< PreviousDEPOSITORS AND FILLING 20 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net Old problem, new solutions Pharma Business International 21 www.pbiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING Managing and controlling that flow is paramount to ensuring consistent flow and consistent filling of any pharma product. M ost filling machines utilise a hopper positioned overhead which uses the power of gravity to maintain flow. When the product is too viscous to flow freely from a hopper, agitation is required to start and maintain product flow. Hoppers can also be fitted with level sensors that trigger automatic replenishment and allow for uninterrupted throughput. Although downward pressure is an ideal means of agitation, it isn’t always necessary, with mixing able to do the job whilst also keeping the contents stirred and in suspension. Though depositors and filling machines carry out slightly different functions, they are each used for dosing or dispensing an exact amount of a © stock.adobe.com/GR 22 ÁDEPOSITORS AND FILLING 22 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net mixture into a product or container. Most depositors are simple machines by design, thanks to their individual function, but it is still possible to customise them to suit any purpose or production line by size and level of output. Semi-automatic filling machines are typically operated by pumps driven by compressed air. Not only can filling be set to repeat, but precise portions can be filled through accurate measuring and dosing equipment incorporated in the weighing or volumetric controls. Needless to say, these machines offer a greater degree of speed and accuracy over manual. Automatic filling machines, on the other hand, boast controls and incline equipment which manages the filling process from material handling, loading, dosing and packaging. Yet whether automatic or not, one of the biggest challenges when it comes to depositors and filling concerns viscosity. Although depositors and fillers are responsible for weighing and portioning a certain amount of product, at their simplest they direct a liquid’s flow to a target – be that depositing medicine into a bottle or a viscous solution into a mixing unit. On the surface this may sound simple enough, yet things become difficult when liquids don’t easily flow – such as gels. In any production circumstance, viscous and semi-viscous liquids are difficult to handle. As one might expect, flow is the biggest issue here. If a substance cannot be made to flow consistently into the machine, then it’s not going to fill or deposit consistently. Yet despite these additions, many products still prove too viscous, making Pharma Business International 23 www.pbiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING them difficult to flow through the machines. On a production line where downtime needs to be minimised and companies may have to switch a line over to another medical product at a moment’s notice, this isn’t acceptable. Pistons not only provide sufficient force to push product through the depositor or filler head but can offer precise portion control. Simply put, the products to be deposited are drawn in from the hopper by the pistons in the cylinder, the piston then presses the product from the cylinder to the dispensing opening. Another advantage of this approach is that they are incredibly adaptable depending on the requirements. However, there’s more to consider than just the type of depositor or filler. It’s no good investing in high-end machines only to shirk on the transfer pumps. These vital pieces of equipment pump product from one receptacle into another or into a hopper of a depositing machine. As with the fillers themselves, flow is key to bear in mind here as a fully liquid product is going to much easy to pump than a viscous one. Whether manual or automatic, almost every pharma product line contains some kind of filling or depositing machinery. With that in mind, companies need to ensure that their machinery is up to snuff – delivering not only high throughput, but also preserving product integrity. Although they are almost universal, the needs placed on these machines will differ from company to company, so flow requirements and pumping must be considered. What works for food and drink, for instance, won’t necessarily work in the pharma industry. © stock.adobe.com/MayavaPROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION 24 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net The pharmaceutical industry is a high-demand one, not only at the consumer end but at every manufacturing and processing stage along the way. Attention to quality and cleanliness is crucial, from mixing and blending to preparing dosages, and all the way through to packing and transport. demand Dealing with Pharma Business International 25 www.pbiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION T he manufacturing of medications themselves, with multiple stages and continuous processing to meet demand, requires especially close focus on detail. One of the first and most important of these is choosing the most effective machines for each task. Careful consideration in this area not only upholds efficiency on the factory floor, but provides peace of mind, and the confidence that each machine will carry out tasks with minimal need for monitoring or maintenance. Granulation Fluidised bed granulators are some of the most used in the pharma industry, combining mixing, granulation and drying into one step along the production line. The gas plenum is the inlet for fluidisation gas or air. The gas is then distributed through the product container, agitating the bed of solid particles until they behave the same similarly to a fluid substance. This ensures the thorough separation of solid particles, resulting in an even distribution of pharmaceuticals through the final product. Though the fluid bed technique is commonly used, it’s far from the only option. High shear granulation machines use an agitator blade for the high- powered mixing of pharmaceutical ingredients, combining this effect with a chopper for the prevention of granule overgrowth. The chopper has the dual effect of distributing granulation fluid, for the same even results as the fluid bed. Single-Pot Granulation is an equally effective agitator blade system, which enables mixing alongside high-shear wet granulation and drying. Even for factories which have limited available space or other resources, compact granulation systems ensure the same smooth production process as any of the aforementioned machines. These systems make up for their smaller stature with boosted energy economy and ergonomic flexibility. For dry granulation, the fluidisation 26 Á © stock.adobe.com/I ViewfinderPROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION 26 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net agitators are simply replaced with mechanical pressure, such as roller compactors, to ensure the same uniformity of grain size. In cases where continuous processes are necessary, dry granulators serve this function by design. Of course, this also renders drying unnecessary, saving the high levels of energy and monetary cost which can be needed to mechanise this process separately. Capsule filling From this point, tablets will move on to compression machines. For capsules however, filling machines are needed. The cost of these can climb significantly when opting for a fully automated system, so a good piece of advice when trying out filling machines is to opt for a manual capsule filler to begin with. Manuals have a smaller production rate, but keep costs down in the tens of pounds rather than thousands. If you’re ready to step up to a semi- automatic filling machine system, these can take away much of the stress of filling and closing capsules by hand. The automatic capsule loading system does this for you, only requiring you to complete less demanding steps such as filling the powder and capsule hoppers, and removing the finished product when each batch is completed. Taking this next step up means being able to rely on accuracy and safety, while expediting production. For larger factories that need to fulfil a high level of demand, an automatic filling machine is likely to be a requirement. These can fill up to hundreds of capsules per minute, with speed and capacity depending on model. The bare minimum of manual intervention is required, as the machine can sow and open capsules, fill, lock and discharge the product. It will also reject product if necessary and carry out module cleaning, reducing human labour by a vast amount and assuring universal product quality with every batch. Tablet coating Once the capsules have been closed, tablets have one final stop to make at a coating machine. Though it’s the last manufacturing process, it’s not just a finishing touch - this stage is crucial for protecting the product from temperature changes or humidity which could damage the integrity of the medicine. The sugar or film coating also masks the unpleasant taste of the pharmaceutical ingredients, making them easier for consumers or patients to use. Using different colours or stamping can even go that extra mile in giving your product a brand identity, making for an attractive finished product. Here also there are a variety of machine options to choose between when deciding what is best for your product, pocket and factory. The perforated pan type machine is the most commonly used worldwide in the pharmaceutical industry, thanks to its versatility in coating different shapes and types of tablet, as well as its speed and efficiency in coating and drying. Once the tablets are sealed in the rotating drum, the coating is sprayed on, the perforations helping to provide an even finish. Air, and solvents if necessary, are then introduced to rapidly dry the coating, leaving tablets ready for packaging. Most machines coat tablets through a similar method, with a rolling drum tumbling the tablets along a track while they are sprayed or trickled with a chosen coating. However, new equipment is being developed all the time, and one such development is the efficiency mesh coating machine. Here, coating is carried out in a closed environment that eliminates dust flying and loss of coating solution through spattering. With its more contained process, the efficiency model is an energy saving and efficient solution to reducing waste, hitting those buzzwords for any eco-conscious pharma factory.Pharma Business International 27 www.pbiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION © stock.adobe.com/nordrodenOUTSOURCING 28 Pharma Business International www.pbiforum.net I t’s natural to want to do everything in house, to save costs, to have more control, to be sure of accountability and confidentiality, or just because many in business hold firmly to the old adage that if you want something doing properly, you should do it yourself. The problem nowadays is that there’s just too much to do and, as is becoming a real problem, not enough people to do it. Even pharma giants are struggling to find enough quality staff to fill all roles they want to, and so even when the financial packages are there, it can be difficult to expand to cover all aspects of a chain – be that production, supply or R&D. This represents one of the major reasons why mid-to-large pharma companies choose to outsource much of their requirements. Not only are these companies assured of their work being done by a larger team than they can muster, but that team typically comes with experience and teamwork already in place. Similarly, they’ll have their own infrastructure and equipment, and that equipment is likely to be at a level greater than “entry level” because that company has to compete for outsourcing clients. It’s not just about accessing expertise, however. On a financial level, outsourcing can be cheaper Outsourcing the problem Outsourcing the problem As a global shortage of skilled staff squeezes the industry, more and more companies are looking to outsource non-core operations to avoid the issue. 30 ÁPharma Business International 29 www.pbiforum.net OUTSOURCINGNext >