapourtec R-Series for reaction intensification, process development and investigations involving catalytic and biocatalytic reactions. These activities require researchers to evaluate experimental conditions, monitor process behaviour and identify suitable operating parameters.
However, laboratory instruments often operate using different communication protocols and software platforms, making it difficult to integrate experimental data and coordinate equipment.
Vapourtec’s OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) interface addresses this challenge by providing a standardised communication framework that supports interoperability between equipment from different suppliers.
The integration enables real-time monitoring, data acquisition and exchange of R-Series process parameters with other connected laboratory systems. This provides Certech with opportunities for centralised data management and more coordinated experimental workflows, reducing the need to manage process information across separate software environments.
Supporting automated experimentation and process optimization
Beyond improving connectivity, the OPC UA integration establishes the infrastructure for more advanced approaches to process development.
Access to real-time process data across connected equipment can support automated experimentation and advanced process control, allowing researchers to investigate reaction conditions more systematically.
This is particularly relevant to Certech’s work in reaction intensification, where understanding the relationship between operating parameters and process performance is essential for developing efficient and reproducible processes.
Looking ahead, the integration also provides a foundation for future developments involving digital twins and AI-assisted process discovery and optimization. These technologies could help researchers use experimental data to predict process behaviour, identify promising operating conditions and accelerate the transition from laboratory development to industrial implementation.
The installation marks a further step in Certech’s laboratory digitalisation strategy and reflects Vapourtec’s continued investment in software development and open communication interfaces. By enabling flow chemistry systems to integrate with wider laboratory automation platforms, Vapourtec is supporting researchers as they move towards increasingly connected and data-driven approaches to chemical process development.
