Lifting Stations for the Precise Handling of Medical Products

Overview of the specific requirements:

These stations not only had to comply with the strict requirements of FDA regulations but also ensure the highest levels of precision and reliability in the loading and unloading of vials containing pharmaceutical products. The challenge was to create a solution that could safely handle these delicate pharmaceutical products while also meeting the industry’s stringent hygiene and quality standards.

• Maximum precision: The lifting fork must exhibit minimal deflection when handling loads of up to 1250 kg to ensure a flat, horizontal surface and prevent the vials from tipping over.
• Freestanding construction: The lifting stations are designed as stable, freestanding steel structures that can operate without additional supports or fastenings while seamlessly integrating into existing production processes.
• FDA compliance: The surfaces of the lifting stations must be made of stainless steel with a Ra 1.6 finish to meet the strict FDA requirements, allowing for easy cleaning and sterilization.

The tasks of the lifting stations in use

The lifting stations play a central role in ensuring the smooth operation of the pharmaceutical production line by serving as interfaces that handle the stainless steel racks containing the delicate vials.Our single-column lifting stations are used to move the stainless steel racks both horizontally and vertically for vial placement, as well as for transferring them to the packaging station.

Loading of the lifting stations

The loading lifting stations play a crucial role in precisely picking up vials filled with pharmaceutical products from the filling machines. These vials are securely placed on stainless steel racks and transported for further processing. A key innovation of these lifting stations is the design of the lifting fork, which can be lowered all the way to floor level. This allows for direct loading using a manual pallet truck or an electric low-lift pallet truck without the need for additional ramps or lifting devices. The floor-level loading accessibility of the lifting fork significantly simplifies the loading process and minimizes the risk of damage to the delicate vials.

Transfer of goods

Another group of identical lifting stations is specifically designed for unloading. These lifting stations are used later in the production process to transfer the filled vials to the packaging machines after processing. Once the vials are loaded onto the lifting station, the horizontal stroke enables the load to be shifted sideways, ensuring precise positioning and seamless transfer to the next production steps. This precise control and movement of the lifting stations guarantee that the delicate vials remain stable throughout the handling process and do not tip over. During the packaging process, the lifting stations ensure that the vials are safely delivered to the packaging machines, where they are prepared for distribution.

Deflection and load capacity management

The significant delta of 800 kg between the empty rack (450 kg) and the maximum load (1250 kg), combined with the requirement for maximum precision, posed a key technical challenge. It was essential to ensure that the lifting fork exhibited only minimal deflection even under full load while maintaining consistent stability. By utilizing high-precision servo drives,precision recirculating ball bearing guides, and ball screw spindles, it was possible to ensure that the vials remained stable throughout every phase of the loading and unloading process, preventing them from tipping over. This is crucial for maintaining a flat, horizontal transfer surface and ensuring the safe handling of the delicate pharmaceutical products.

Optimal load distribution and motion control with precision recirculating ball bearing guides

The use of precision recirculating ball bearing guides and ball screw spindles in the lifting stations was therefore a key measure to meet the high demands for precision and stability. The precision recirculating ball bearing guides are essential for bearing heavy loads while providing high rigidity, further minimizing deflection. This is particularly important to ensure the positioning accuracy of the lifting fork and prevent the vials from tipping over. Precision recirculating ball bearing guides offer an extremely low friction coefficient, enabling smooth and precise movement.

Efficient linear motion and load capacity

Ball screw spindles complement these properties by efficiently converting mechanical energy into linear motion. They provide high positioning accuracy and repeatability, which is essential for the precise lifting and horizontal movement of the stations. Additionally, they are highly durable and capable of handling heavy loads, reducing maintenance requirements and increasing the reliability of the lifting stations.

Flexible and precise positioning thanks to lateral movement

A key aspect of the lifting stations in this project is the integration of horizontal movement. A lifting station with lateral movement enables not only vertical lifting but also horizontal displacement. This ensures that the transfer point between the customer’s filling machine and our lifting station is reached with precise repeatability.

Heavy loads positioned with precision

The vertical lifting function of the lifting stations raises or lowers the load, while the horizontal transverse stroke moves the stainless steel rack sideways by up to 30 mm. This movement is executed with the highest precision using guide rails and drive systems such as precision recirculating ball bearing guides and servo motors. As a result, the stainless steel rack can be lifted to ensure the complete transfer of vials to different levels, but only after the transverse stroke has precisely aligned the interface. By integrating the transverse stroke into the lifting stations, optimized material handling with maximum process reliability is ensured.

Stability and precision without external structures

The requirement to develop the lifting stations as freestanding stand-alone constructions was another key aspect of the project. This was necessary because they had to be integrated into an existing production while occupying minimal space and only requiring floor anchoring. Additionally, optimal accessibility had to be ensured. However, designing freestanding lifting stations comes with several technical challenges.

First, the stability of the entire unit had to be ensured to function safely even at a maximum load of 1250 kg. This required careful calculation and design of the base structure to provide sufficient stability and eliminate vibrations or movements. This was achieved through the use of high-strength materials and advanced construction techniques that ensure high rigidity and minimal deflection.

Maximum efficiency and precision through servo motors

Another key component of the lifting station is its servo motor. It enables precise control and positioning of the lifting fork. This allows each movement to be executed with accuracy and repeatability, ensuring consistency and quality in the production process while protecting the pharmaceutical products.

Flexibility and a high level of dynamics

The control of servo motors can be easily programmed and adjusted to achieve various motion profiles and speeds. The use of servo motors significantly enhances process reliability. The precise control and repeatability of movements reduce the risk of errors and improve the quality of vial handling. The sensitive vials are moved safely and gently, minimizing the risk of damage. This reliability and precision are crucial to meeting the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

Not only precise but also FDA-compliant

In developing our lifting stations, we focused not only on precision but also on strict compliance with FDA regulations. To ensure this, we made sure that all surfaces were made of high-quality stainless steel. Stainless steel is known for its corrosion resistance and durability. These surfaces were polished to a roughness value of Ra 1.6, creating an extremely smooth finish. This minimizes particle accumulation and facilitates cleaning and sterilization, effectively preventing contamination.

Constructive measures for hygiene and cleaning

Our lifting stations are designed to have as few open slots and gaps as possible. This prevents the ingress of dirt and microorganisms. In addition, we ensured that the lifting stations are easy to clean and disinfect. Rounded edges and a design that allows easy access to all surfaces contribute to this.

Compliance with FDA regulations

In addition, all components used, including seals, lubricants, and other materials, had to comply with the strict FDA regulations and be approved for use in pharmaceutical applications. By meeting these comprehensive requirements, we were able to ensure that our lifting stations are not only precise but also fully FDA-compliant, thereby ensuring the safe handling of sensitive pharmaceutical products.

Smooth collaboration for optimal results

The successful implementation of this project was only possible through close and effective collaboration with our client. From the very beginning, we worked hand in hand to understand the specific requirements and develope individual solutions. Our experts were in constant communication with the client to ensure that every phase of the project – from planning and design to installation – ran smoothly. This cooperation enabled us to meet the high standards and strict requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.