Bulk Powder Pack-off

Commentary Narrative:

Automation of liner un cuffing, tying and stowage. Bulk pharmaceutical is packed in a fibreboard drum which has a plastic liner pre inserted.

Prior to automation
The Drum conveying, liner insertion and drum filling was automated. The full drum was then conveyed to an operator station. The operator un cuffed the liner from about the drum, the liner was then gathered and a neck created, a plastic tying strap was then applied. Problem- the pharmaceutical product was exposed to potential contamination by the operator e.g. from items that may fall from the operator’s pockets. Also the operator was exposed to repetitive strain injury.

Criteria
Cycle time 35 seconds, operating environment – explosive. Many solutions proposed twisting the drum or the liner to create a neck; however this trapped air in the top of the liner. Somex unique solution can be broken down into 3 operations:-
Uncuffing and holding the liner
Creating a neck (necking) and presenting for tying.
Tying.

Uncuffing
The drum was conveyed to a stopping position within the machine. The un cuffing mechanism which incorporates extraction moves from overhead down over the filled drum. The leading edge of the un cuffer is a flexible shroud which on the downward movement straightens the liner about the outside of the drum. The un cuffer then retracts Taking the liner with it and stretching it above the drum. Extraction assists with the presentation of the liner.

Necking
An upper and lower set of V slides advance from left and right. The V’s intersect to gather and restrict the liner into 50mm diameter. Sequencing of the slides excludes air build up within the liner. The upper and lower V slides currently in close proximity separate, upper set moving up and lower set moving down to present an elongated neck for the tying mechanism.

Tying
Tying is be means of a conventional strap and closure tying system from Hellermann Tyton. The tying gun is fitted to a linear slide which advances and securely ties the elongated neck. A linear actuator then stows the tied neck beneath the drum rim.