K-Tron Process Group

MT12 micro-ingredient feeder
Available in both pharmaceutical and industrial models, the MT12 micro-ingredient feeder accurately feeds free-flowing to difficult-to-handle powders at rates as low as 20 g/h and as high as 2,000 g/h, depending on the material and installation environment. Both loss-in-weight (model KCL-SFS-MT12) and volumetric (model KCV-MT12) feeder models are available for continuous or batch operation. Enhancements incorporated in the latest design include: new inverted hopper design (negative cone) to aid material flow; revised bottom agitator design driven from below the sealed shaft, constantly scraping the bottom of the hopper to minimize residual material; new sanitary scale design that includes complete internal cabling and a more robust frame for better stability and accuracy especially at extremely low rates; draft shield included with loss-in-weight models, as is customarily the practice when weighing at very low rates; and options for automatic refill. The compact feeder is designed for ease of disassembly, allowing fast and easy cleaning. In order to assure the material moves away from the screw seal, the feed screw flight extends 1.5 cm before the material inlet and the screw design features purged seals. The standard motor is a stepper drive for non-hazardous areas and ATEX zone 22.

Burkert

Burkert intelligent pressure guage module (IPGM)
The compact Burkert intelligent pressure gauge module (IPGM) integrates all necessary elements for precise remote pressure monitoring — an electronic pressure sensor, an amplifier with calibration memory and a communications unit. Furthermore, it is equipped with a digital display that shows all critical values locally (current pressure value, module state, limit overrun or underrun). The design of the module allows easy system initialization without additional wiring or tubing. This means that the user is able to cut costs and save time due to decreased installation time, maintenance-free operation and efficient, compact modular functionality. In addition, no wires and no tubes means nearly error-free operation. Pre-installed software filter functions relieve the user from programming complex filter algorithms. Adjustable pressure limits allow the usage of the module as a pressure switch. The module is controlled via standard fieldbus systems such as Profibus or DeviceNet. Configurable values like pressure unit, lower/upper pressure values for warnings or filter parameters are set directly via fieldbus. The measurable pressure range is from vacuum to 145 psi (g)/10 bar (g). The operational temperature range is from 32°F to 131°F.

O'Brien & Gere

Project Lifecycle Services
O’Brien & Gere delivers full-project lifecycle services in line with its three business units — Environmental Solutions, Total Water Solutions and Capital & Facilities Programs. In addition, the firm provides incremental and/or full-service project delivery approaches to assist clients in reaching their project goals and objectives, while tailoring contracting arrangements to meet specific business needs and/or procurement strategies. Services offered include: conceptual design/study; fabrication; construction; system integration; commissioning; and operations and maintenance.

Sud-Chemie Performance Packaging

PharmaKeep oxygen absorbing canisters and AromaCan scented canisters
The PharmaKeep oxygen absorbing canisters and Aroma-Can scented canisters are specifically designed for use in pharmaceutical and nutritional applications. Jointly developed with Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. (MGC), PharmaKeep is the first canister able to absorb moisture in low relative humidity package environments. The Aroma-Can employs patent-pending Encapsulated Aroma Release Technology, and trademarked CompelAroma from ScentSational Technologies. The aroma product, which will include a full range of offerings from canisters to polymer tubes and desiccant stoppers, allows manufacturers to protect their products from moisture and other elements, while simultaneously adding an appealing orange, lemon or custom designed scent to their packaging. The product can be purchased with or without a desiccant.

Freeman Technology

FT4 powder rheometer
The FT4 powder rheometer is a fully automated universal powder tester for the comprehensive characterization of powder flowability. The new permeability module uses a pressure transducer to measure pressure drop across the height of a powder bed in the system’s test vessel while the air velocity through the powder is controlled. Importantly, conditioning of the sample before evaluation ensures a homogeneous, stress-free and reproducible packing condition. Permeability measurements using the FT4 can be conducted in a variety of ways to suit specific requirements. These include: measuring pressure drop vs. air velocity at zero bed compression stress; using a porous piston to apply specific compression stresses to the sample while maintaining a fixed air velocity through it and measuring pressure drop as a function of the applied bed compression stress; or maintaining a specific bed pressure drop and measuring the air velocity vs. bed compression stress.

West Virginia Development Office

West Virginia Development Office
West Virginia lies in the very heart of the Appalachian Highlands. Its relaxed lifestyle, beautiful landscape and abundant resources make it the ideal place to live and do business. The state offers countless choices for work, home and play, giving West Virginians the opportunity to create lifestyles uniquely their own. You will find cost advantages to long-term investment in West Virginia due to the state’s strategic location, expert work force, vast supply of natural resources, ready infrastructure and advanced technology. Profitability for the pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing industry in West Virginia is 5.6 percentage points higher than in the rest of the U.S. and labor costs are $2,561,177 lower.

Quadro Engineering

Quadro Vac
The Quadro Vac reduces dust contamination when employed in a tablet manufacturing suite. It is a user-friendly, high-end, sanitary pneumatic conveyor that is used in both pharmaceutical and food plants. The Quadro Vac’s sanitary construction makes it easy to clean and its modular design can be quickly dismantled/re-assembled. The unit is constructed of stainless steel with a rugged mechanism for maximum reliability and minimum maintenance. It is operator-friendly, featuring: easy set-up/operation; simple, adjustable “air logic controls” that are non-electrical/spark-free; an auto-cycle; self-cleaning filter (backwash); a lightweight material “pick-up” wand; and low-noise vacuum pumps. The controls can be upgraded to a programmed user interface for easy storage of recipes for more than 200 products.

Fike Corp.

Axius reverse-acting rupture disc
Designed to be used in aggressive chemical and pharmaceutical applications, the Axius reverse-acting rupture disc is available in corrosion-resistant materials and has the tightest tolerances available. The rupture disc can also operate without fatigue from full vacuum up to a 95% operating ratio for over 50,000 cycles. Using Fike’s new G2 Technology, the Axius rupture disc was developed without using traditional tooling methods, such as coining or scoring. When tooling is used to create a score line it stresses the material where the tooling has been applied, thus creating an area for potential early fatigue and/or failure. This means more replacement discs for plants to purchase. Instead of a score line on the edge of the disc, the Axius has a “line of weakness” on the dome itself. Thus there are no stress zones that can fatigue and no tool marks or indentations on the process side of the rupture disc, making this the only 95% operating ratio disc with a completely smooth process surface. This enables the Axius to deliver higher operating ratios without chemical build-up so that plant managers can get more work out of their rupture disc and their production process.

Malvern Instruments

Insitec Pharma Voyager online/automated at-line particle size analyzer
The Insitec Pharma Voyager online/automated at-line particle size analyzer is an attractive option in pharmaceutical manu- facturing, especially for pilot-plant operation and PAT research, where mobility, cleanability and ease of operation are important. It is also a valuable tool for sites needing to monitor multiple unit operations such as mills, spray dryers, atomizers and classifiers. Built for the plant environment, it can be moved easily to production at any point. The unit is based on Malvern’s highly robust Insitec T laser-diffraction-based particle size analyzer — a system whose GMP design features include the use of tri-clamping and 316L stainless steel for easy cleaning to pharmaceutical standards. A completely mobile and self-contained unit, Pharma Voyager delivers online continuous or automated at-line particle size measurement for solid particulates suspended in gas streams. It provides real-time size analysis of particles in the size range from 0.5 to 1,000 mm, and features CIP, SIP and 21CFR compliance, and validation with material certificates. An intrinsically safe option is also available on request.

Aquafine

UV-G400 and UV-TS600 microprocessor controllers
Under the UV Vision-2000 series of microprocessor controllers, the UV-G400 and UV-TS600 modular designs incorporate innovative LCD screens, offering both ease and accessibility for man-machine communication. The UV-G400 features a graphic screen and multiple options, while the advanced UV-TS600 is a touchscreen model with “touchable” images and text, capable of operating as a single or multiple controller. User-defined operator instructions and system data can easily be viewed and initiated with the full numeric keypad, including data logging of system operating data, UV intensity and temperature alarms and warnings. Networking capabilities enable communication via Pcom, MODBUS or MODBUS IP protocol. Multiple designated “slave” controllers, such as the UV-G400, can communicate and transmit crucial data to a “master” controller, such as the UV-TS600, which can then be viewed by a PC.

Wave Biotech LLC

ILC Dover

FlexMixer
The FlexMixer — the first single-use mixing bag that can be used to mix materials of any viscosity or density difference — can be scaled to over 10,000 L and does not have any internal impeller or actuator. An integral perforated diaphragm in the mixing bag is moved up and down by a simple low-cost mechanism to provide reliable, efficient and complete mixing. Compared to traditional mixing systems, FlexMixer integrates materials more completely and efficiently and eliminates the need for cleaning and/or sterilization between batches, saving companies valuable time and money.