{"id":82393,"date":"2023-06-30T12:44:26","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T10:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/?p=82393"},"modified":"2023-06-30T11:48:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-30T09:48:07","slug":"robot-for-sensitive-vials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/en\/roboter-fuer-empfindliche-vials\/","title":{"rendered":"Robots for sensitive vials"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Vials packed in Akylux boxes resisted automation under certain conditions. With a gripper and Motoman robots from Yaskawa, Goldfu\u00df engineering has found a solution to the problem.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Vials undergo several handling steps in pharmaceutical production, not least due to the different cleanroom classes. Especially the The empty vials are usually fed into the washing or filling machine and the filled vials into the packaging machine manually<\/strong>. The reasons for this lie in the vials themselves: Made of thin glass, they are fragile. They are also small, with fill sizes of just a few millilitres. Another difficulty is that the vials are often transported internally in lockable Akylux boxes. In them they are positioned without order<\/strong>, which poses particular challenges in terms of automation technology.<\/p>

The Goldfu\u00df engineering GmbH<\/a>\u00a0has now solved this problem for vials with a filling size of 2 ml (2R) and above: In a compact handling cell, a robot takes over the opening of the Akylux box<\/strong>. It removes the vials and places them on a turntable or a bi-flow belt, from where they go into the washing, filling, inspection or packaging machine. The robot also places the empty box in a container for later disposal. The complete Process takes around 50 to 60 seconds<\/strong>. This time can be further reduced by using a second robot.<\/p>

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The centrepiece of the solution is a gripper developed by Goldfu\u00df engineering. Unlike surface suction cups, for example, which do not provide a reliable solution for 2R vials, this gripper works mechanically and gently on the product<\/strong>, with a compact design. This process ensures that the entire contents are picked up from the box and ensures that all vials in a batch are reached and fed.<\/p>

The gripper harmonises with Motoman robots from Yaskawa<\/a>. In the slimmest and simplest version, the gripper weighs 12 kg plus the vials. Other functional options in the gripper, such as cutting open a lid fixation, can increase the weight of the gripper. A manipulator with a load capacity of 20 kg or more is therefore recommended.
High-performance industrial robots from Yaskawa's Motoman GP series are available for this purpose, with many pharmaceutical users favouring the MRK-capable HC series cobots, which are available with 20 or even 30 kg load capacity.<\/p>