Appetizer for your visit to POWTECH TECHNOPHARM

Discovering new products is certainly not the only reason to go to a trade fair. But it's a very good one nonetheless. What are the innovations at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM that you absolutely shouldn't miss? Several exhibitors are already presenting their new developments on the trade fair website. Would you like a quick insight?

Written by Dr. Ulla Reutner

View through a stainless steel container, which a man is currently inspecting through a hole opposite — This visitor to POWTECH 2023 wants to know exactly what's going on. Curiosity is also a good motive for visiting the trade fair.

Let's start with something that almost everyone in the bulk materials sector needs: dust filters. They protect people and machines from emissions. Whether in the chemical or pharmaceutical, cosmetics or food industry, building materials, recycling or plastics sector, paint, cosmetics or battery production, an excess of dust particles must be avoided everywhere. For this purpose, the family-owned company ts-systemfilter offers a customizable system consisting of small series, individual pieces, and custom-made products. HEPA filters and certified components for food contact are also available. Air volumes of up to 14,000 m³/h can be freed of dust in compliance with ATEX regulations, and the filter surfaces can be cleaned again based on time or pressure difference. For this purpose, the company is presenting a redesigned SCD 10.14 control system with web browser-based operation. An optional plug-in display board is available, which can also be used to visualize data and change parameters.

Compacting pharmaceutical products – OEB4 for high containment

Compacters are similarly widespread. Alexanderwerk is launching the new BT 50 Pharma roller compactor. It complements the larger models in the portfolio, which are designed partly for development, partly for production – and for higher throughput rates. The BT 50 is a table-top roller compactor for the precise processing of even the smallest raw material quantities in the pharmaceutical sector. The innovations also include the WP 120 Pharma-OEB-4 version for high-containment pharmaceutical production. It closes the gap between conventional roller compactors and isolator-dependent solutions. A glove box is no longer required.

Avoid oil contamination – CIP for pharmaceuticals and food

High containment means CIP. AM Atomizers Technology does just that, offering rotary oil-free atomizers that enable thorough clean-in-place cleaning of tanks, containers, and pipelines. The atomizers were developed for industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, ceramics, and flavors, where the risk of oil contamination must be eliminated. With centrifugal atomization technology, rapidly rotating discs produce fine, uniform droplets with excellent dispersion properties. Corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel, adjustable spray patterns for different requirements, and high energy efficiency are other features. The retractable design enables easy installation, maintenance, and cleaning, thus reducing downtime and operational costs.

Three people are talking at a booth. In front of them are several components, including a stainless steel dosing station and a drive unit with a motor — High-gloss and stainless steel, CIP and containment: This time, POWTECH TECHNOPHARM offers significantly more for visitors from the pharmaceutical industry.

Filtering, extracting, drying – without cross-contamination

Cleanliness is also ensured when using the new Bachiller agitated Nutsche filter. The ideal solution for filtration, extraction, and drying processes in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, where hazardous, toxic, or sensitive products are processed or produced. Ensuring safety and avoiding cross-contamination are essential. The agitated Nutsche filter enables hermetic production. Reaction, filtration, washing, and drying take place in a single device. This eliminates the need to transfer material from one device to another and leads to greater process reliability. The FNB stirred pressure Nutsche filter and the FNB-S stirred pressure Nutsche dryer facilitate the production of high-purity, contamination-free substances. Designed according to ATEX guidelines, they are also suitable for handling flammable or explosive materials. The entire batch contents can be introduced into the temperature-controlled vessel. A speed-controlled agitator keeps suspensions homogeneous during filtration and allows components to be added, the product to mature, or even a reaction to be carried out directly in the same vessel.

Robot or Cobot – everything for fully automated dosing

For the dosing of small and micro components, F. Ili Sacchi uses the robot-assisted Powderflex system. It can be operated fully automatically or collaboratively. The flexible interaction between human and machine can bring many advantages, especially in the pharmaceutical and food industries, as can the complete traceability of each dosing process. Each ingredient is stored in its own SmartPowder box. This eliminates cross-contamination. The system is modular, making it easy to adapt to recipe changes. Furthermore, it is possible to use one robot for precise dosing from the boxes and a second robot to manage the boxes. This is a smart solution for complex recipes that must be produced with high precision and hygiene.

Particle coating and ultrafine grinding from a single source

For fine and ultrafine grinding and mechanical alloying, Nanofract not only offers technical solutions but also handles contract manufacturing. Customers come from a wide range of industries, including chemicals, plastics, food, pharmaceuticals, additives, etc. Mechanical alloying with Nanofract's particle coating technology, in particular, offers numerous possibilities, such as modifying polymer powders with nanocarbon. Nanofract also develops customized jet mills with a similarly broad range of applications. A unique selling point of the ultrafine mill for dry grinding to particle sizes between 100 nm and 100 µm is the production of high-quality reference materials for health and environmental research, particularly in the field of micro- and nanoplastics.

Pulses for large sieves – accurate with Autoscan

Telsonic aims to impress at this year's POWTECH TECHNOPHARM with the MSG ultrasonic sieve generator from the Sonoscreen easy line. With a maximum power of 200 W, even large-area sieves can be operated. Preset and customizable operating modes, such as pulse mode, can increase powder throughput. Thanks to an autoscan function that automatically finds the optimal operating frequency, commissioning time is reduced.

Measuring pressure and temperature – with light

Anyone who wants to automate must measure. Pressure and temperature, in particular, are important parameters for almost all process engineering processes. Wika is presenting a new optical sensor that has passed the prototype stage. The operating principle: A light pulse is sent through a fiber optic cable to a lens. The reflection is evaluated in an interferometer. If the temperature changes, the lens expands or contracts. Pressure changes lead to its deformation. Both of these alter the spectrum of the reflected light. In this way, the sensor measures temperatures up to 600°C and pressures up to 70 bar simultaneously, even in harsh environments. After more than five years of testing at a turbine manufacturer, it is now also being used in the process industry – where things get tough, such as waste pyrolysis, synthesis gas production, etc.

Measuring moisture – with ease

Some people prefer it pure. The new BMMS moisture measurement sensor from ACO Automation Components operates entirely without an external evaluation unit. A microprocessor has been integrated into the compact sensor. Apart from a power supply, only a display is required – or a controller that receives the signal. The simple solution nevertheless enables online multi-point calibration and automatic compensation for installation influences. The residual moisture of a wide variety of bulk materials, such as grain, food, sewage sludge, and clay, can be precisely determined.

Several young people in casual clothing – jeans and shirts – are standing in front of several industrial fittings. In the middle, an older gentleman in a blue business shirt is talking to them about the technology — Students and young professionals in particular benefit from seeing innovative technology live and having the details explained by experts.

Efficient surface measurement

Horiba developed the SA-9650 series BET surface area analyzers for fast, precise surface measurement of a wide variety of materials. Using the robust dynamic gas flow method, they acquire adsorption and desorption data and calculate the total surface area. They cover a measurement range of 0.1 to 50 m² total surface area, or approximately 0.01 to 2,000 m²/g specific surface area. The analyzers operate fully automatically, including calibration. Mass flow controllers ensure cost efficiency by automatically generating the required gas mixtures. Expensive gas mixtures or external mixing systems are not required. The software has also been improved, with intuitive graphics and guided preparation. All of this pays off in applications in the pharmaceutical industry, for pigments, catalysts, ceramics, and battery materials – wherever the surface plays a crucial role.

Safe signal in dust and gas Ex areas

Ex areas are the rule rather than the exception in bulk material processing industries. Therefore, the corresponding offering at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM is traditionally extensive. With its new NivoLED-NL 9000 signal lamp, UWT Level Control is offering a new, highly visible green or red status indicator for sensors and other technical devices in Zone 21 and Zone 2. It can be mounted directly on the sensor, on the control cabinet, in process plants, or on other electrical equipment to reliably visualize the switching status.

Product safety for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals

Metal contamination doesn't stand a chance with the THS/PH21 and THS/PH210 metal detection systems from CEIA SPA. They comply with the applicable parts of FDA standards 21 PART 11 and 21 CFR 210, offer advanced control functions and extremely high detection sensitivity for metal contaminants – whether ferrous, non-ferrous, or stainless steel – in pharmaceutical products. The Auto-QC function regularly checks the correct functioning of the device and the activation of the alarm. This ensures the highest quality standards are met.

Constant innovations for efficient trade fair planning

Innovation knows no bounds. Until the trade fair in the fall and beyond, exhibitors have the opportunity to present additional new products on the POWTECH TECHNOPHARM website. The product search there allows you to filter by product category in addition to the "New Products" selection. This allows every visitor to get an overview of the solutions the trade fair offers that are relevant to them this time, helping them plan their days as efficiently as possible. Take advantage of this opportunity!

Author

Dr. Ulla Reutner

Chemist and freelance specialised journalist