Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Archives

July 2, 2022July 3, 2022

Is Your Industrial Dust Collector Equipment Sufficient?

Industrial Dust Collector The Right Equipment

Is the industrial dust collector for your dust collection system efficient enough to handle the needs of your business manufacturing and material handling systems? Dust is a common byproduct of industrial processes and can present a serious health and safety hazard if not properly controlled. Dust can also be explosive! Great care in the design and supply of industrial dust collection systems needs to be taken, and the right industrial dust collector equipment is a critical part of that system. Dust particles can be breathed in, causing respiratory problems, or they can accumulate on surfaces and create slip-and-fall hazards. In addition, dust can interfere with the proper functioning of equipment, leading to production downtime.

An industrial dust collector is a device that helps to control industrial dust. It works by capturing dust particles from the air and then either storing them or disposing of them. There are many different types of industrial dust collectors available, and the best type for a particular application will depend on the nature of the dust and the industrial process. For example, cyclonic separators are often used for heavy-duty applications such as sawdust removal, while baghouses are better suited for capturing fine particles. Proper industrial dust collection is essential for maintaining a safe and productive workplace.

HaF Equipment manufactures some of the most reliable and affordable industrial dust collectors on the market. Our products are designed to meet the specific needs of your workplace, and our team is always available to help you choose the right model for your needs. HaF Equipment has the perfect solution for you whether you need a small, portable unit or a larger machine for your particular industrial dust collection needs.

Read about the different types of industrial dust collectors that HaF supplies in our article, Industrial Dust Collection: Why The Right Equipment Matters.

Typical material handling equipment that require dust collection control:

Bulk Bag Filler

A Bulk Bag Filler is a standard piece of equipment in manufacturing. It is used to package a wide range of dry powders and granulated and flaked materials into bulk bags (also known as totes, super sacks, or big bags). They are engineered for bulk material processing and packaging applications requiring high-performance operation, where reliable and repeatable duty cycles, rates, accuracy, and equipment effectiveness are crucial. They can be designed to operate as either manual or automated systems.

Using HaF Bulk Bag Fillers, the operator loads a bag into the filler station and inflates the inflatable boot, creating a seal to hold the bag in place for filling. The filler head is equipped with a vacuum port connected to a dust collection system (such as the systems that HaF supplies!) and is used to pull out the dust created while filling. Inside the filler head, an internal baffle goes below the vacuum port, causing the product to fall into the bag while forcing the air to make a 180 turn. This pulls the air out of the bag without pulling any product.

Portable Dust Collector - HaF Eqiupment — Portable Dust Collector – HaF Equipment

Truck Unload Systems

Unloading a semi-trailer of raw ingredients into a storage silo is another process that requires dust collection. The semi-trailer often comes equipped with an onboard positive displacement blower package that pressure-conveys product into the silo. Because both product and air are being blown into the silo, a lot of dust is created and needs to be pulled out of the system.

HaF has designed an operator-friendly bin vent that is used on top of the silo to create an effective filtration point where powder stays in the system and clean air exits the bin vent. The bin vent is a dust collection apparatus because it is used to cleanly release the air from within the silo back into the atmosphere. This is achieved by using filters that stop the product from leaving as the air escapes. The bin vents are sometimes equipped with a fan mount. This allows a fan to be added later for applications where air needs to escape faster. This system keeps the dust from escaping out of the top of the silo. Once an unload cycle is complete, the filter bags are back pulsed with compressed air to keep them clean and clear of dust. System Integration Unloading and Silo Systems.

Bulk Bag Unloaders

Bulk Bag Unloaders are used to unload product from super sacks (also known as big bags or totes) into the system. Untying a bulk bag can be a dusty process for operators, and like the bulk bag filler, it is important to contain the dust so that it does not enter the plant or the atmosphere. The bulk bag unloader has either a receptor tube or a discharge spout with a glovebox for operator access. Which type depends on the application and customer preference. Again, like the bulk bag filler, this is equipped with a vacuum port connected to a central dust collection system that HaF can design and supply. The HaF Dust Collection System is used to pull out the dust created when the operator has the door open. There needs to be a slight draft so that powder does not fly into the face of the operator. HaF has included a custom-designed baffle to prevent the product and the bag from being pulled in. The dust collection system is activated when the operator opens the door and disengages the safety sensor on the discharge spout. It turns off when the door is closed so that product can resume flowing. In this way, HaF has automated the dust collection process to ensure a clean environment for operators.

Bag Break Stations

To add 50-lb bags of material into the system, operators use Bag Break Stations. Bag Break Stations require effective dust collection when the operator is opening bags. HaF has designed the bag break stations to work with dust collection systems so that a slight vacuum is pulled to prevent dusting while operators empty bags into the hopper. Once the operator closes the door, the dust collection system stops, and the filter bags are pulsed to remain clean and clear of dust.

Summary:

Dust collection is a critical step in the manufacturing process. By collecting dust before it has a chance to enter the atmosphere, dust collection systems help to keep the air clean and safe to breathe. In addition, dust collection systems help prevent the spread of dust particles throughout the factory, which can lead to equipment malfunctions, production delays, and, worse, plant explosions. By investing in high-quality dust collection systems, manufacturers can help protect their workers and their bottom line

Contact a HaF account manager today to discuss your options.

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February 16, 2022February 18, 2022

Segregation Challenges in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

by: August Jorgensen and Brandon Johnson

The pharma industry is one of the largest growing markets due to advances in biotechnologies and market shifts from Covid-19. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most challenging industries to design equipment for because of the sanitary requirements, government regulations, material/ingredient properties, (and hard-to-pronounce words). The food industry can be a good starting point with some similarities in hygienic design and regulations. Still, the material characteristic difficulties are unique, causing segregation challenges in pharmaceutical manufacturing that cannot be overlooked.

Industrial plants can often be dirty with carbon black in every nook and cranny (at no fault to the plant – carbon is messy!) On the other hand, food plants can be enjoyable to walk into with a cleaner environment. Often, there is an aroma of sweets or familiar foods. While you can get away with unsanitary environments in industrial plants, or the sights and aromatic smells in food plants, this would be unacceptable in the pharma industry due to the potency of ingredients. If you walk into a pharma plant and see any indication of by-products on the ground or smell the aroma of an ingredient, you could be at risk of ingesting harmful levels of potent ingredients.

Pharmaceuticals Ingredients

There are many unique ingredients and common ingredients in the Pharmaceutical Industry (Pharma Manufacturing).

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)
An example of an API is acetylsalicylic acid, commonly found in aspirin. Or Atorvastatin Calcium, which can be found in Lipitor. These powders are critical to the end product i.e., medication, that a person needs.

A correctly designed pneumatic conveying system is crucial to handling these ingredients. Whether it’s a hospital or dietary supplement company, if they’re making their products with the right ingredients and handling system then consumers will have no problem using them. Pneumatic conveying systems are crucial for transporting materials in an efficient manner which leads to better quality end products.

If a material handling system is not designed correctly, then the breakdown or contamination of the product can cause damaging repercussions.

Excipients
In many of the medications consumers take, fillers or binders are added to the API to help round out the medication. These fillers are called Excipients. Designing a well-functioning, efficient system to handle these excipients is just as critical, or even more critical, than handling the API.

An example of an excipient is Sorbitol, which is found in antibiotics another is Starch found in pain-reliever over-the-counter medications. Corn, Sodium Starch Glycolate, Pregelatinized (cooked and dried), Cellulose, Hydroxypropyl (water and organic solubility), Microcrystalline, Calcium carbonate, Candelilla wax, Croscarmellose sodium, NF, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, Colloidal Anhydrous Silica, Gelatin, Titanium Dioxide, Lactose are also common powders. These excipients and others are found in many of the common medications used by American consumers.

The consequences of a material handling system that is not designed correctly can be devastating. From the loss of product and time to potential injury or even death – it’s important that these systems are precisely designed with safety in mind from day one!

Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a Carbohydrate (sugar alcohol) that behaves very similarly to sugar. HaF Equipment has installed many sugar handling systems. They are tricky. A few of the challenges is that Sorbitol is Hygroscopic, Combustible, and is Poor-flowing! Every surface, every hopper, every transfer point needs to be reviewed and designed with expert precision.

Cellulose
Cellulose is a common excipient. It is 0dorless, white, and fibrous. The fibrous structure of cellulose particles and the fact that cellulose is very fine and light causes many challenges when trying to transfer cellulose and ensure you don’t have a dust cloud in your plant!

Using pressurized air to move cellulose only packs the particles tighter and tends to plug. Also, when a plug forms, the backpressure in the system increases, and the chances of a dust cloud increase. Not good. The alternative is a vacuum convey system. Instead of packing the particles together, a vacuum system pulls them apart and allows them to flow. And guess what, with a vacuum system, if there are any leaks in the piping system, air leaks INTO the system, instead of cellulose blowing OUT OF the system.

Titanium Dioxide
A very difficult to handle excipient is Titanium Dioxide. TiO2 is used in pharmaceuticals as a pigment. It is also used in most sunscreens, like zinc oxide. Although this powder is a common ingredient in medication, it is difficult to handle. Titanium Dioxide is easy to compact because it has adhesive-like properties. The result is that when TiO2 is stored in a vessel, it can bridge (meaning it does free flow out of the vessel discharge point), rathole (meaning it sticks to the sidewalls of a vessel and the whole middle column empties while the other material stays in the vessel), and segregate (meaning various particle sizes separate inside a hopper). Great care is needed when handling TiO2.

Common Segregation Challenges

When handling ingredients, every powder and liquid has unique properties; bulk density, particle shape, particle size, aeration capacity, etc., all impact how the powder behaves.

Segregation of particles in a system can cause many challenges from plugging in the hopper, buildup, and inconsistent batch integrity. There are several ways that segregation can occur.

When the powder enters a storage hopper, segregation can occur as fine powders accumulate at the top. The powder particles are fluidized, and the lighter materials float to the top. The storage hopper is now full of a non-homogenous mixture of powder particles.

Fine particles have lower permeability than coarse and retain air longer. This is common for mixtures below 100µm in size, making them more difficult to vent or filter out when high rates are used (as opposed to low).

Dusting (Segregation)
Dusting is an example of particle entrapment. The dusting process occurs when larger particles separate from a mixture because of their slower settling speed and is seen more often with mixes below 50microns.

Sifting (Segregation)
Sifting Segregation is the sifting phenomena that causes segregation to occur in a lateral, or side-to-side motion. When this happens, fines (lighter materials) collect in the center under the point of impact, coarse particles roll off the pile and locate on the sides. Small particles move through a matrix of larger ones, and then segregation occurs. It happens when the difference in particle size is greater than 2:1, and the large average particle size is greater than 500µm and free-flowing.

The Challenge of Degradation

A spray-dried powder or a delicate powder structure needs to be handled gently. Yet, it can be a challenge because the system has to be gentle while transferring the necessary API or excipient powder from one part of the plant to the other and do it fast enough to keep up production rates! So, how is this done?

The key is to handle the powder at low velocities. It is possible to use compressed air and move the powder very slowly. Dense Phase Pneumatic Conveying technology is one of the best and most efficient ways.

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Summary

With the growing demand for pharmaceutical manufacturing, precise material handling is more important than ever. HaF’s material handling equipment for pharmaceuticals is engineered to handle your pharmaceutical powders and materials with precision and accuracy. With our equipment, you’ll be able to optimize your production process and ensure that you’re meeting the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

CONTACT US today to discuss your pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment needs.

You may also like: Material Handling in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

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About HaF Equipment

HaF is a Minnesota-based company with employees spread out across the USA and capabilities world-wide. We’re ready to support your manufacturing industry needs no matter where you live or what type of industry – we’ve got our finger on the pulse Ready to Connect.

For more information about how we can help you meet your goals, don’t hesitate to call us at (651) 653-5098, or complete the Contact Form on our website.

February 4, 2022February 18, 2022

Material Handling in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

by Michael Thiel and Sarah Wagner

The pharmaceutical industry is constantly changing and evolving, but how the pandemic affects it can be different from one year to another. There are no clear answers about what’s next; what is clear is that this is not an ideal situation, and companies need to keep up and be ready to change to remain relevant.

Fortune Business Insights describes the change in the pharmaceutical landscape and the upcoming continual growth – “The global OTC Drugs market is projected to grow from $157.0 billion in 2021 to $233.6 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 5.8% in forecast period, 2021-2028.

With the ever-changing times, material handling is critical for a pharmaceutical company to adapt quickly and stay on top of the changes.

What are Pharmeceuticals?

The word “pharmaceutical” is an umbrella term for all medicines. It’s a very broad category that brings to mind many different images and thoughts from over-the-counter drugs to liquid medication.

Why Material Handling in Pharmaceuticals Matters

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing is an important part of the American economy and involves prescription drugs, hospital products, high-security drugs, small batch operations, decontamination rooms, syringes, narcotics, vaccinations, and more.

Material handling in pharmaceuticals is a critical component to ensuring the safe and timely delivery of products – of both dry and liquid ingredients.

Having the correct Material Handling System for production is essential for reliability and business success.

The Material Handling Process in Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Pharma Manufacturing) is the process of large-scale (anything greater than lab-scale) production of pharmaceutical drugs as part of the pharmaceutical industry. The process of drug manufacturing includes many steps and unit operations, such as:

bulk bag unloading (e.g. super sacks)
small bag station (e.g. 50-Lb. Bags)
drum tipping stations (e.g. unloading drums)
pneumatic conveying systems (e.g. vacuum dilute phase)
filter receivers
surge hoppers
feeders
pumps
sifters
mills
granulators
dryers
chillers
packaging equipment.

Material Handling Systems in Pharma Manufacturing

When designing a Material Handling System for pharmaceutical manufacturing, it is essential to understand the ingredients, like the powders, involved. In Pharma Manufacturing, the handled materials are typically either an API or an Excipient.

What is an API? The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is the potent active ingredient. Sometimes, the medication taken has a very small amount of API. The rest of the medication consists of necessary fillers. The “active pharmaceutical ingredient” (API) is any substance or blend of materials used in a finished pharmaceutical product (FPP)

What is an Excipient? Excipients are non-active ingredients and are often called bulking agents, fillers, or binders. The non-active ingredients can help with long term stability and potency in small amounts by acting as buffers to the formulation’s active components.

The Importance of Sanitary Design

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring that the quality and design of equipment used in pharmaceutical manufacturing protects consumers. The Material Handling System must meet their standards in order to be approved and sold in American markets, but it’s important not only to understand how they think-you need an expert who knows what will work.

There are various levels of sanitary design in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, and sometimes documentation is required for certain equipment.

Design Philosophy of Sanitary Design

The equipment designer and supplier need to produce sound, sanitary products. Using a tool-free-quick-take-apart design philosophy helps to ensure this.

Though it is the customer’s specification that provide the level of sanitary design, typical materials used are stainless steel with finishes ranging from 304ss or 316-grade. The material finish should be to the level of a 2B or #4 finish. The welds would need to be ground flush and polished to a 20-32 ra.

The design philosophy of sanitary equipment considers the interior and exterior surfaces of the equipment. Minimizing any opportunity for dust or powder buildup on the exterior surface of the equipment must be considered. This is achieved by limiting horizontal surfaces so that dust and powder cannot collect. Interior surfaces are critical because that is where the ingredient is handled. Interior designs considerations include how easy it is to clean and a good line of sight.

When designing surge hoppers and vessels, the top of vessels should utilize domed or round tops to help prevent buildup. Control enclosures should be slope top. Support legs on vessels should be tucked under so that there are no ledges where support meets the main body and could harbor dust.

We have many more design considerations for every piece of equipment we design. If you want to know what those are, please CONTACT US, and let’s discuss in greater detail.

Dry Material Handling Equipment for Production Scale

Hoist and Trolley Bulk Bag Unloader

The Hoist and Trolley Bulk Bag Unloader is engineered for perfect operator interface, unloading performance, and safety.

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Horizontal Load Filter Receiver

(Moovinator) is great for facilities that have head height constraints as the bags can be removed horizontally, requiring less elevation height.

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Bag Break Station

Our self-contained Bag Break Station is excellent for dust removal and remote bag breaks.

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Operator Exposure Limits (OEL’s)

The importance of maintaining a safe work environment for operators cannot be understated. The Operator Exposure Limits (OEL) is what ensures that daily shifts go smoothly without major issues or injuries.

Generally, the pharmaceutical industry establishes internal occupational exposure limits at or below 10 µg/m3 as an eight-hour time-weighted average for highly potent drugs. The ratings for OEL’s are described in bands – Occupational Exposure Bands (OEB’s).

Learn more on the Pharmaceutical Guidelines Websites.

Dust Hazard Analysis and Explosion Mitigation Equipment

The HaF team has a proven process for evaluating the hazards in your system design and providing you with best practices to ensure safety. Mentioning Kst or Pmax values is not enough. During our Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) we walk through the process and system design with you to truly understand what’s happening at every stage of production and consult on the best approaches to design a safe and reliable system.

Summary

When designing equipment for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (the pharmaceutical market) many factors need to be considered. At HaF, we have a passion for equipment design and sanitary applications. Our design philosophy is summed up as “Tool-Free -Quick-Take-Apart®”.

HaF cares about the operator that will use our equipment for years to come. CONTACT US today to discuss your pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment needs.

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About HaF Equipment

For more information about how we can help you meet your goals, don’t hesitate to call us at (651) 653-5098, or complete the Contact Form on our website.

Typical material handling equipment that require dust collection control:

Bulk Bag Filler

Truck Unload Systems

Bulk Bag Unloaders

Bag Break Stations

Pharmaceuticals Ingredients

Common Segregation Challenges

The Challenge of Degradation

About HaF Equipment

What are Pharmeceuticals?

Why Material Handling in Pharmaceuticals Matters

The Material Handling Process in Pharmaceuticals

Material Handling Systems in Pharma Manufacturing

The Importance of Sanitary Design

About HaF Equipment

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System Integration

Pneumatic Conveying

Mechanical Conveying

Bulk Bag Unloaders

Ready To Go Equipment

Feeders

Air Pollution Control

Dust Collection

Liquid Handling

All Equipments

System Integration

Pneumatic Conveying

Mechanical Conveying

Bulk Bag Unloaders

Ready To Go Equipment

Feeders

Air Pollution Control

Dust Collection

Liquid Handling