Filler accommodates bags and drums
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has launched a new, combination, bulk bag/drum filler which features a fill head that pivots down, for connecting empty bags at floor level, and a swing arm mounted chute for filling drums.
The Swing-Down® fill head enables operators to connect bag spouts and resume filling operations rapidly, without having to step over roller conveyors, strain to reach overhead connection points or risk injury.
The
patented device simultaneously lowers and pivots the fill head, stopping
it in a vertical position, placing the bag inlet spout inflatable
connection, inflator button and four bag loop latches within arm's
length.
A remote console or wall-mounted panel houses controls to raise and pivot the fill head into a locked, horizontal fill position, automatically inflating the bag to remove creases, opening a flow control valve or starting a feed device and stopping material flow when the preset weight is reached. Vibratory decks are an option to de-aerate and densify material at preset points to create a solid, stable bag ready for shipment.
Once bags are filled, the controller deflates the spout connection collar, releases the loop latches and raises the fill head to disengage the spout, enabling the bag to automatically leave on a roller conveyor. Units can be switched to drum filling mode within a few seconds by positioning the chute under the fill head discharge port. The chute automatically rotates to deliver material to all four drums on a pallet.
Construction is in carbon steel or stainless steel to food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards and is offered with material delivery systems for integration with upstream equipment.
www.flexicon.co.uk
22:13 11/08/2008
No ordinary baffle bag
UK. Structure-flex Ltd has developed a Baffle Bag, designed to retain its shape during filling, transportation and storage.
The company point out the tendency for FIBCs to distort, becoming rounded when filled and overhanging the supporting pallet. This 'bellying', although natural for a flexible bag, is becoming increasingly unacceptable in the face of spiralling transport and storage costs.
Following a number of earlier attempts to solve this problem, Structure-flex believes that it has now achieved the optimum design in conjunction with its European supplier. Outlining the development process, Matt Doughty, head of sales and marketing says that design and development is an area of specific expertise which the company is able to offer customers as part of its total solutions capability.
"We worked with two key customers in the last few months of 2007 to try to overcome the problem of distortion, and the trials of the enhanced Baffle Bag have proved to be very successful. Although designed with specific customers in mind, the FIBC can be adapted to suit most of our other clients' needs. It can even be constructed to include an inner PE lining."
One of the key advantages is said to be its ability to offer the same rigidity and stability as more expensive options already on the market, while remaining a flexible and cost-effective option. Structure-flex's integral user-friendly discharge arrangement is an added bonus to help discharge - a problem which competitors have found difficult to overcome when using corrugated Octobin style products, says the company.
Tel: +44 (0) 1263 863 100
21:00 14/05/2008
New multi-language software
UK. Translation of the latest software and data analysis package for the FT4 Powder Rheometer from Freeman Technology has been completed, with French, German and Spanish versions now available.The user manual provides a thorough guide to all aspects of this universal powder tester and its applications.
Multi-language versions of the FT4 user manual are also due for release, reflecting continuing global development of the company’s business.
The unit is designed to provide comprehensive powder flowability data correlated with processing experience to expedite efficient processing and quality control. It provides automated shear testing, dynamic flowability and bulk properties measurements making it a universal powder tester for formulators, process engineers and QA specialists.
Systems are installed worldwide in a diverse range of industries, with applications ranging from optimising new formulations and improving the efficiency of manufacturing processes to establishment of QC criteria for raw materials, intermediates and final product.
www.freemantech.co.uk
18:10 12/05/2008
New options for in-line analysis
New options for Malvern Instruments’ Parsum IPP-70 in-line particle size measurement probe are designed to simplify regulatory compliance for pharmaceutical applications. Parsum IPP-70 provides real-time particle size analysis, and is used in pharmaceutical manufacturing to monitor and control granulation, coating and spray drying processes.
Option 1 allows for the provision of Installation/Operational Qualification (IQ/OQ) documentation together with a verification kit for checking measurement accuracy while Option 2 offers a unit with highly polished contact surfaces, and includes material traceability documentation. Options are complementary and can be specified either separately or in combination.
Light and compact, the unit delivers size and velocity measurement for particles, granules and pellets from 50 to 6000 microns and can be used to monitor gravity fed, pneumatically conveyed and fluidised streams. It is inserted directly into a process line or unit, and is easily integrated with existing systems for automated control. There is even an intrinsically safe version available.
www.malvern.com
16:20 16/04/2008
Quick screen air-lift system
A new Air-Lift system for circular vibratory screening frames is now available from Kason Corp Europe. It allows cleaning, inspection and screen changes 400 to 500 percent faster and with 75 to 85 percent less manual effort, says sales manager Terry Meigh.
The lightweight device consists of two vertically-mounted air cylinders located on opposing sides of any circular separator and fixed to mounting brackets on the lower and upper screening frames. In operation, a quick-disconnect clamp connecting the frames is removed and a remote air valve actuated, raising the upper frame - a procedure that is reversed to reconnect the chambers.
"One entire raise/lower cycle including quick-disconnect/connect of the frames, requires only several minutes, reducing downtime during every inspection, cleaning and screen-changing operation," says Meigh. Safety features include a safety lock-out that locks the frames in the open or closed position when the upper screener housing is raised or lowered, and safety bars that prevent the housing from accidentally descending while in a fully-raised position during screen changes or wash down.
The device is available on any new Kason screener and can be retrofitted to any circular vibratory screener of any make or model from 1220 to 2135 mm in diameter, including screeners having single or multiple decks, screens with or without centre holes and/or anti-blinding devices.
www.kasoneurope.co.uk
22:16 06/04/2008
Weighers for rubber crumb
The close business relationship between Chronos Richardson and Planters Clayton has been underlined in the recent months with the news that three new weighers are to be supplied for the expansion of a rubber crumb production plant in Europe.
Precision weighing and reliable operation have been the hallmark of the thousands of E55 installations over the past twenty seven years - simple uncluttered design making the E55 the first choice weigher for process industries worldwide.
In this instance, leading baling press manufacturer Planters Clayton Ltd had a special requirement for a robust system to weigh precision batches of rubber crumb into their high capacity balers. Back in 1985, the precision and reliability of the E55 design encouraged Chronos to build the EE39 version to meet the client’s exacting requirements.
The EE39 features a robust, reliable design to provide trouble-free operation, reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs, with an innovative weigh hopper that provides clean rapid discharge of warm rubber crumb. Current EE39 projects with Planter Clayton utilise the new SpeedAC NXT controllers for enhanced operating accuracy and compliance with stringent international regulatory weighing requirements. EE39s are simple to install and calibrate, providing heavy duty weighing cycles batch after batch, with installations operating successfully in the UK, Europe, Russia, China and India.
Outlining the long-standing business relationship between the two companies, Eric Greenhalgh of Planters Clayton Ltd said that the company specialises in baling presses for the world's leading synthetic rubber producers, with many installations incorporating an EE39 weigher linked to the baler and feed system for accurate batching of material - the weigher and dedicated electronic controller enable a difficult product to be handled and delivered with a high level of accuracy. Discussions between the two companies for this latest order has led to the incorporation of a central control facility and an integrated weighing module to enhance operator input of control parameters.
www.chronosrichardson.com
21:50 15/03/2008
Voyager arrives
UK. Malvern Instruments’ new Insitec® Voyager is smaller and lighter than its predecessor and designed for mobile particle size analysis within a process environment. It can be operated at- or on-line, providing real-time analysis where and when required. It is also an integral part of Malvern’s consultancy service, for demonstrating, in situ, the potential of continuous process analysis.
The instrument’s design has evolved in response to customer feedback and increasing demand for the consultancy service. One-man operated, it is easily dismantled for transportation, can be assembled without hand tools, is simple to connect to the process, easy to clean and now has more communications options.
The laser diffraction-based particle size analyser can deal with dry streams of particles in the 1 - 1000 micron size range, offering the necessary flexibility and mobility to suit production facilities with multiple lines and/or for commissioning, optimisation and troubleshooting applications. Particle size measurements can be taken at up to four times per second, with a continuous stream of real-time data for optimal control and understanding.
Potential clients can take advantage of a five-day consultancy package whereby the instrument is attached to a process line for continuous monitoring, enabling any process team to evaluate the potential of on-line analysis. A Malvern expert remains on hand for the duration of the consultancy to maximize benefit.
www.malvern.com
21:03 27/11/2007
Highlighting pharmaceutical capability
USA. K-Tron exhibited its latest feeding and conveying equipment for pharmaceutical processes at the AAPS 2007 event in San Diego, USA on 11 - 15 November 2007. This is the first time that K-Tron and Premier have exhibited at this event and equipment on display included the MT12 micro-ingredient feeder for low rate feeding applications and Premier Pneumatics P30 pharmaceutical receiver.
The latest version of the company's MT12 is available in both pharmaceutical and industrial models and is designed to accurately feed free flowing to difficult powders at rates ranging from 20 to 2000 grm per hr, depending on material and installation environment. Both loss-in-weight (model KCL-SFS-MT12) and volumetric (model KCV-MT12) feeder models are available for continuous or batch operation and there are options available for automatic refill. Ease of disassembly is a key feature for fast and easy cleaning.
Typical applications include feeding jet mills, tablet presses, continuous extrusion processes and any application where high value micro ingredients require accurate feeding.
Premier Pneumatics P-Series (P10, P30, P100) provides a custom solution for difficult pneumatic conveying applications, the sanitary design featuring steep cone angles to ensure superior discharge and band clamps for quick disassembly. Tablets, capsules, flakes and free-flowing to poorly flowing powders are potential applications where there is a need for gentle conveying. The conveying principle includes vacuum, dilute phase, and dense phase with rates dependent on model, product characteristics and conveying distance. The model P30 unit on display has a mirror finish.
www.ktron.com/pharma
• More than 575 companies showcased the latest equipment at the AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists) event.
21:41 23/10/2007
Eliminates dust during discharge
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd. has developed a new manual dump to rigid bin weigh/batching system, designed to eliminate dust during manual dumping from bags, boxes, drums and other containers. It also de-lumps material and feeds it gravimetrically from mezzanine level into rigid bins placed on a floor scale. All material contact surfaces are food quality stainless steel.
The
unit features a vacuum fan that draws airborne dust from the operator's area into two cartridge filters. Automatic reverse-pulse filter cleaning allows continuous operation, with build-up on the outer filter surfaces falling into the unit's hopper. Filter access is quick and easy, involving removal of the interior baffle and replacement using quick-disconnect fittings.
The station's surge hopper discharges into a low profile, de-lumping device with dual rotors and three-point heads that break up agglomerates formed in the bag. Correctly sized material is discharged into a gravimetric feeder connected via PLC to a scale on the plant floor, allowing accurate batch weights to be discharged into rigid containers placed on the scale.
Multiple manual dump to rigid bin weigh batching systems can be utilised to batch a range of ingredients into individual bins for storage and/or blending elsewhere in the plant.
www.flexicon.com
10:46 08/09/2007
Conditioning while unloading
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd’s new Bulk Bag conditioner/unloader system is designed to loosen bulk solid material that has solidified during storage and shipment, allowing material to discharge through a bag spout.
The integral configuration of the conditioner eliminates time, labour and equipment needed for separately loading bulk bags into a standalone conditioner, occupying less floor space than two separate pieces of equipment and therefore a lower initial cost.
In operation, two hydraulic rams with contoured end plates press opposing sides of the bag, raising and lowering it for conditioning at varying heights using an electric hoist system. Inclusion of a motorised trolley allows bags to be loaded and unloaded without a forklift.
The unit's
controller and hydraulic pump can either be mounted on the exterior of the unloader or remotely, with safety interlocks to prevent operation when unloader doors are open. A Spout-Lock clamp ring is used to form a high integrity seal between the clean side of the bag spout and clean side of the equipment, with a Tele-Tube telescoping tube maintaining constant downward pressure on the clamp ring and bag spout, elongating the bag as it empties to promote complete discharge.
Above the clamp ring a Power-Cincher flow control valve 'cinches' the bag spout concentrically, allowing dust-free retying and removal of partially used bags. An optional dual-shaft agitator on the surge hopper de-agglomerates material and promotes flow into an optional integral auger conveyor for feeding downstream processes.
The entire unloading frame is mounted on load cells for transmitting loss-in-weight data to a controller that starts and stops the auger conveyor, allowing programmed weigh batching directly from bulk bags.
www.flexicon.com
Contained and automated method
K-Tron pharmaceutical dispensary systems are designed to provide extremely accurate dispensing of active ingredients and excipients to IBCs. Offering a contained and completely automated method of ingredient weighing and dosing, each ingredient can be conveyed via a Premier Pneumatics P-Series vacuum conveyor directly to a K-Tron loss-in-weight (LIW) feeder for dosing into the appropriate container.
Typical dosing systems can include several stations, each dedicated to a specific component of the mix, with a K-Tron control system designed for a selection of recipes, reflecting the different batch weights of each ingredient. Active ingredients can be easily contained simply by integrating active and passive split butterfly valves on the ingredient pickup and discharge points.
Providing such dispensary projects, K-Tron incorporates its own feeding, pneumatic conveying and controls technology and outsources and engineers additional equipment as required. Validation documentation can also be provided.
Automated dispensing systems, widely used throughout the pharmaceutical industry for metering excipients, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and lubricants into IBCs and other large storage vessels, typically serve as an intermediate production stage to formulate the blend prior to granulation. Plants normally employ separate broaching areas for receiving and unloading raw materials in the form of palletised drums or boxes, or super sacks, with contents either transferred by gravity flow or pneumatic conveying to the dispensary area for IBC loading.
Once material is transferred to the dispensary area, LIW feeders regulate and meter the correct ingredient amount into the receiving IBC. Some ingredients may represent only a fraction of the total batch weight for a specific recipe, therefore LIW feeders that offer extremely high short term accuracy are critical to the metering process.
In the case of a single material, such as an excipient, material may be conveyed in a dense phase or dilute phase vacuum using Premier Pneumatics vacuum receivers to a separate hopper mounted above the K-Tron LIW feeder. In applications where the pre-mixed formulation includes a potent API, containment is required in the form of a butterfly valve or split butterfly valve on the outlet of the IBC or loader hopper, depending on the level of containment required.
In instances where several ingredients are metered into the same IBC, automated guide vehicles (AGV) can be employed to transport the IBC between each dispensary station and K-Tron is able to supply either loss-in-weight or gain-in-weight batching systems for this application.
www.ktron.com
22:18 12/06/2007
Module extends operating range
Freeman Technology's FT4 universal powder tester has a new Aeration Control Module which extends the system’s operating range down to an extremely low air velocity of 0.02 mm per sec.
Aeration is arguably the single most important parameter influencing powder flow properties, and accurately determining its effects at all flow rates is critically important. This latest development delivers a high degree of control at very low flow rates, so essential in characterising powders sensitive to the addition of very small quantities of air, such as toners and some powder
coatings.
As air flow through the tested sample is finely controlled, it enables fully automated measurement of flow properties as a function of increasing levels of
aeration.
Overall FT4 can be used to determine the flow properties specification needed to optimise production and achieve required product quality. On a day-to-day basis it has applications in verifying that powder flow properties meet specifications, for predictable and consistent processing performance.
www.freemantech.co.uk
17:23 24/04/2007
Helping the food industry comply
Leading
European bursting panel manufacturer, Elfab has recently been engaged in helping the food industry comply with changes as a result of the ATEX Directive.
Prior to 30 June 2003, existing hazardous area workplaces had to meet ATEX’s appropriate minimum requirements by 1 July 2006. Industries handling common explosible dusts - such as flour, custard powder, sugar, instant coffee and dried milk - were already aware of the impending deadline. However, other industries, handling materials such as malt and grain, were also affected by the changes, requiring immediate action to modify facilities by the deadline.
Dust explosions in the food industry always pose a risk, and the arrival of ATEX has meant that explosion relief vents must now be fitted to all silos or vessels containing explosive dusts. The Health and Safety Executive has emphasised this in its information sheet relating specifically to dust explosions in the industry, stating that “there is no established size of vessel below which explosion reliefs are not required.”
This has resulted in Elfab providing advice to companies in this sector on the changes that need to be put in place. Instances of this include an application in the malting sector where the first ever order for bursting panels has been placed. Other examples include sugar and grain storage as well as the brewing industry - where advice and assistance has had to be provided within tight time constraints.
Elfab says that all their bursting panels are ATEX approved, but still offer all the advantages of low installation cost, maintenance-free designs and corrosion-resistant materials. The company also claim they are the only one supplying ATEX-approved detection system as standard with their panels.
Panel Flo-Tel™ is designed to guarantee failsafe detection and minimise spurious alarms, allowing end users to fully comply with HSE recommendations regarding dust explosion precautions: “Equip all explosion reliefs with index switches to close down the plant in the event of explosion relief being activated to prevent the onward transmission of burning material.”
www.elfab.com
Hydraulic IBC conditioner
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has announced the availability of a new hydraulic bulk bag conditioner which can loosen bulk material that has solidified during storage and shipment. This enables bulk bag unloaders to subsequently discharge material through bag spouts.
It is especially suited to IBCs that contain hygroscopic chemicals, certain types of spice blends, heat-sensitive products and other materials that have a tendency to solidify to the point at which pneumatically-actuated flow promotion devices are inefficient or ineffective.
In operation, two hydraulic rams with specially contoured end plates press opposing sides of the bag. There is also an optional hydraulically actuated, variable height turntable which allows in-frame bag rotation and conditioning of bulk bags of varying height. The number and pressure of ram actuations, turntable height and number of 90-degree rotations can be adjusted by the user.
The
system controller and hydraulic pump can either be remote or mounted on the exterior of the safety cage. The conditioner itself is fully enclosed on all four sides for operator safety and includes full-height doors, interlocked to prevent system operation when doors are open. Available as a standalone unit or as an integral component of a bulk bag discharger, the unit is 2210 mm high, 3378 mm wide and 1981 mm deep, and can accommodate bags of all popular sizes and only requires an electrical power connection.
www.flexicon.com
Quantum double leap
A new orifice gate valve for dry bulk solids handling introduces two major advances in a single design. Manufactured in the USA by Vortex®, Quantum's modular design aims to reduce capital and maintenance costs whilst improving performance.
Unlike conventional cast-bodied valves, the design is constructed from 12 lightweight components, representing a 50 per cent parts reduction compared with the orifice gate valve it replaces, simplifying construction and maintenance. The forming process for the valve’s two stainless steel flanges cuts component production from a week to a couple of hours, resulting in reduced order lead times.
An important feature is that the valve's seals can be maintained in place in the conveying line using a shimming system that adjusts compression force on the blade. Valve performance can therefore be improved without removing it from the line. The blade and seal design is such that the valve self-cleans on the opening stroke, preventing material from packing the internal seals. Hard polymer sealing materials are utilised, rather than more traditional soft versions, which are protected from blast abrasion and compensate for wear.
Jon Naylor, MD, Vortex Europe, emphasised that the valves are specifically designed for purpose. “Too often in the UK valves used in dry solids systems are either simple knife gates, or were primarily intended for fluids handling at pressures above 1 bar. That makes them nowhere near as easy to install, efficient, cost effective, nor simple to maintain as they could be. And with Quantum, we have the opportunity to introduce technology over here that is totally new, even in the States."
Valves come in 2 to 14 - inch pipe or tube sizes with any connection from ANSI and DIN to client specified special bolt patterns. Arrangements can be made for a mobile demonstration unit to visit your plant by contacting vortex.eu@vortexvalves.com
10:07 22/01/2007
Nozzle for fine pharmaceutical powders
Niro’s Two-Fluid Nozzle (NTF) is a spray-drying nozzle that produces fine particles, with a narrow size distribution, and high capacity production using limited amounts of atomising gas.
Developed specifically to produce pharmaceutical powders for inhalation, the NTF operates with both feed liquid and propellant gas to produce a mean particle size of less than 10 microns and a span of less than 2. Liquid feed rates range from 30 to 80 litres per hr and droplet formation can be varied by adjusting the gas-to-feed ratio.
Up until now, existing two-fluid nozzles have tended to be used for small volumes where fine atomisation was required. The new design brings this technology to full production plants allowing high volumes of high quality product to be produced on a single plant without the need for multiple nozzles and the costs associated with piping, valves, etc. The NTF can also handle feeds with high solids content, is designed to be easy to clean and to be used under GMP conditions.
Email: svr@niro.dk
Robot palletiser arrives
Chronos Richardson has added the RP500 Cartesian robot palletiser to its range for palletising filled bags onto manually positioned empty pallets.
The same bag gripper used on the company’s Compact Palletiser has been utilised, comprising a grid to pick up the bag and a pneumatically actuated pusher to deposit the bag onto the layer. The bag gripper’s four-axis mobility - longitudinal, transverse and vertical movement as well as rotation - takes bags from the feed conveyor, depositing them onto the pallet according to a pre-selected program with bag pusher movement controlled by a pneumatic cylinder. Gripper rotation/pusher direction allows each bag to be deposited close to the previous one to ensure a more stable load.
An in-built operator interface panel allows regular status checks to be made, allowing operators to review the selected program and in-built bag counter. Pallet layer patterns can be selected from a program list or directly accessed from the operator panel. Completing the system are floor mounted empty pallet guide plates and interlocked safety fences/barriers.
www.chronosrichardson.com
New option for in-line particle size analysis
The new Parsum IPP70 in-line particle size analyser is a new addition to the Parsum range from Malvern Instruments, extending the variety of applications for which Parsum systems provide particle measurement.
Based on spatial filter velocimetry theory, the device measures particulate materials in the 50 to 6000 micron range and is suitable for continuously monitoring a range of unit operations, including wet and dry granulation, coating and spray drying.
The probe, which is inserted directly into a process line or vessel, has been used successfully for monitoring both batch and continuous processes, dealing with materials as diverse as polyethylene and washing powder. The instrument continuously tracks Dv(10), Dv(50) and Dv(90) making it suitable for endpoint detection, process control and process optimisation applications.
Fibre optics ensure consistent measurement at high particle loadings, with sensitivity to loading fluctuations low. Accurate data is produced at a measurement rate up to 15000 particles per sec.
Other features include a rugged outer design and new software which delivers user interfaces for both process and research environments. LEDs allow contamination or material build up to be detected on the probe without removing the instrument from the process, forewarning operators of any developing problems.
www.malvern.com
Innovative split-frame unloader
A new, split frame unloader from Flexicon (Europe) Ltd allows bulk bags and rigid totes to be discharged from mezzanines and other low headroom areas.
Unlike fixed-frame unloaders, that require sufficient headroom above the top of the frame to clear the load-backrest of a forklift, the new design allows the upper frame to be re-located by forklift onto the floor, loaded with a bulk bag and then re-sited back onto the sub-frame within several centimetres of the ceiling.
For
discharging bulk bags, the sub-frame is equipped with a Power-Cincher flow
control valve which cinches the bag spout concentrically on a horizontal
axis for easy tie-offs, and vertically in a tight zigzag pattern to
prevent leakage of fine powders. Full-open discharge is possible from bag
spouts of all popular diameters and the unit is USDA
accepted.
During discharge the flow control valve
is closed around the bag spout, allowing the spout to be untied, the
access door closed, and the valve opened slowly, reducing uncontrolled
bursts of material into the hopper and dust into the plant environment.
Side-Flexer bag activators provide horizontal forces to opposite sides of
the bulk bag to promote flow and are height adjustable to optimise
performance.
For unloading rigid bins, the bins are
located onto receiving cups of the sub-frame which is equipped with a
removable plate containing a gasketted inlet port that seats against the
discharge port of the bin. The flanged discharge chute of the frame is
offset to direct material into an off-centre receiving vessel below a
mezzanine.
Constructed from stainless steel and
finished to sanitary standards, the unloader is offered with load cells
and programmable controls for automated weigh/batching of ingredients
directly from bulk bags and/or rigid bins. http://www.flexicon.com
Atomizer meets GMP requirements
Niro’s new F1.5X Rotary Atomizer is claimed to be the first of its type that meets cGMP requirements for spraying pharmaceutical products during the drying process. Used with pharmaceutical spray dryers, the compact unit has a number of features that maximise operating efficiency and enable the entire unit to be sterilised quickly and effectively for re-use.
Design features include: EX-classification for handling potentially explosive products; sanitary design for easy cleaning and inspection; clamp connections for fast, simple dismantling; purge air connection for separation of the product zone; and hot air sterilisation for all product contact parts.
The unit has a wheel speed of 10,000 – 30,000 rpm, can handle a feed rate of 1 - 120kg per hr, has a tachometer fitted as standard and complies with all relevant pharmaceutical authority regulations.
http://www.niro.dk
IBC tracking and dispensing software
BuckWare® is a suite of software developed by Buck Systems, member of Niro Pharma Systems, to enhance process control for its range of blenders and IBC wash stations. Two new software packages are announced to help pharmaceutical manufacturers track products through the manufacturing and dispensing process, known respectively as BuckWare® XT and BuckWare® XD.
BuckWare® XT provides increased product security, optimum availability, increased productivity and reduced paperwork, minimising the opportunities for errors to occur. Fixed and hand-held scanners are used to provide real-time monitoring of the progress of individual IBCs through the manufacturing process, tracking an entire batch of product and keeping a real-time record of available containers. All information can be accessed via LAN to a discrete PC, via a PDA or remotely via a dial-up connection.
BuckWare® XD is a dispensary management software solution to ensure security of raw material and recipe data. It creates new recipes and batches, provides accurate weighing, communicates directly with warehouse inventory files and provides secure electronic reports on demand. It also ensures that the correct ingredients and weights are used for all recipes, again maintaining quality control, improving productivity and reducing paperwork.
Batching rubber
Planters Clayton provide baling presses to the synthetic rubber industry, supplying units to the world's leading producers and have utilised the Chronos E55 weighing system since 1985.
Their special requirement for a robust system to weigh precision batches of rubber crumb into high capacity balers led Chronos to build the EE39 version. The unit features a robust reliable design to ensure trouble-free operation, reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs offering direct connection between loadcells and weigh hopper with a minimal number of moving parts.
Clean rapid discharge of warm rubber crumb from the weigh hopper is ensured by divergent sides and fully opening discharge doors, which move completely out of the material stream. There is a choice of material contact parts and surface coatings matched to the rubber crumb weighed.
Current EE39 projects with Planter Clayton utilise the new SpeedAC NXT controllers, providing enhanced operating accuracy for every weighment and meeting stringent international regulatory weighing requirements. Units are simple to install and calibrate and are operating successfully in the UK, Europe, Russia, China and India.
www.chronosrichardson.com
Small chemical weighing systems
Chronos Richardson’s integrated modular small chemical weighing systems are designed to meet a range of environmental and output requirements in applications where there is a need for precise dust-free weighing of micro batches of powders, prills, pastilles, pellets and granules.
The company’s extensive application experience enables them to offer dedicated on-line or off-line systems to suit material throughput, chemical toxicity, weighing accuracy and space availability requirements.
Each ingredient can be logged into the CR600XP control system via a barcode reader, with every complete batch provided with a barcode on leaving the system for integration into a material tracking system. Where the number of ingredients is very large, a range of manual weighing stations is available for ingredient preparation. Though materials are weighed manually via an operator prompting system, the control system only accepts weighments that are within tolerances specified in the formulation, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency.
Each compounding room’s specific requirements can be met by a range of features, including: configurations to suit individual site and space availability requirements; ergonomic designs for optimum operator concentration and comfort; batch preparation carried out in a dust controlled environment; size and capacity of platform scales selected to suit each application; and integrated safety systems actuated by the CR600XP system to prevent access to non-specified materials, ensuring that batches are only weighed to a specified formulation.
http://www.chronosrichardson.com
Versatile pneumatic batching/blending system
Flexicon (Europe) Ltd’s latest in-line, pneumatic, batching system allows simultaneous weigh/batching of major ingredients from bulk bags and manual dumping of pre-weighed minor ingredients, with the ability to blend material while accumulating a subsequent batch.
Mounted on load cells, the bulk bag dischargers use loss-in-weight batching from either or both bulk bags. System control starts and stops each discharger's rotary airlock valve to weigh ingredients, initially at high feed rate for rapid filling, then at dribble feed rate, stopping flow once the batch weight has been discharged. Software enables mid-batch bag changes.
Any minor, pre-weighed ingredients can be added at a manual dumping station after the major ingredients have been discharged from the bulk bags.
The dilute-phase, vacuum conveyor line terminates in a filter receiver which accumulates the batch before discharging it through a slide gate valve into a ribbon blender, allowing concurrent batching and blending of materials, effectively halving cycle times.
FLOW-FLEXER bag activators on the bulk bag dischargers loosen compacted materials and promote material flow into the discharge spout. As the bag lightens, the stroke of the bag activators increases, raising the bottom of the bag into a steep V shape, while top-mounted POP-TOP stretching devices elongate the bag, promoting total evacuation of material without manual intervention.
Any dust generated during manual dumping is dealt with by a vacuum fan which draws dust away from the operator onto two cartridge reverse pulse cleaned filters. Systems can be finished in stainless steel for food, dairy or pharmaceutical applications.
http://www.flexicon.com
Quantum leap in containment
Companies seeking superior levels of product and personnel protection can now take advantage of a new plug and play, off the shelf Flexible Compact Isolator (FCI) and glove box system from Hosokawa Containment.
Offering ultra high containment levels to <10 ng cu m, the Stott FCI is designed to be a cost effective barrier containment solution for companies engaged in scientific research, bio-technology or pharmaceutical development including nano-particles. Lightweight and portable it has the option of either a disposable/flexible plastic canopy or a rigid acrylic canopy fitted to a standard 1m long x 0.6m wide stainless steel base unit to create a contained workstation.
The range of small-scale processing applications that can be met include laboratory analysis, micronising, drying, packing, product transfer and sampling of high potency compounds, enabling both manual and automatic procedures to be carried out with minimal operator exposure.
Tests have been carried out with lactose on the two versions of the isolator unit using a sampling protocol for independently verified airborne containment testing which complies with ISPE guidelines*.
This involves introducing a 1-kg batch of lactose to the isolator before transferring three 300-g batches of product to separate bags using a metal spoon. Each bag is then tie-wrapped and all waste put into a plastic bag and removed from the Isolator via a waste bag docked to the rear bag out port. Two separate air samples are taken during this process - one background sample and a personal sample from the operator's breathing zone.
Personal samples taken during each isolator test consistently returned measured lactose levels of less than 0.002 µg over an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA). Background samples during the plastic bag canopy tests showed lactose levels over an 8-hour TWA of <0.048 to 0.15 µg cu m whilst those with the rigid acrylic canopy tests ranged from 0.11 to 0.21 µg cu m.
One advantage of the FCI is that it can be easily upgraded as requirements change. Customers seeking single or short term usage may favour the flexible/disposable canopy option, whilst companies looking for a cost effective containment solution for more arduous applications may prefer the rigid acrylic option.
The basic bench mounted unit can be upgraded with various additional features such as a free-standing base frame, on-board air handling system, CIP system, HEPA filtration and rapid transfer ports, allowing it to be tailored to individual customer requirements. Although designed as a standalone contained workstation, several units can be operated in tandem, offering a cost effective alternative to large bespoke static isolators where investment or usage make this unviable.
* International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering Standardised Measurement for Equipment Particulate Airborne Concentrations (SMEPAC) committee draft guideline 'Assessing the Particulate Containment Performance of Pharmaceutical Equipment - A Guide', Version 11. Standard operating procedures for the handling of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
http://www.hosokawa.co.uk
Bagging system on a roll
Chronos Richardson’s FFS-200 automatic horizontal form, fill and seal system makes bags from pre-printed rolls of polyethylene centre-folded film (U film), allowing sustained long term operation.
Depending on the product to be bagged, bag size and film thickness, the system can package a wide range of loose fill materials at rates of up to 1,920 bags per hour. It can also be integrated upstream with either a weighing or volumetric feeding system and downstream to conveying and palletising systems.
Film widths of between 270 to 685 mm and lengths of between 355 and 1140mm can be accommodated with options such as bottom gusset former, zipper applicator for re-closable bags, bag corner sealing unit, product settling device and patch handle former.
Materials that have been packed with the system include: chemicals - fertilisers, plastic pellets and salt; feed - bird seed and animal feed; forestry - bark, mulch, paper pellets and wood pellets; horticulture - compost, peat moss and soils; and minerals - cat litter, concrete mix, coal, crushed stone and sand.
www.chronosrichardson.com
New range for cleanrooms
Cleanroom manufacturing company PBSC is to represent Swedish company Svenema in the UK, providing hygienic lifting equipment specifically designed for clean environment industries.
Under the terms of the agreement, PBSC, who supply cleanroom doors, fire rated doors, vision panels, transfer hatches, pass through chambers, emergency escape panels and cleanroom furniture for healthcare, chemical, biotech and pharmaceutical applications, will offer a wide range of specialist lifting trolleys.
Svenema is known for its design and development of lift trolleys, platform lifts and electronic industrial lifters, manufactured in conjunction with Swedish suppliers. Specialising in clean-environment industries, the company’s expertise lies in developing solutions to meet most hygiene standards and requirements. Smooth hygienic design means that equipment is easy to keep clean, minimising the accumulation of particles or micro-organisms and suitable for repeated application of cleaning agents and disinfectants. Lift capacity ranges from 40 - 300kg and all models can be customised to suit specific requirements.
Current health and safety legislation makes it essential that the correct lifting equipment for a cleanroom or critical hygiene application is available. It is well known that lifting heavy weights can cause serious back strain and injury, but what is not so well known is that continual lifting of lighter weights throughout the working day can also cause accumulative problems which can be minimised and sometimes eliminated using Svenema equipment.
The MAXI™, measuring just 600 x 820mm, is a heavy-duty lift trolley that can deal with loads of 125 - 300kg and lift heights of 190 -1200mm, with a variable lifting speed of 0 -120 mm per sec. Stainless steel design ensures smooth surfaces and few joints. Accessories include: tilts for easy and quick lifting and tilting of containers; reel lifters that can hold a reel in any chosen position; and roller platforms for easy handling of heavy containers. Other options include: vessel lifting equipment; cylinder lifts; vertical lifts; mobile lifts; fold-down platforms; battery powered lifts; and clamping modules.
PBSC has a new website which showcases the range.
www.pbscmaterialhandling.co.uk
Predicting the influence of aeration
Bulk properties of powders can be greatly affected by even small amounts of entrained air and it can be difficult to predict what influence this will have in the plant. A new aeration control unit for Freeman Technology's FT4 Powder Rheometer is designed to take the guesswork out of the equation.
Air flowing through the powder sample is finely controlled, enabling automated measurement of material flow properties as a function of increasing levels of aeration. At maximum aeration - or for some powders, fluidisation - the energy required to make a powder flow is reduced by a measurable factor, known as the Aeration Ratio (AR). This varies from around 5 for cohesive powders to in excess of 1000 for fluidisable powders. It is therefore an important flow performance indicator.
The new control unit allows evaluation at very low air velocities down to 2 mm per min. Aeration at higher velocities up to 2000 mm per min can examine the fluidisation behaviour that has important practical processing implications for industries producing toner, powder coatings and pharmaceuticals.
The flow properties specification needed to optimise production and achieve the required product quality can be determined and, on a day-to-day basis, the system can verify that powder flow properties meet the necessary specifications for predictable and consistent processing performance. Entrained air significantly alters the flowability of a powder and its rate of release is another important characteristic that can be determined.
Freeman say that, by automating the AR measurement, accurate and reproducible results are provided, eliminating user variability and allowing confident discrimination of even small differences between powders, with a claimed data reproducibility typically better than 1 per cent. There is also the added advantage of unattended operation. In addition to laboratory applications, the system can easily be set up close to a production line for routine QC measurements.
www.freemantech.co.uk
Liquids to granules in one step
Industry’s need for ever finer granules for advanced materials applications has led Hosokawa to further develop the production capabilities of its Agglomaster fluidised bed granulator to suit applications such as thin film coating, cGMP particle coating and surface modifications, and nanoparticle suspension drying.
Recent proven applications include the micro-agglomeration of antibiotics for inhalation drugs, involving nano-encapsulation of the drug for improved stabilisation with controlled release, and advanced particle composing techniques to increase delivery efficiency and the drug's bioavailability.
Agglomaster is a sanitary, batch type, multi-functional granulator which brings together spray drying, agglomeration and granulation technology into one machine, reducing both the need for multi-step processing and the amount of ancillary equipment used. Importantly, the single-stage operation also eliminates the need for rewetting and secondary processing.
Liquid is atomised via bottom spray nozzles into the fluidised bed that can be filled with or without seed material. Liquid droplets, initially fed by spraying into the fluid bed, evaporate instantaneously and all solid material solidifies to become fine particles ie spray drying. Once fine particles begin to form, particle growth by particle-to-particle agglomeration or layering agglomeration takes place, depending on process conditions ie spray granulation.
The novel fluid bed bottom design with rotating slit disk and agitator blades, together with the opposed pulse jet mechanism and ability to inject liquid at different positions, makes it a highly versatile unit, allowing control of not only the particle size, but shape, density and other characteristics. Accurate process control is achieved through a PC/PLC-based control system and SCADA system.
By using different internals, processes such as agglomeration of fine powders, micro-coating of fine powders, micro-agglomeration, spray fluid bed agglomeration of a liquid-phase feedstock (suspension or slurry) can be achieved in one step, as well as drying and cooling of filter cake. Units are available with batch sizes of 0.2 litres for laboratory applications up to 1000-litre production sizes.
www.hosokawa.co.uk
Station minimises waste and cleaning
A new manual dumping station has been launched by Flexicon (Europe) Ltd, featuring an integral flexible screw conveyor. Designed to collect dust generated during manual dumping of powders and bulk materials from bags, boxes, drums and other containers, the station is intended to reduce material waste, eliminate cleaning of a remote dust collection site, protect operatives from dust inhalation and prevent plant contamination.
A high velocity vacuum fan draws airborne dust through two cartridge filters which utilise reverse pulse cleaning to ensure continuous and efficient operation. Filters are easily accessed by removing an interior baffle and rapidly replaced using quick-disconnect fittings. All types of material can be handled by the flexible screw conveyor, ranging from large pellets to sub-micron powders including products that pack, cake, seize, smear, fluidise, break apart or separate.
For in-plant mobility, the system can be mounted on frames with boom and castors and there is the option of stainless steel construction to meet food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards. Hoppers can also be configured to connect to pneumatic conveyors or process equipment.
www.flexicon.com
PIAB launches new vacuum conveyors
PIAB, a leader in industrial vacuum technology, has announced the global launch of its IC Series of vacuum conveyors. Due to be unveiled at the forthcoming PPMA show in Birmingham, UK, and at the Powtech exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, the new series is designed to deliver high performance, energy efficient automated material handling in a variety of manufacturing environments. A key feature is PIAB's patented COAX® multi-stage ejector technology - said to consume less energy than other compressed air driven technology on the market.
Suitable for transporting flakes, pellets and powders in a variety of applications, such as painting, textile colouring, water purification, rubber mixing and tile moulding, the IC series has been developed to safely convey virtually all types of material. An enclosed design protects users from inhaling potentially harmful ingredients whilst preventing actual damage to materials.
Constructed in high grade steel, the unit is able to cope with the most demanding circumstances, incorporating a novel filter design that traps particles to prevent dust and contamination. Compactness is another feature, providing an alternative to belt or screw conveyers in situations where factory floor space is at a premium. Three different models provide conveying rates up to 2,000 kg per hour, depending on size, conveying distance and material handled.
www.piab.com
Maximising jet mill efficiency
Unlike other jet mills, Alpine AFG relies purely on particle-to-particle attrition in the centre of a fluidised bed of material. By focusing three or more compressed gas jet nozzles into the milling chamber, particles are accelerated to produce intense particle-to-particle interaction. This means that wear and product contamination problems are minimised as particles do not pass down the high velocity nozzle jets.
Control of product particle size is by a variable speed air classifier installed in the upper part of the mill. Only particles of the desired size exit the mill with oversize returned to the grinding zone.
The result is gentle low temperature processing of material and a product with a steep particle size distribution and minimum ultrafines. Mills can be designed to process sticky, hard to process materials and there are single or multi-wheel configurations depending on the particular process. For abrasive materials, ceramic linings are available.
In terms of economy, the mill is said to consume up to 50 per cent less energy than conventional jet mills and is quiet in operation with a noise level of less than 85dB(A). Thirteen standard machines are offered with air volumes from 50 to 11,500 cu m per hr and with four variations available. Customised designs can be supplied for specific applications such as pressure shock proof, CIP and SIP operation.
Currently, around 600 AFG mills are operating worldwide in areas such as minerals, pharmaceuticals, powder paints, food and chemicals.
www.hosokawa.co.uk
Improved tablet press lubrication
The K-Tron Feeder Group is now offering a tablet press lubricant feeder, adapted from its sanitary pharmaceutical design twin-screw feeder. A special gas venturi provides aspiration of lubricant (such as magnesium stearate) directly to the tablet press. Both volumetric and gravimetric (loss-in-weight) feeder versions are offered with portable models available.
Lubricant usage, so essential in reducing compression force during tabletting to avoid product buildup on press tools and to make tablet surfaces smooth and assure product quality, is precisely controlled in the unit. Too much lubricant in a tablet can make it softer than required, particularly critical when producing effervescent tablets, where excessive magnesium stearate may actually cause the tablet to repel water, so affecting dissolution in water.
K-Tron says that by using the new feeder, lubricant can be metered directly to the tablet press tools, instead of adding it to the mixer, drastically reducing lubricant consumption, in some cases by as much as 97 per cent, it is said. The automated, nearly constant feed rate, also provides uniform coating of tablet tools and avoids sticking problems. Benefits are said to include reduced consumption of stearate and improved product quality. The gravimetric model enables validation of product mass flow and ensures higher accuracy.
www.ktron.com
At-line particle size analyser package
Malvern’s At-line approach to particle size analysis offers users taking manual measurements the benefits of robust online technology, with the ability to upgrade to a full online system at a later stage.
Their latest offering, the Insitec APS At-line powder sizer, allows automated measurements to be made close to the process line using a rugged and proven industrial particle size analyser that can measure large sample volumes at relatively high concentrations and throughputs.
The new package is based on the award-winning Insitec Voyager, a self-contained mobile plug-and-play device that can be moved around a plant for use on different process lines or to sample at various points in the same stream. No dedicated sample ports are required as there is a pneumatic dry dispersion unit for sample presentation, operated manually or automatically, which can be interfaced with existing sampling systems at the user's site.
Two packages are available, one for automated laboratory system integrators and a second which includes a simple graphical user interface enabling plant operators to make production measurements of the whole sample ie sub-sampling is not required. Results can be easily exported to plant control and information systems using Malvern's OPC server software package.
Features such as active window purging and ceramic lining of all high velocity sample paths are designed to extend service intervals and there are no complex sample preparation or disposal procedures.
www.malps.com
Low profile batching system
A new weigh batching system, particularly suitable for mezzanines and other low headroom areas, is available from Flexicon (Europe) Ltd. Height and width requirements at the discharge end are significantly reduced by using low profile flexible screw conveyors configured with motor drives at the inlet end of the conveyor.
The automated system comprises eight conveyors fed by roof-mounted storage vessels, with each group of four conveyors feeding either one of two gain-in-weight hoppers that are able to gravity discharge through a mezzanine floor to a ribbon blender at ground level. A system controller starts and stops each conveyor to weigh ingredients sequentially, first at high feed rate for rapid filling, then at dribble feed rate, with system software automatically compensating for in-flight material. Material flow is stopped once the hopper batch weight is reached.
A slide gate valve on the weigh hopper in use is then opened by the controller, discharging the batch into the ribbon blender before closing. Once total evacuation has been achieved, the system is ready to receive a subsequent batch, allowing a concurrent weighing/mixing sequence which halves cycle time.
Enclosed and dust-free, the conveyors are able to handle products ranging from sub-micron powders to large pellets, including materials that pack, cake, plug, seize, smear or fluidise, with no separation of blended products. The only moving part in contact with material is a flexible inner screw, and the removable screw and tube interior are smooth and crevice-free, allowing rapid and thorough cleaning.
www.flexicon.com
Pneumatic elevator alternative
Chronos Richardson say that their Pneumatic Elevator is increasingly replacing both traditional pneumatic and mechanical intake systems in rubber mixing plants. The high throughput requirements of such plants means that they are receiving deliveries of powdered ingredients such as carbon black and other fillers in bulk road and rail tankers.
Using fluidisation technology, the system offers a viable alternative, transporting materials from the intake point to storage silos/vessels via enclosed conveying lines and dedicated feeders. The low headroom nature of the design ensures that the system can be utilised in both new and existing plants.
Operating in batch or continuous mode, the system is capable of sustained long term operation at throughputs greater than 20 tph (material bulk densities in the 300 - 650kg per cu m range). Self-optimising control routines ensure maximum operating integrity and safety for each material, whatever the throughput requirement. Uncomplicated design aims to minimise dust and simplify ongoing maintenance and servicing.
With the correct preventative maintenance regime in place, Chronos says that the system can help reduce operating costs in comparison with mechanical bucket elevators.
• Chronos Richardson Systems Europe, Materials Processing Solutions is a Business Unit of the Industrial Equipment Group of Premier Tech Canada
Fri May 27 09:59:54 2005
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