Michael Parker, Technical Product Manager at ChargePoint Technology, discusses the four key themes which are set to have the most significant impact on the industry’s direction of travel.
1. Concerns around Annex 1 and GMP compliance increase the need to explore alternative technologies
Several attendees at ACHEMA 2024 expressed concerns about complying with Annex 1 sterile manufacturing and GMP guidelines.
Attendees noted that recent updates to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines have been removing the human operator from processes wherever they can to eliminate the risk of human error and potential sources of contamination or containment issues from production lines.
All indications suggest that this trend towards minimising human contact will continue for the foreseeable future.
This means that processing companies need to act now in upgrading their equipment to ensure that their lines are compliant today and remain so into the future.
Their equipment vendors, meanwhile, must take steps to provide them with the technology they need to remove manual operation from points on lines vulnerable to containment breaches.
“Speaking with numerous end-users during Achema, it was apparent that complying with the latest Annex 1 regulations is a topic high on their agenda.
The need to transition from open charging to proven contained transfer processes, to reduce the risk of microbial, particulate or chemical contamination from the operating environment, is a growing requirement.”
2. Robotics and automation will be central to industry growth
As part of the discussion around GMP compliance, there was also significant interest in our new automation and robotics solutions, which we unveiled at ACHEMA 2024 as a means of futureproofing lines against changes to GMP standards.
Harnessing new automation technologies will help companies not just ensure compliance with stringent safety standards but also support them in optimising manufacturing efficiency and productivity.
Our new automated solution creates a seamless connection between robotic arms used in powder processing lines and ChargePoint Technology’s lightweight PuroVaso containers.
It effortlessly docks PuroVaso containers to ChargePoint Technology’s automated split butterfly valve (SBV), resulting in a contained solution for safe and efficient material transfer. The process is fully automated and requires no manual handling.
“Leveraging the latest smart technological advancements is a growing objective. This will not only result in repeatable processes and improved efficiencies but will also allow operators to be removed from hazardous environments for upgrades to existing application lines and new process lines.
We heard phrases such as ‘Factory of the Future’ and ‘Industry 4.0’ frequently used when discussing the goal of adopting and upgrading equipment and technology to improve efficiency, productivity, product quality and manufacturing processes.”
