Customised Contained Sieving Machine For Accurate & Reliable Pharmaceutical Applications

Phil Black - PII Editor 21/02/2017

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Engineering house combines high containment isolator with hygienic and efficient pharmaceutical sieving solution to provide customised unit

With a reputation as one of the original pioneers of containment technology, Powder Systems Limited (PSL) hold a wealth of experience designing and engineering advanced containment processes, supplying customised process equipment to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and laboratory industries worldwide. The company has a reputation for providing high-quality solutions for the exact needs of their customers, and embrace the expertise of other equipment manufacturers to meet specific requirements.

When a leading pharmaceutical producer sought a totally contained sieving machine, PSL combined their expertise with Russell Finex to provide a customised solution. Sylvain Querol, PSL Tendering Manager Europe said “The pharmaceutical industry is one that requires the most accurate, reliable and hygienic equipment, and Russell’s ability to combine these requirements with a design customised to our technology was key for the end user.”

A contained screening solution was required to enable the customer to manufacture potent compounds to CGMP standards. With this in mind, PSL combined its own high containment isolator with the Russell Compact Sieve®. This unique isolation system provides a safe, usable solution to safely sieve hazardous material. The device is capable of processing compounds with an occupational exposure limit of less than 1.0µg/m3, meeting the needs of the customer whose material is being processed as part of their High Hazard Tablet Facility Project.

PSL’s isolator has a half-body suit which allows unrestricted access to the interior of the chamber, whilst ensuring the operator remains safely clear of direct contact with the product. A contained drum loading mechanism helps load the product, transferring it from various storage drums into the sieve. Also, to allow Clean-In-Place draining, the isolator is fitted with a sloping base.

Due to its compact design, the Russell Compact Sieve® was selected, perfectly suited to installation inside a high containment isolator, providing high capacity screening at less than half the size of traditional industrial sieves, accurately removing all contamination. For this specific application, the sieve motor needed to be outside of the isolator, for explosion risk purposes, and was therefore placed in a control cabinet with a plate separating the motor from the sieve.

Christian Parker, PSL Head of Engineering comments “We were very pleased with the combination of these unique requirements. As a provider of engineering solutions, we must be able to rely on the expertise of suppliers to provide an option that meets our demands, which the Russell Compact Sieve® does.”

Querol comments “In order to meet the demands of the modern pharmaceutical industry, it is important to meet the highest standards of good manufacturing practice. The combination of our high containment isolator and the Russell Compact Sieve®, meets these standards, enabling our customers to guarantee high-quality pharmaceutical products”.