ALUS® Automatic Loading and Unloading Systems increase efficiency and
minimize contamination risks
ALUS® Automatic Loading and Unloading Systems minimize the risk of
contamination through human intervention in the loading of the freeze dryer.
The amount of product processed by the use of automated loading and unloading
processes is increased as the time taken for loading/unloading is much shorter
compared to manual loading. Operational costs are reduced as state-of-the-art
monitoring systems reduce the number of operators needed to administer the
freeze drying process.
Most experienced manufacturer of ALUS®
(Automatic Loading and Unlodading Systems) for Freeze Dryers
GEA
Lyophil has designed, manufactured and improved the ALUS® system since the
1980s, and was one of the first manufacturers to develop this technology using
permanently installed systems (conveyor-pusher systems), as well as flexible
transfer cart systems.
GEA Lyophil have the longest experience in the
industry, so customers can be assured that each and every system will work
reliably for many years to come.
ALUS® as Retrofit
Option
The ALUS® Automatic Loading and Unloading Systems are also
available as retrofit option in many existing applications, allowing a new
lease of life for the plant for many more years of reliable and safe operation.
Each system ensures efficient, safe and reliable performance with the
following key features:
- High throughput, with loading speed of up to 400 vials per minute and
unloading speed of up to 700 vials per minute
- High flexibility for different vial formats
- High levels of safety of operation and stability for all vial formats, even
small ones with a diameter/height ratio of <3
- Quality sanitary design, with rounded corners for easier cleaning
- Excellent integration of ALUS® and the freeze dryer
- Patented design allows for a smooth transition of vials from ALUS® to
Freeze Dryer
- Improved safety as no moving parts above open vials
- Frameless operation
- Design complies to zone concept: no machine drives in vial processing area
- Constant Laminar Air Flow (LAF) when using a transfer cart: the LAF unit
moves towards the freeze dryer and covers the vials during the loading process.
Contamination elimination
In pharmaceutical
manufacturing it is vitally important to keep contamination out of the product
and to protect the workforce from potentially harmful substances – as this is
best achieved by removing, as far as possible, the operator from the processing
area, the ALUS® Automatic Loading and Unloading System minimizes those risks
while increases efficiency at the same time. The system is sufficiently
flexible to accept vials of most types at a load rate of up to 400 per minute.
Vial sizes from 2 ml up to 100 ml can be processed.
ALUS® Automatic
Loading and Unloading System integrates perfectly to provide a smooth
transition into and out from the freeze dryer with the minimum of operator
monitoring. Vials remain covered by laminar air flow during the loading process
and there are no moving parts above the open vials during loading – helping to
reduce the risk of contamination even further. A priority of the design was to
satisfactory achieving a sanitary design for easy cleaning.
ALUS® advantages:
- 100% utilization of the charging area and of the plant capacity
- Lyophilizers (freeze dryers) can be validated and meet GMP guidelines and
Class 100 sterility requirements
- High availability through high quality construction of the fully
automatic product handling system
- Greatly reduced risk of product contamination by reducing the clean room
personnel down to one operator
- Cost reduction by using isolator and containment technology (reduction of
costly clean room area).
- Sterilization of the system with VHP (Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide).
Isolator Technology and RABs
One step further in
contamination prevention leads the use of ALUS in connection with Isolator
technology or RABs, whichever is most appropriate in each case.