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UCC MicroCreds courses

Process Optimisation in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PE6016)

Course Fact File
CodePE6016
Duration12 weeks
Teaching ModePart-Time. See Additional Teaching Mode Information for more info.
NFQ LevelLevel 9
Fees€1,000 - HCI Subsidy Initiative See Fees and Costs for full details.
Closing Date26/08/2024
Venue

Blended delivery.

Credits5
Start DateProposed Date: 09/09/2024

Outline

Module Goal

To enable students to use simple tools to apply the Taguchi method and other optimisation approaches used in Quality by Design and 6-sigma for process improvement and optimisation.

Module Content

Optimisation in pharmaceutical manufacturing: Quality by Design (QbD), its origin in the Taguchi method and the minimisation of variability and non-conformity losses. The systems engineering approach. One-way Analysis of Variance (including application in surveys and clinical trials). Factorial ANoVAs, concept of interactive effects and confoundings. Design of Experiments applied to process assessment and analysis of robustness. Taguchi methods with orthogonal arrays. ANoVA, marginal means addition, and use of signal-to-noise ratio to minimise variability. Model fitting and the role of modelling and Response Surface Analysis in unconfounding effects

Additional Teaching Mode Information

  • 1 x 4hr(s) lectures
  • 1 x 8hr(s) tutorials
  • 1 x 12hr(s) problem-based learning
DateTimeLocation
Saturday 21st of September 9am - 1pm Online
Saturday 19th of October 9am - 4pm Electrical Engineering Lecture Theatre 2

Practicalities

Continuous Assessment - 100 marks

  • Assignment - Individual assignment to carry out a survey to gather data, using ANOVA tools to extract conclusions - 50 marks.
  • In-class test - computer-based - 50 marks.

Why Choose

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

  1. Apply a systems engineering approach to data analytics.

  2. Apply a quantitative approach to process assessment and optimisation providing predictive functional relations based on Analysis of Variance and Taguchi approach.

  3. Discuss the implications of the main limitations of the Taguchi method arising from confoundings.

  4. Choose appropriate DoE, demonstrating understanding of the compromises, advantages and limitations of the different options

  5. Fit mathematical models to data, obtain response surfaces and draw Pareto charts.

Requirements

The micro-credential offers graduates working in the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry as well as students and professionals with basic engineering backgrounds/experience the opportunity to further develop their skill set and employability across a wider range of roles in the industry through enhanced continuing professional development.

Fees and Costs

The HCI Pillar 3 Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy has been introduced to enable more learners to address critical skills gaps and engage with lifelong learning.

The fee for this micro-credential is €1,000 but applicants who meet the subsidy requirements can attend this micro-credential for €500.

Check your eligibility on the HEA Website

How To Apply

Please select the following options during your online application (once you have created your profile)

 

Start a new Micro-credentials application by selecting as below

Application choice guide

In the application level tab select the options below and then select the programme/module you'd like to apply for

 

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