Injecting flexible solutions into Pharma

Competitive advantage, efficiency and best practice are driving factors within most manufacturing industries and the pharmaceutical industry is no different. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and their CMO’s (Contract Manufacturing Organisations) are striving for slimmer manufacturing operations, quicker laboratory turnarounds and scalable operations. Increasingly, they are using the principles of single-use systems and designing modular facilities to do this.

The advantages of single-use systems are becoming widely recognised across the industry. From research and development stage, to clinical trials and increasingly large-scale commercial manufacturing too. The concept behind single-use systems is that the equipment is designed to be used once (or for a single manufacturing operation) and then discarded. The components for manufacturing are primarily made of plastic which has been sterilised. This means expensive cleaning and sterilising is not necessary, and for smaller scale operations costly plumbing and fixed equipment does not need to be installed. With less of a requirement for the installation of expensive infrastructure, companies can reduce their manufacturing footprint and reduce their costs.

Manufacturer’s see the benefits single-use systems are bringing and are increasingly turning to modular facilities. With large, heavy equipment mounted on castors – Process Engineers are often moving this equipment around manually. The balancing act of stringent cleanliness standards, awkward heavy loads and the high value nature of the industry mean manufacturers need to implement appropriate handling solutions to avoid costly damage to equipment and accidents.

With this approach, the presence of the historical large scale fixed stainless steel processing equipment is being questioned. While the case for this equipment is not out of the door yet, the single-use processing systems are already taking over in many parts of the industry.

What are the benefits of this and where do I fit in?

Wheels - lots of them

The move to single-use systems boasts flexibility and modularity. As such, much of the equipment facilitating single-use systems is fitted with castors or wheels. Totes, single-use mixer carts and chromatography columns are now fully mobile and installed with castors. Whilst the loads are on castors, making handling easier – the weight of pharmaceutical equipment can often be in excess of 1,000kg. The practicality of moving heavy weights like this on a regular basis is questionable. From a safety and efficiency perspective this approach is simply not viable, and could offset the benefits modular single-use facilities bring. Designed with pharmaceutical lab suites in mind, MasterMover’s range of stainless-steel tugs allow the safe movement of wheeled equipment within the pharmaceutical industry. Reducing the strain on lab staff and allowing a single operator to safely move single-use equipment.

Modular & Mobile – Change lab configurations with ease

The principles of modular and mobile labs align closely single-use equipment and the use of electric tugs, allowing facilities of all sizes to be reactive and be prepared for new manufacturing requirements. Tugs allow the quick, controlled handling of wheeled equipment making switching lab configurations a simple task. Single operators can safely handle heavy chromatography columns in areas where space is at a premium, allowing other staff to focus on production activities.

Efficiency – A balancing act

Poor material handling practices mean efficiency and productivity benefits gained through single-use are counteracted by inefficient handling, taking excess time to move loads. Through utilising the correct equipment, manufacturers can optimise their processes to reduce operating costs, damage to high value equipment and in extreme cases, avoid costly compensation claims.

What now?

“I have fixed equipment that needs moving for cleaning and production turnarounds, what can I do?” Most manufacturers of fixed equipment offer wheel kits as additional extras that can be purchased and retrofitted to allow fixed equipment to become mobile. Alternatively, there are many companies on the market offering wheel sets that can be fitted to equipment whilst complying with different clean-room grades.

“We use single-use systems and have mobile items that are difficult to move manually” We provide safer, ergonomic solutions into pharmaceutical manufacturers of all shapes and sizes globally. Get in touch to discuss how you could improve the handling of your equipment.

“We’re in the early stages of designing a facility, is now the right time to consider how items will be moved?” There is no better time to assess processes and set-ups of operations than the initial design stage. Having worked alongside some of the industry’s leading project management firms, we’re experienced in working with specifiers to optimise process design and facility layout.

Whether you are working as a consultant, process engineer or lab technician in an existing or concept facility, get in touch to discuss how we can assist in present and future handling solutions.

Follow us at MasterMover Asia for more insight into our work with the pharmaceutical sector.

Lucy Cresswell - MasterMover Asia

References:

American Pharmaceutical Review, 2018 - Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing is Shifting to Single-Use Systems. Are the Dinosaurs, the Large Stainless Steel Facilities, Becoming Extinct?

Pharmaceutical Online, 2018 - Single-Use Systems: The Benefits, The Challenges, And Selection Considerations

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