Presentation of sustainable processing, tableting, and packaging technologies in Hall 3.0, Stand B49
The one-stop solutions supplier Romaco will take advantage of Achema 2022 to show sustainable processing, tableting, and packaging technologies for use in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, cosmetics, and chemical industries. The highlight of the upcoming exhibition will be the new Macofar E aseptic liquid filling line, which trade visitors will have a chance to see for the first time.
Under the motto ‘Together towards a sustainable future,’ one-stop solutions supplier Romaco will demonstrate its various approaches for more sustainable production and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Amongst other things, the innovative process control achieved with these technologies means significantly shorter processing times so that energy and material can economize in a targeted manner. Space-saving design results in machines and lines with a lower carbon footprint. And thanks to the safe processing of eco-friendly packaging materials, for instance, for producing paper blisters, the packaging process can be made more sustainable. In addition, all of the manufacturer’s machines can be supplied in a carbon-neutral version and be equipped with an energy monitor for sustainability reporting.
At the Achema, Romaco will present a large selection from its portfolio, including the Ventilus Pilot fluid bed processor by Romaco Innojet, the KTP 1X and KTP 590X tablet presses by Romaco Kilian, and the TP R Optima coating pan by Romaco Tecpharm. Romaco Noack’s Unity 300 blister packaging line and the new Macofar E aseptic liquid filling line will likewise be exhibited – impressive confirmation of the engineering specialist’s line competence.
The Macofar E series is Romaco’s cost-efficient turnkey solution for the aseptic filling of injectables into vials. The integrated lines each consist of a rotary washer, a depyrogenation tunnel, a liquid filling, and stoppering machine, plus a final capping machine. Romaco Promatic cartoners can also be seamlessly connected downstream if required. The ability to choose from various standard configurations cuts the delivery time from order receipt to ten months. The technology meets all the requirements of the revised Annex 1 of the EU GMP Guidelines on manufacturing sterile medicinal products.
All in all, the Macofar E achieves a maximum output of 24,000 vials per hour. Depending on customer needs, the line can be equipped with oRABS, cRABS, or isolation technology. The filling machine’s weighing system ensures 100% weight control of the vials, including the automatic filling volume adjustment. Thanks to an inertisation system, the residual oxygen particles in the vials amount to less than three percent, which attests to a high level of process safety during filling with either peristaltic or volumetric pumps. To minimize product loss, each batch is fully processed, for instance, by completely draining the liquid tank and piping. The Macofar E aseptic liquid filling line can optionally be shipped with an energy monitor that measures the machine’s energy consumption and detects carbon dioxide emissions to facilitate sustainability reporting.
The integrated Unity 300 blister packaging line from Romaco Noack is designed for the low to medium speed segment and meets all the requirements for more climate-friendly pharmaceutical production. For the first time, a sustainability monitor with smart standby functions has been implemented to oversee the power and air consumption of the single-track blister line and reduce the base load of the machine without any negative impact on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). At less than eight meters long, the monobloc is comparatively short, so carbon dioxide emissions are much lower, especially in the cleanroom for the primary packaging. The space-saving design is due, amongst other things, to a swing-out IPC magazine, which ensures convenient access to the die-cutter behind it in case of format changes. And there is also the option of repositioning the forming foil reel inside the machine. An extremely compact, energy-efficient indexing wheel transfers the blisters from the rotary sealing machine to the continuous motion cartoner. The Unity 300 achieves a maximum output of 300 blisters and, depending on the cartoner, either 200 or 300 cartons per minute. The blister line is fitted with one hundred percent recycled acrylic glass panes and is additionally available in a carbon-neutral version on request. Romaco Noack’s quality promise for the Unity 300 is underlined with a three-year warranty on all spare parts. The manufacturer also guarantees to take back the machine free of charge at the end of its service life in the interests of a circular economy.
The TP R Optima perforated coating pan from Romaco Tecpharm processes any batch size from 10% to 100% with the same drum. It achieves optimum coating results, no matter how small the filling volume is. Its wide range of applications is the outcome of the full automation of the tablet coater with its GMP-compliant in-wall design. An extendable spray arm with movable spray nozzles ensures the correct spray distance and the ideal spray angle. Both batch volume and tablet bed inclination, which vary according to the pan drum’s turning speed, are measured continuously using sonar technology. The patented spray system can thus align the nozzle distance and angle automatically throughout the entire process.
Furthermore, air exhaust flaps that can be opened steplessly allow exact adjustment of the air path inside the drum. This precise flow control provides loss-free application of the coating suspension and efficient drying of the tablet bed. Apart from shorter processing times, this simultaneously reduces energy consumption and cuts coating liquid usage by up to 60 percent. Last, Romaco Tecpharm’s smart coating technology includes a system for detecting and accurately identifying blocked spray nozzles. In short, the TP R Optima supports the sustainable production of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.
The KTP 1X is the newest generation of Romaco Kilian’s R&D tablet presses for laboratory use. This single-stroke press was designed as an all-in-one instrument for research and development activities. It is suitable for pressing mono-layer, bi-layer, and triple-layer tablets as well as tab-in-tab formats. It achieves a maximum output of 1800 tablets per hour and compression forces of up to 80 kN. This versatile R&D press enables the various tableting parameters, such as compression force or the possible tableting speed, to be determined automatically. The smart measurement system evaluates huge amounts of data in next to no time for this purpose. The KTP 1X can replicate any standard rotary press, making it much easier to conduct scale-up trials. In addition to the production of clinical samples, the technology also allows detailed troubleshooting and supports process optimization. Thanks to the machine’s very good rigidity, the punch position, in particular, can now be measured more precisely. This high measuring accuracy goes hand in hand with extremely low product consumption – so the KTP 1X is both cost-efficient and sustainable. Only a few test series are required to obtain meaningful results because compression studies are highly automated. With its small compaction area, Romaco Kilian’s KTP 1X has a small footprint and is quick and easy to clean – for even bigger time and energy savings.
The KTP 590X is a single-sided, versatile rotary press used to manufacture mono-layer and bi-layer tablet formats. Three pairs of compression rollers allow the machine to be changed between mono-layer and bi-layer modes without time-consuming conversion of the compression stations. The single-sided rotary press reaches a maximum total output of 511,200 tablets per hour. The filled shoe distributes the powder uniformly in the die. Thanks to the optimized paddle design, even poorly flowing or sticky powders can be processed without any problem and compressed homogeneously. The Kilian KTP 590X is therefore ideal for manufacturing effervescent tablets. In this case, the powder is tamped initially, then pre-compressed, and finally converted into finished tablets in the main compression unit – air pockets and the resulting capping are thus prevented. The dwell time is significantly longer owing to Kilian 28/41 tooling, meaning harder tablets can be made and product quality improved. Patented bellows protect the tablets from contamination in the form of black spots. The KTP 590X stands for low process temperatures, efficient cleaning and retooling, and a mature hygiene concept – in conformity with the design principles of Romaco Kilian’s KTP product family – ‘cool, fast and clean.’
The Ventilus Pilot fluid bed processor from Romaco Innojet is a mobile all-rounder for pilot scale applications or small batches. Mounted on four wheels, this compact machine fits through any standard door frame and is designed for plug-and-play installation. The technology impresses with excellent results in terms of flow properties as well as powder and granulate compressibility. 100% natural granulation is now possible without any chemical additives. An all-in-one solution intended for batch sizes from 4 to 25 liters, it granulates, dries, or coats particles of any size from 10 μm to 2 mm. The technology meets all the requirements for laboratory use and GMP-compliant production of clinical samples. The spray liquid is applied with the central Rotojet nozzle using a bottom spray system or conventional top spray method. The cylindrical container featuring the Orbiter booster permits controlled, gentle batch intermixing. The homogeneous flow conditions improve product quality and reduce the spray liquid consumption while simplifying scale-ups. In addition, the Ventilus Pilot is suited for hot melt coating processes, which merely requires the connection of the patented Innojet IHD hot melt system. The processing time is up to 85% shorter, and the processor’s carbon footprint is significantly lower.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to the country-wide lockdown on 25 March 2020. It will be two years tomorrow as I write this. What have we learned in this time? Maybe the meaning of resilience since small companies like us have had to rely on our resources and the forbearance of our employees as we have struggled to produce our trade platforms.
The print and packaging industries have been fortunate, although the commercial printing industry is still to recover. We have learned more about the digital transformation that affects commercial printing and packaging. Ultimately digital will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future.
Web analytics show that we now have readership in North America and Europe amongst the 90 countries where our five platforms reach. Our traffic which more than doubled in 2020, has at times gone up by another 50% in 2021. And advertising which had fallen to pieces in 2020 and 2021, has started its return since January 2022.
As the economy approaches real growth with unevenness and shortages a given, we are looking forward to the PrintPack India exhibition in Greater Noida. We are again appointed to produce the Show Daily on all five days of the show from 26 to 30 May 2022.
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