NEWSLETTER
ISSUE
Jan to Mar, 2019 Volume 7
Automatic Loading and Unloading in Terminal Sterilizers
In an era where safety has become the norm and manual work can get tedious and expensive, Pharmalab brings you the new Automatic Loading and Unloading system. This system is specifically designed for terminal sterilizers where the carriages and trolleys are loaded with large and heavy loads. Typically, superheated water spray sterilizer chambers are long (minimum 20 feet) where moving the entire load into the sterilizer and pulling the last carriage out becomes a cumbersome and painful job. This is more so for operators who use the conventional puller bar arrangement, particularly under extreme temperature conditions. Other areas of concern for end-users are operator safety and increased manpower intervention. Conventional systems are available in the market today but they come with the inherent problem of maintenance due to design. The components of this system are installed partially inside the sterilizer chamber and partially outside. To effectively integrate the complete system, it necessitates the provision of a sealing arrangement like Mechanical seal or gland packing. These sealing arrangements comes with parts like bearings, oil seal and other mechanical components which are a major cause for maintenance.
To give a comprehensive solution of loading & unloading systems, Pharmalab has ingeniously developed an automated system which is customizable to the desired size for a superheated water spray and ventilator sterilizer.
Primarily, Pharmalab’s automatic loading and unloading system is designed to have all its components outside the sterilizer chamber. This arrangement reduces maintenance. The construction consists of a rigid structure made in SS304 and operated with rod-less pneumatic cylinders which minimizes the overall length. Operation is controlled with a dedicated control panel consisting of minimum components which operates with pneumatically operated solenoid controls. The panel is placed ergonomically for operator convenience and effective operation. Carriages are pushed inside the chamber sequentially by the pneumatic cylinder mechanism. These carriages then automatically get interconnected in a boogie type arrangement inside the sterilizer chamber. This guarantees no collisions or override of the carriages. After sterilization, the train of carriages are pulled out together till the sterilizer door. From there, individual carriages are transferred onto the track. This complete operation, including the attaching and detaching of the carriage, is automated to minimize operator intervention, manpower requirement and increased operator safety. Pharmalab offers this system with the equipment and as an additional feature to the existing system on our customer site. This solution is available for both, i.e. Floor Mounting and Trolley Mounting.
For further queries, please contact us at pharmalab@pharmalab.com
Motorized Hinged Door with In-built Locking system for Steam Sterilizer
Integrity and Ease of operation – Play an important role in good pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment. This feature affects factors like production quality and productivity of operations. In a sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, Steam Sterilizer is one of the important equipments. Therefore, productivity of the sterilizer and quality of the output is important. Normally, in a manufacturing facility with space constraint, a sterilizer with a hinged door is a preferred option. Conventionally, hinged door sterilizers come with a shooting bolt arrangement operated with a pneumatically actuated cylinder. Over a period of usage, the welded joint of the locking plate (used to lock shooting bolts) are found to weaken. Secondly, this design requires a larger foot print for the same volumetric capacity of the sterilizer. Aesthetically, the shooting bolts design door is less appealing and has issues on acceptability, especially in sterile areas, as this door comes with cavities and corners, accumulating dust and bacteria. This becomes difficult to clean and validate.
At Pharmalab, we always believe in working closely with our customers. Based on customer feedback, we decided to upgrade our sterilizer door operation. The aim was to make the door operation easier and more sophisticated, in addition to overcoming the above mentioned concerns. Our R & D team worked relentlessly on the same and their efforts realized with the creation of a motorized Hinged Door with an in-built locking arrangement.
The Motorized Hinged door is designed to yield a comprehensive solution on ease of operation, rigid locking, and aesthetics with a cGMP approach. In addition, this design offers gasket safety, reliability of door operation, and reduces the maintenance cost. The door operation is sophisticated with an automatic locking and unlocking arrangement, which is activated with the push of a button once placed in the close position. The assembly is equipped with sensors and interlocking switches to ensure the safe closing & locking of the door.
