Focus on product integrity: filters for tube production
The focus on the pharmaceutical market requires particularly controlled tube production. At Karl Höll Tubenfabrik, a highly effective fitting technology from Donaldson ensures a high degree of compressed air purity.
14 January 2020
The Alltub Group, one of the world's largest manufacturers, produces aluminium and laminate tubes in six plants. (Image: Alltub)
The focus on the extremely demanding pharmaceutical market requires particularly controlled tube production. At Karl Höll Tubenfabrik in Langenfeld, a highly effective fitting technology from Donaldson ensures a high degree of purity of the compressed air used in production.
The Alltub Group, one of the world's largest manufacturers, produces in six plants Tubes made of aluminium and laminates. Their slim shape, colourful printing in a brand-embossing design and pleasant feel have made them a popular form of packaging. Available in a wide range of sizes, they can hold contents from a few to more than 200 grams.
The barrier function of the laminate tube protects Thin layers of aluminium or EVOH the contents optimally. Even 0.006 millimetre thin films protect the contents from the quality-reducing effects of light, oxygen, moisture, microorganisms or foreign flavours.
The flavour-neutral barrier layer ensures that volatile components of the contents, such as flavours and active ingredients, are not lost. This explains the Long shelf life of contents filled in tubes, even without the use of preservatives or other additives.
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Laminate tube production line at the Alltub plant in Langenfeld. The modern multi-layer laminate films can be processed in total thicknesses of 250 to 400 micrometres. The „digitally mastered“ printing process has become many times faster and more flexible with the processing of 4c files in CMYK. (Image: Donaldson)
Special requirements for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
These general characteristics need to be considered in more detail for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets. In order to meet the strict quality requirements of pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers for tubes in a wide range of sizes and high quantities, Alltub invested in a new production line at its Langenfeld plant in 2018. Class 8 cleanroom for laminate tube production invested. Production on all laminate lines has been ISO 15378 GMP certified.
In addition, a consumption-controlled, energy-efficient compressed air generation system with a new 75-kilowatt screw compressor, which is followed by a treatment system with a refrigerated compressed air dryer. The compressor's monthly energy consumption of around 20,000 kilowatts to generate a maximum of 800 m³/h reflects the high compressed air requirements of the tube production systems.
„We keep a close eye on the compressed air supply to the production facilities. We place the highest demands on compressed air quality. In order to prevent microorganisms, solid particles, moisture and oil aerosols from reaching the end user points, we use the (P)-SRF sterile filter from Donaldson in.“ Jürgen Fuhrmann, Head of Quality Assurance at the Langenfeld plant
The (P)-SRF sterile filter in a P-EG 0018 housing at the compressed air consumption point in the clean room for tube production. (Image: Karl Höll GmbH & Co. KG)
Filters for product and process integrity
The (P)-SRF filter elements of the Variants C, V and X are pleated depth filters with an inner and outer support jacket and end caps made of stainless steel. The borosilicate filter medium is impregnated with PTFE and also has a PTFE outer protective fabric. All components meet the requirements for indirect contact with food in accordance with CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Title 21 and (EC) No. 1935/2004.
(P)-SRF filter elements offer high retention rates with a long service life. (Image: Donaldson)
[infotext]The retention rate is >99.99999995 per cent in relation to 0.2 micrometres and >99.99999995 per cent in relation to 0.02 micrometres. For nanoscale particles (0.003 μm), the retention rate is > 99.999999991 per cent, which was verified in accordance with DIN EN 1822.[/infotext]
The research and development department at Donaldson in Haan succeeded in significantly extending the service life of this sterile filter series while at the same time guaranteeing the high retention rate that is crucial for product and process integrity. The use of the latest filter media, their innovative processing and the optimisation of the mechanical and thermal stability had proved successful.
This is also an important factor for those responsible at Alltub in Langenfeld.
Nicolo Gagliardi (Image: Donaldson)
"The Filter change after six months provides a high safety buffer. The filter elements are then tested for integrity by Donaldson in Haan. We are in constant contact with our customers in the pharmaceutical industry, and this includes Compressed air an issue. We agreed that sterile filters would be helpful in providing the required level of safety.“ Nicolo Gagliardi,Production Manager Laminate Tubes in Langenfeld
Donaldson's expertise in compressed air treatment technology is also utilised by Alltub Italia. The plant in Cividate al Piano (BG) produces aluminium tubes primarily for tomato paste manufacturers. The Donaldson Branch office in Milan ensures the reliability of the compressed air supply on the basis of a service contract - also using the latest generation of energy-saving compressed air filters.
[infotext icon]It's an impressive figure: European manufacturers produced 15.5 billion tubes in 2018.1) The highest number ever achieved. Global tube consumption is expected to exceed 30 billion. In Langenfeld/Rhineland, a traditional tube production site that has been part of the Alltub Group since 2016, laminate tubes are produced at Karl Höll GmbH & Co. KG produces laminate tubes. 1) European tube production in 2018: Source: etma - european tube manufacturers association[/infotext].
