< PreviousFLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL 20 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net © stock.adobe.com/279photo Accurate, measured flow Accurate, measured fl ow 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:01 Page 1Pharma Business International 21 www.pbiforum.net FLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL F low measurement is critical right across the pharmaceutical supply chain, fulfilling applications from aeration of pharma and measuring ingredient quantities, pressure during spray coating of pills and precise measurements of gasses or liquids. As with any other equipment that comes into contact with pharma products, it’s important to consider how flow meters can affect precision. For such products, it is strongly advised to use non-metallic wetted components which won’t risk contamination of pharma products, as subpar meters potentially render a product unfit for human consumption. Avoiding such outcomes can be significantly diminished by selecting flow meters made with anti-corrosion and anti- rust materials as standard. Typically, meters are made from a shell of stainless steel with movement parts incorporating special pharma grade materials with optimised design. Whatever the application, the importance of health and safety can’t be overstated and so to avoid contamination, inline devices must be hermetically sealed. Moving parts, meanwhile, must be structurally sound and clean of lubricants. Moreover, meters should be easy to clean when pipes are flushed between batches. Of course, clamp on meters preclude many of these issues by attaching to the outside of the pipe rather than being attached to or inserted inside, but often this comes with a decrease in accuracy. Ensuring products aren’t tainted remains as crucial during manufacturing as later down the supply chain, with flow meters indispensable during bottling and filling of pharma containers, delivering the exact amount of product every time. A product that is even marginally under or over the weight specified on its label is enough to prompt a recall which can be costly even under the best of circumstances. Never mind the potential reputational damage. There are many different flow meters on the market designed to meet specific industry needs, so finding the right one is critical if not always easy. Therefore, it’s important to understand the advantages and drawbacks of each type so it can meet a manufacturer’s specific requirements. One of the most commonly used flow meters are electromagnetic. These volumetric meters contain no moving parts and are ideally suited where low pressure drop and low maintenance are required. They work by using Faraday’s Law which states that voltage induced across any conductor as it 22 Á There’s a myriad of flow meters available to pharma manufacturers depending on the product and requirement. As well as exploring these options, we break down the advantages and disadvantages and some of the challenges to overcome. 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:01 Page 2FLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL 22 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net moves at right angles through a magnetic field is proportional to the velocity of that conductor. It’s worth pointing out that these meters only work for liquids and slurries that conduct electricity. Electromagnetic meters have been used in various industries for more than sixty years and it’s easy to see why they remain a mainstay, especially in the processing of wastewater and for various applications in pharma production. The measuring principle is virtually independent of pressure, density, temperature, and viscosity, providing a simple and efficient solution. Part of its popularity is down to its versatility, as it can meter liquids as well as those with entrained solids such as slurry and pulp in other non-pharma industries like the food and drink sector. Ranging from basic applications to high demand, there’s an electromagnetic flow meter suited from small batch producers to major manufacturers with multiple production lines. And with no moving parts, they’re also maintenance free, reducing downtime. It will still need to be cleaned to reduce the risk of contaminating through product, however. Ultrasonic flow meters offer a non- invasive solution which come in two types – transit time and doppler. Whichever is required, both feature clamp on designs that can detect in-situ flow rates from outside of the pipework without needing to interrupt flow or process. As they can be easily integrated into a product line there’s no downtime or disruption, making them a popular choice among manufacturers. There are, of course, inline ultrasonic meters which are fixed in place and incorporated into the production line. These will need to be installed and require a larger investment, but the bonus is that they offer greater 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:01 Page 3Pharma Business International 23 www.pbiforum.net FLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL accuracy. These meters work by using soundwaves to determine velocity of a fluid in a pipe offering a high degree of accuracy all round as well as being able to handle extreme temperatures. But they do have several drawbacks, namely the high price tag. Because of the way in which these meters function, they are sensitive to stray process vibrations which can result in inaccuracies in the reading. As they use ultrasonic waves, they are limited to what they can meter as materials such as slurries are denser than liquids and so ultrasonic waves cannot easily pass through them or, in some cases, cannot pass through at all. This may not be a problem for manufacturers dealing with liquid medicine or gelatinous pills, but not every line will be the same. Whereas electromagnetic flow meters are ideally suited to low flow, turbine meters are purposefully designed for higher flow metering. They contain bladed rotors positioned along the centreline of the flow stream. The rotating component produces a pulse when passing either a magnetic or optical sensor, a frequency that is proportional to velocity of fluid. The biggest advantage here is the high degree of accuracy, the millisecond response time and, as already stated, the high pressure capabilities. But moving parts can become worn and clogged requiring maintenance, repairs or even replacements. Flow meters are vital in the pharma industry, performing a myriad of applications. Finding the right one for the task is therefore a must. Fortunately, there are expert suppliers out there enabling you to make informed and savvy purchases. © stock.adobe.com/copterandmom 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:01 Page 4WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION 24 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net A more resilient system Lean, efficient, resilient. With the pandemic behind us and a fuel crisis currently being experienced, perhaps “resilience” will become a more important feature than efficiency for warehousing and distribution. 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 1Pharma Business International 25 www.pbiforum.net WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION © stock.adobe.com/TAW4 E fficiency and cost-reduction has traditionally been the most important factor in running a warehouse or distribution centre. The balance between minimising costs and maximising throughput, isolating and identifying factors that cause delays or problems becomes increasingly important. Now, however, maintaining levels of hygiene and social distancing have become the latest standard after the pandemic, and while that has finally come and gone, fresh pressure from rising fuel prices, inflation and a lack of staffing has led to a whole new raft of issues. Given the new and unpredictable world we live in, perhaps it’s time to spend less time worrying about how to squeeze the most out of your warehouse, but more on how to keep it running no matter what hits. Resilience, more than efficiency, may be the industry’s latest keyword. It might come across as though these outward pressures are being touted as beneficial for the industry, and they’re really not. Adaptation rarely comes willingly, or happily, but the optimisations that will result from them can serve the sector well, and the lessons learned should not be forgotten. The largest of which now is inflation surrounding workforces, with low unemployment and wages combining to make warehouse workers in high demand. For those companies who cannot afford to offer exceptionally attractive packages to maintain and attract staff – and this approach isn’t very sustainable long-term anyway – the alternative is to look at ways to minimise the reliance on staff. We’ve long since touted the benefits of automation here, and the recent lockdown may be offering yet one more reason to look for automated centres for the future – especially if more pandemics may come in the next ten, twenty or thirty years. It’s worth noting that automated warehouses don’t truly attempt to live in a 26 Á 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 2WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION 26 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net world where humans don’t exist. There is likely to be a team monitoring an automated warehouse from another location, ensuring that everything runs efficiently and running the warehouse. Even then, however, it would be a much smaller team, enabling social distancing and more space between employees, and even allowing the possibility of several key members of staff to work remotely and cover several warehouses. By cutting out manpower there is less risk for accidents or mistakes. While `to err may be human` is all well and good, it’s not something that will placate major customers who haven’t received their shipment on time, or who now have lost or damaged stock. Automated systems reduce the chance of human error. Of course they do not completely remove the potential for accidents, such as a wooden pallet splintering – a fully automated system also cannot be injured by the resultant mess. Space is another benefit to an automated system. Walkways and mezzanine floors can be unnecessary if a distribution centre is set out properly. Aisles could theoretically be removed entirely if a warehouse was to use roof- mounted shuttles or cranes to move goods about. But even if a company preferred to use remote-operated forklifts, there would be less requirements in terms of the width of aisle – a remote forklift unit of course not needing to be as wide as a normal one, due to its lack of a driver cabin. Software, specifically Supply Chain Management Software, can also help in this regard, especially with accurate summation of stock incoming and outgoing, but also where it is stored and what employees will be available at the time that it is required to be shifted. Any delays at the distribution part of the supply chain, especially if caused by not having the correct SCM in place can be catastrophic, as it is distribution centres which commonly deal directly with the final client – introducing that age-old risk of failing to satisfy and thus losing a key contract. So, what is holding companies back? Costs remain an important factor, with a fully automated warehouse system requiring not only specialist machinery and software, but also a lot of planning and preparation. For existing warehouses, it might mean alteration, or 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 3Pharma Business International 27 www.pbiforum.net WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION © stock.adobe.com/benjaminnolte removal of all existing systems, which would lead to a lot of wastage. While for new builds, there is already such high investment being utilised for distribution centres that adding another facet to the mix in what is already a tough economic climate, simply isn’t desirable. Return on investment tends to be a little slower with fully automated systems, despite high labour costs. Naturally, all this is compounded thanks to the uncertainty of factors like the war in Ukraine, inflation and the cost of living. It might be easier to design a fully automated warehouse from the ground up, but that only adds to the costs. The answer might be better served as a combination of the two – of identifying one, singular aspect of an existing distribution chain and trying to automate that but nothing else. This piecemeal approach, though slow, will give a company gradual experience in making the change, and will insure them against larger problems if a minor fault does occur. On top of that there are also concerns about the flexibility of automated systems vs their more standard counterparts. When creating a new warehouse there is always the possibility that sales fall, or the space is not fully utilised in some way. In the event that a warehouse suddenly finds itself only operating at 50% capacity for instance, it is a relatively simple affair to move the racking around, designate the space to a different sector, rent out the space – or even just cut down on the size of the workforce to save costs. With a fully automated system this just isn’t quite so simple. Excess equipment could be sold for some quick capital, but that just leaves the warehouse unable to pick back up if sales increase, while leaving half of the warehouse inoperable will only result in marginal savings in terms of energy costs. Automated systems that are locked in place are not as easy to move around as workers, and even if a company was able to rent the space out to another – software systems and operating procedures would need to be adapted to the new products, causing further confusion. Ultimately, many companies are forced to adapt some kind of balance, reaping the benefits of automated systems where they can, while also keeping a certain degree of manual labour in place to work around it. 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 4CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE 28 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net P lanned maintenance checks have been the norm for many years, but while they do allow for companies to continue operating without interference, they’re by no means the most efficient method of catching problems before they occur. And as factory lines become ever more automated and ever more mechanised, the problems associated with poor maintenance continue to stack. Automation gives manufacturers of pharma products the ability to carry out complicated tasks quickly and easily. However, it also brings with it the possibility of excessive downtime when breakdowns and accidents occur – interruptions which many companies can ill-afford. Considering how many businesses are looking to recover and perhaps expand after the pandemic, accidents – be they of workers or hygiene related – could well strike the death knell for a manufacturer. It may be an unfortunate truth, but companies that carry out maintenance checks on a planned and routine basis are often left at the mercy of their machinery, unable to predict or react in time to any problems that occur. To stay ahead of the game, manufacturers need to implement constant on-the-spot inspections. Of course, proper cleaning of those same machines also helps to reduce build-up of material that may lead to issues or damage later down the line. Investing up-front in some of the more sophisticated technologies on the market could pay dividends in the long run. For example, Electrical Panel Thermography can be used to identify even the most imperceptible flaws in a piece of manufacturing equipment. By measuring On the spot inspection Tighter working conditions and more consumer attention on pharma companies than ever before have left little room for mistakes. Is it time to take a closer look at how we clean and maintain factory equipment? 31 Á 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 1Pharma Business International 29 www.pbiforum.net CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE © stock.adobe.com/Ivan Traimak 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/06/2022 15:03 Page 2Next >