Pharmaceutical industry

The problem

Pharmaceutical production involves a great deal of handling of sensitive raw materials, packaging and process containers. Sacks and containers of raw materials have to be brought from the warehouse, weighed, lifted and emptied into production equipment, while powdered and granular materials have to be transferred safely between the stages of the process.

At the same time drums, buckets and other containers are moved, lifted, tilted or emptied, and rolls of film and other packaging materials have to be brought to the packaging machines and fitted precisely.

Such tasks often involve repetitive manual lifting, work at different heights and handling loads that are heavy or awkward to grip. In hygienically demanding areas it is also important that the equipment used is easy to clean and that materials are handled in a controlled way.

With powdered raw materials, spillage, dust and the need to transfer the product with as little contact with its surroundings as possible are a particular challenge.

How we solve it

Handling raw materials during weighing and preparation

Vacuum lifters and mobile lifting trolleys let sacks, buckets, drums and other containers be lifted and moved with far less physical strain on the operator. They can be used when bringing raw materials to the scale, emptying sacks into containers or process equipment, and moving weighed materials to the next stage of production. For hygienically demanding environments, stainless steel versions with easy-to-clean surfaces are available.

Vacuum conveying of powdered and granular raw materials

Powders, granulates, tablets and other bulk raw materials can be conveyed through a closed vacuum system between containers and process equipment, for example to mixers, blenders, sieves, fillers or other machines. This kind of conveying reduces manual pouring, spillage and the spread of dust. For pharmaceutical use, solutions in 316L stainless steel are available, with a hygienic design and versions for demanding and potentially explosive environments.

Lifting, tilting and emptying containers and drums

Drums, buckets and other process containers can be lifted, transported, turned and tilted with suitable handling equipment. This makes it easier to move them between weighing, production and other process points, and to empty them in a controlled way without holding the full weight of the load by hand.

Handling rolls of packaging material

Film and other packaging materials often come as heavy rolls that have to be lifted from a pallet or shelf, transported to the packaging machine, turned to the right position and fitted precisely on a shaft. Mobile lifting equipment allows the whole procedure to be carried out with less manual lifting and better control of the roll during positioning.

From raw materials storage and weighing to process equipment and packaging – we adapt the solution to the material, the hygiene requirements and the way the specific production process works.