>>>> automate

with air
Edited by Paul J. Heney, senior editor

A bitter pill
Compressed air systems are the secret to many successful medical applications.

is taken on by pneumatics
ts easy to overlook the complexities of manufacturing pharmaceuticals while gazing at the seemingly endless rows of over the counter drugs at the average drugstore. But in addition to the arduous research and testing work that goes into each new drug, scientists also use ESH compaction simulators to model the mechani-

cal behavior of pharmaceutical powders during the compaction process of getting it into pill shape. ESH simulators are used extensively during the development of new commercial drugs, and can also be employed as test stations to investigate production issues. Throughput is rarely an issue most machines have a typical output rate of just one or two tablets per minute but the important criteria are ease of use, simple parameter adjustment, the flexibility to accommodate a wide variety of tablet types and formulations, and above all, high accuracy repeatability. When Huxley Bertram Engineering, Cottersham, U.K., developed its latest ESH compaction simulator, it chose to completely update the electronics and control software and to implement a number of innovative design features, including a new three-hopper feed system to facilitate production of multi-layer tablets. The hoppers are driven into position by pneumatic cylinders controlled by valve terminals, and are fitted with vacuum ports to suck away any excess pharmaceutical powder and keep the die-plate clean. Huxley Bertrams new ESH compaction simulator incorporates two high speed closed-loop servohydraulic actuators mounted on crossheads, controlled by a dual-channel digital system linked to a computer-based HMI (human machine interface). The software enables a wide variety of production parameters to be measured including humidity, ambient temperature, die temperature, punch temperature, and die wall pressure.

22 Hydraulics & Pneumatics December 2007

>>>> automate

with air

The simulator is constructed extensively from stainless steel to allow easy cleaning between different trial batches. The new powder hoppers can be gravity fed or fitted with stirrers, are expressly designed for easy removal and cleaning, and can operate with as little as 5 grams of powder. For multi-layer tablet production, the simulator can be equipped with up to three hoppers, each of which is driven into place above the systems die-plate by a pair of pneumatic cylinders. The cylinders vacuum control valve subsystem and associated air preparation equipment was developed specifically for the application by Festo Corp., Fleet, U.K. According to William Bertram, Managing Director of Huxley Bertram, Our original ESH compaction simulator was a four-pillar system, whereas the new one is a two-pillar design that has a much smaller footprint on the laboratory floor. Using compact pneumatic cylinders for powder hopper positioning has enabled us to minimise the systems work envelope, and with Festos help we have implemented a very flexible control approach. Most tabletting simulators on the market use cam-driven compression tooling, requiring the system to be mechanically reset whenever there is a change of tablet type. Our new design provides a much more flexible solution the entire compaction cycle is programmable, allowing very precise control and fast changeover to different tablet formulations. And the ability to bring any of three powder hoppers into play at the drop of a hat adds considerable value to the process. In operation, the powder used to make the tablets is loaded into one or more hoppers, which are then sequentially driven into and out of position above the die-plate in the centre of the machine. The powder falls into the die and the hopper is retracted, whilst a vacuum nozzle is energised to ensure that any loose

powder is removed from the dieplate. At this stage, the powder sits flush with the die table, and its level is checked by a laser sensor with a resolution of better than 0.1mm. The shaped die and upper and lower punches define the finished dimensions of the tablet. The servo-controlled hydraulic actuators located above and below the die are capable of providing up to 50 kN of controllable compression forces, and are equipped with axially-mounted precision load cells and two LVDT (linear variable differential transformer) devices to provide feedback on distance travelled. After compaction, the tablet is ejected into an output carousel,

which is sized according to the type of tablets being produced a typical unit would have 36 pockets. The carousel is driven by a stepper motor with an integral encoder, enabling individual pockets to be identified and tracked for quality control purposes. Huxley Bertram believes that its new ESH compaction simulator sets a new paradigm for flexible, easyto-use pharmaceutical laboratory equipment. For more information, contact Nicola Meadway of Festo Ltd. at nicola_meadway@festo.com or Huxley Bertram Engineering Ltd. at info@huxleybertram.com

20:20 vision on automation

S
ystem integrator Barr & Paatz has produced what is believed to be the first fully-automated contact lens manufacturing machine. Developed for Clearlab, the international supplier of daily disposable lenses, the new type of machinery integrates a complete lens manufacturing process from injection molding to foil packaging into a footprint just 8 m2. Moreover, by using highly flexible robotic handling arms to transfer products between the process stages, the machine can produce more than 24 million lenses a year. With seven major stations required to m e e t C l e a rlabs process requirements injection molding of a cast, plastic d o s i n g , t wo stages of curing, hydration, packaging,and a u t o c l av i n g the physical size of the automation process was critical. Our focus in designing this machine was on implementing the best and smallest technical solution, says Stirling Paatz of Barr & Paatz.
Below, the ready-integrated HSP handling unit is employed for high-speed pick-and-place, moving lens pallets between conveyors with the aid of a vacuum head. Right, pneumatic grippers pick carriers off the conveyor, so that they can be rotated to ensure an even distribution of the plastic monomer.

24 Hydraulics & Pneumatics November 2007

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.