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Application · Multisensor

QB Multisensor

Software-defined, multi-vendor sensing for liquid processes — standalone or as an add-on to any bioreactor, CIP skid or QC workflow.

Multi-vendor sensingPlug-and-play PoESoftware-definedPAT analytics
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QB Multisensor module

The QB Multisensor is a modular platform for inline monitoring of process parameters from digital sensors. It reads probes from multiple vendors through a single solution and — because it is software-defined — every physical port is decoupled from the physical layer and represented as a data object that can be configured, assigned and reassigned entirely in QB Control.

That decoupling is what makes the platform flexible. One QB Multisensor can serve several probes to one system or to several at once — a bioreactor, a CIP skid, a QC bench — and multiple units can be pooled. Reassigning which probe belongs to which process is done in software, not by rewiring. Probes connect plug-and-play, and calibration can run inside QB Control's Calibration module.

Deploy it as a standalone monitoring system, bolt it onto a bioreactor or autosampler from QB Systems or any other vendor, or wire it into your LIMS/ELN stack for QC-lab workflows. Probe investments stay portable, integrations stay simple, and new measurements go live in minutes or hours — not days. No annual software license fees.

The sensor integration problem

Where multi-parameter monitoring loses weeks.

The sensor ecosystem is fragmented — every vendor brings its own connectors, transmitters, calibration routines and data formats. The result is a patchwork that resists change.

The problem What the QB Multisensor does
Every vendor is a separate hardware island Reads Hamilton, Mettler-Toledo, QB and other digital probes through one platform
Integrating a handful of sensors takes days of wiring, addressing and bridging Plug-and-play PoE connectivity with auto-discovery — new probes online in minutes to hours
Reassigning a probe to another process means physical rework Ports are data objects; reassignment happens in software
Proprietary transmitters and buses create vendor lock-in Open, mixed-vendor probe support keeps your sensor library an asset
Calibration typically tied to external vendor software QB Control's Calibration module can also calibrate natively — depending on the probe and method (vendor software still recommended)
Feeding data to control systems needs custom middleware Native OPC-UA, MQTT and Modbus TCP; direct LIMS/ELN integration

Advantages

Six things that set it apart.

Where it stands apart

  • Mixed-vendor probes on one platform
  • Native Power-over-Ethernet with auto-discovery
  • Six sensors in a single module
  • Software-defined port assignment — reassign in software, not wiring
  • Native OPC-UA + MQTT, perpetual license

QB Systems does not compete on the probes themselves — it works with the probes you already trust and changes how they are deployed.

Ways to deploy

Three ways to deploy.

The right one depends on what you already own and how you want the data to flow.

QC-lab & data-stack integration: beyond process control, the Multisensor integrates with LIMS and ELN through standard protocols (OPC-UA, API), enabling QC-lab workflows with audit trails, logs and client-defined measurement procedures.
In short: standalone beside existing equipment; a native add-on on QB Systems systems; for any other vendor, integrated over OPC-UA — with process values exposed back to the host — where the controller allows it, or fully independent under QB Control where it does not.

System architecture

Software-defined ports, one set of hardware.

Core modules

Module Role
QB Multisensor (MTS-001) Multi-parameter acquisition module. Up to 6 sensor channels, native PoE power, auto-discovery, compact enclosure (310 × 115 × 115 mm, 2.0 kg, IP40/CE).
QB Edge (EDG-001) PoE gateway and control hub. 7 PoE ports (power + data per sensor), 48 V / 220 W supply, auto-discovery, native OPC-UA / Modbus TCP, MQTT bridge, local logging, Ethernet uplink to QB Control.
QB Control Software for acquisition, visualization, alarms, calibration, recipes and reporting. Live trends, P&ID builder with sensor overlays, OPC-UA server, MQTT publisher, Modbus gateway, data export. Perpetual license.

Optional actuator modules (closed-loop control)

Module Role
QB Pump Peristaltic pump controller for acid/base or feed addition (3-roller and 4-roller variants).
QB Gas Flow Mass-flow-controller interface for O₂/CO₂ addition and aeration.
QB Thermo PID temperature-control module for heating/cooling jackets.
QB Pressure Sensor Vessel headspace / inline pressure monitoring.

Software-defined port model

Every physical sensor port is abstracted into a data object in QB Control. Assigning a probe to a process — or reassigning it, such as switching a vessel from fermentation to cell culture — is a configuration change, not a wiring change. This is what lets one Multisensor serve several systems, many units be pooled, and probes move between processes in software.

Supported probes & calibration

Invest in probes, not ecosystems.

Vendor / type Parameters
Hamilton (ARC) Dissolved oxygen (VisiFerm), pH (EasyFerm), conductivity (Conducell), cell density (Incyte/Dencytee), CO₂ (CO₂NTROL), ORP/redox, capacitance
Mettler-Toledo (InPro / ISM) Dissolved oxygen (amperometric + optical), pH/ORP, CO₂, conductivity
Levitronix / Sonotec Inline flow meters — Levitronix mag-lev (ranges to 160 L/min) and Sonotec ultrasonic
QB Systems Foam sensor (proprietary, patent pending)
Analog temperature PT100 / PT1000 via QB Systems converter

Calibration is integrated into QB Control's Calibration module. The probe vendor's software is recommended, but the platform can also perform calibration itself — depending on the probe and the calibration method. Probes connect plug-and-play with auto-discovery.

Control loops & PAT

Close the loop, right in QB Control.

Paired with QB actuator modules, the Multisensor closes control loops directly:

  • Dissolved oxygen

    DO probe drives QB Gas Flow (aeration / O₂) to hold setpoint.

  • pH

    pH probe drives QB Pump (acid/base) and, optionally, QB Gas Flow (CO₂).

  • CO₂

    CO₂ probe drives QB Gas Flow sparging.

  • Temperature

    PT100 drives QB Thermo heating/cooling.

Native process-analytical calculations run on the platform without an external engine — oxygen uptake rate (OUR), carbon evolution rate (CER), respiratory quotient (RQ) and specific growth rate (μ) — streamed live to dashboards and available over OPC-UA and MQTT.

Technical specifications

At a glance.

Sensor channels Up to 6 per QB Multisensor module; pool multiple modules for more
Supported probes Hamilton (ARC), Mettler-Toledo, Levitronix and Sonotec flow meters, QB foam sensor, PT100/PT1000 via QB converter
Connectivity Power-over-Ethernet (48 V DC), RJ45, auto-discovery, plug-and-play
Communication Native OPC-UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP; REST API
Data-stack integration LIMS / ELN / MES via OPC-UA and API
Calibration Integrated in QB Control (vendor software recommended; native calibration depending on probe and method)
PAT analytics OUR, CER, RQ, growth rate (μ) — calculated natively
Control software QB Control (real-time trends, P&ID builder, alarms, recipes, export)
Module enclosure 310 × 115 × 115 mm, 2.0 kg, IP40, CE
Power 48 V DC PoE; 12 W idle / 35 W active
Operating conditions 4–40 °C, 15–85 % RH non-condensing
Compliance Audit trail, logs and data integrity via QB Control; QC workflows via LIMS/ELN
Licensing Perpetual QB Control license — no annual software fees

Note on electronic signatures: QB Control provides audit trails, logging and data integrity, but does not currently support electronic signatures. Where e-signature workflows are required — for example in regulated QC — they are handled through the customer's LIMS or quality management system.

Applications

One platform, many jobs.

  • Revamp control on legacy bioreactors

    Bring pH and temperature monitoring — or full pH control — to a fleet of legacy vessels (e.g. six vessels, each with pH and temperature probes) without replacing the existing controllers.

  • Add a parameter to an existing process

    Add temperature sensing to a chemical-synthesis reactor, or a conductivity probe to a CIP skid so the sequence can be confirmed from live conductance readings.

  • Foam detection as an add-on

    Extend an existing bioreactor with QB foam detection, controlled from QB Control or handed back to the existing control software over OPC-UA.

  • Mixed-vendor, single process

    Run Hamilton pH and DO probes alongside a Mettler-Toledo CO₂ probe on the same process, through one platform.

  • Dynamic probe reassignment

    Switch a bioreactor between fermentation and cell culture by reassigning pH, DO, temperature, CO₂ and redox probes in software — no re-cabling between campaigns.

  • QC-lab & multi-vessel monitoring

    Feed a LIMS/ELN stack with audit-trailed measurements for QC workflows, or run one QB Control instance across parallel bioreactors for cross-vessel comparison.

Frequently asked questions

What does the QB Multisensor actually do?

It provides inline monitoring of liquid-process parameters from digital sensors, reading probes from multiple vendors through one software-defined platform. Ports are represented as data objects in QB Control, so probes can be configured, assigned and reassigned to processes without rewiring.

Which probes and sensors are supported?

Digital probes including Hamilton ARC sensors (pH, DO, conductivity, capacitance, redox and more) and Mettler-Toledo probes, Levitronix and Sonotec flow meters, the QB foam sensor (proprietary, patent pending), and analog PT100/PT1000 temperature sensors through a QB converter.

Can I mix probes from different vendors on the same process?

Yes. That is a core purpose of the platform — for example Hamilton pH and DO probes together with a Mettler-Toledo CO₂ probe on one process, with no complex integration.

How does it connect to my existing control system?

As a standalone system beside your equipment, or as an add-on. If your controller supports OPC-UA, the Multisensor integrates with it and QB Control can expose the measured values back to your control software. If it does not, the Multisensor runs independently. LIMS/ELN/MES integration is available over OPC-UA and API.

Do I need separate calibration software?

The probe vendor's calibration software is recommended, but not strictly necessary — QB Control's Calibration module can perform calibration itself, depending on the probe and the calibration method.

How many sensors can one unit handle, and does it scale?

Each QB Multisensor module supports up to 6 sensor channels. The platform scales by pooling multiple modules and assigning their probes to one or many systems in software, with parallel processing supported.

Does it support 21 CFR Part 11 / electronic signatures?

QB Control provides audit trails, logging and data integrity. Electronic signatures are not currently supported and are handled through the customer's LIMS or quality management system for regulated QC workflows.

See the QB Multisensor with your own probes.

Request a live demonstration, discuss a standalone or add-on deployment, or get a configuration matched to your systems and sensor library.

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