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CHEMICALS & PHARMACEUTICALS


ROBOTS LEND A HELPING HAND


According to ABB Robotics, the latest robot solutions can help support the human workforce in healthcare applications, transforming the quality, capacity and cost of operations


the efficiency and quality of their operations, control costs and speed research and development times to launch products more quickly, while coping with a shortage of skilled professionals to accomplish these tasks. Automation can help overcome these challenges and improve staff safety, with robots able to complete repetitive tasks up to 50 per cent faster than current manual processes, enhancing productivity and enabling highly skilled staff to undertake more valuable activities. Accurate, fast, flexible, tireless and able to


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work 24 hours a day, robots are well-suited to repetitive tasks, while also being flexible enough to switch between jobs, as needed. Recent technological advancements have brought robots a long way from their big, heavy-duty predecessors. Today, robots have smaller footprints, far greater flexibility and integrated vision, all available in hygienic, wash-down-friendly models. Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm


(SCARA) robots are a good example. Tabletop mountable and with a small footprint, SCARA robots fit well into the confined spaces typical of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Whether they are dealing with tablets, test tubes, or syringes, SCARA robots are fast and accurate, performing articulate point-to-point movements, such as picking and placing, parts transfer, and parts handling. The development of collaborative


technologies means robots are also increasingly well suited to laboratories and medical facilities, as they don’t require safety fences to operate safely and efficiently alongside people. Collaboration enables people and robots to share the same workspaces and cooperate on the same tasks, without jeopardising speed and safety. Modern robots are increasingly


incorporated as components of medical devices in laboratory environments, supporting anything from R&D in the pharmaceutical industry or universities to healthcare testing in medical facilities. Today’s robots can perform multiple tasks, are easy to programme, and may even be able to manage other laboratory equipment. When it comes to general lab work, ABB’s


38 JUNE 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL


harmaceutical and medical device manufacturers are under pressure and need creative solutions that can improve


YuMi collaborative robot may be integrated into a device to under-take a range of repetitive, delicate and time-consuming laboratory activities, such as dosing, mixing and pipetting tasks, sterile instrument kitting and centrifuge loading and unloading. Devices integrated with robots may also be able to support temperature-controlled processes by automatically inserting and removing samples to and from special ovens to ensure they are incubated under the correct conditions. While YuMi offers speed as an advantage, it


is also inherently safe in design. With padded arms, collision-detection and no pinch points, YuMi is able to operate safely among its human colleagues in relatively unstructured environments, with no need for added safety measures, such as fencing. This enables it to take on a range of repetitive, high-volume tasks, even when they require human-like dexterity or might change at short notice. In one notable application, a YuMi has been


integrated by researchers from the European Institute of Oncology, to help staff manage an immuno-assay preparation process used to quantify the presence of virus antibodies. The assay preparation is time-consuming, previously requiring lab staff to perform repetitive operations, including the washing of well-plates, which YuMi now carries out. The expanding ability of robots to take over


a growing range of tasks throughout the production process, from laboratory testing through to packing and shipping, can help make the mantra of ‘untouched by human hands’ a reality. Contamination incidents and subsequent


product recalls can be calamitous for the reputation of any business, and stringent legislation places great emphasis on traceability as a means of combatting counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Automated systems provide an ideal way to


help minimise opportunities for human error, counterfeiting or tampering. For instance, robots with integrated vision can now scan packaging for barcodes that contain all the tracking and transaction data for the products. This data enables plant management systems to prevent counterfeit ingredients being used within a production process or contaminated products from being distributed to retailers or consumers.


Safety is absolutely critical in all healthcare


environments, and in order to minimise personnel exposure to harmful substances and biohazardous materials, robots can take over repetitive or strenuous tasks to improve the safety of employees. For instance, a leading Danish enzyme


manufacturer has successfully used two RobotFillers from Feige GmbH for loading its products into drums. Vapors from the enzymes can affect operators and the space available for filling products was so tight that conventional filling technology could not be installed. The entire filling process had to be automated and confined to a small footprint or working space. The central component of each filling unit is


an ABB IRB 660 4-axis robot with a load- bearing capacity of 180 kg. The RobotFiller starts working on the pallet from the top as soon as the pallet is in the operating position. The IRB 660 traverses the calculated coordinates and computes the positions of each drum’s bunghole. It then establishes the height of the pallet and uses a filling valve to fill each of the containers. Once filling is complete, the IRB 660 swaps the filling valve for a screwing unit and clinches it with a metal sealing cap. Vision systems are also expanding the


application of robots in other areas of pharmaceutical production and packaging. In one example, a US pharmaceutical company recently installed a special version of a Flexa Cartoning machine, which is built around two ABB IRB 340 robots. Designed and installed by Industria Macchine Auto-matiche in Italy, the cell relies on vision technology based on Cognex vision hardware to pick droppers from a belt where they arrive scrambled. The cell easily exceeds the customer’s target speed of 150 pieces per minute. It also offers the ability


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