With every new development and advancement in the medical technology and pharmaceutical industries, there are benefits to human health as well. Progress brings significant advantages to treatments and therapies. However, these industries are often also confronted with challenges. New diseases often appear unexpectedly, requiring swift responses in the development and provision of medications. Pharma Integration, a leading company from Italy, aims to replace traditional mechanical filling lines with compact, fully automated systems that are 100% robot-driven. Machines known as Azzurra are at the forefront of this technological development. Their integrated Faulhaber drives play a crucial role in the fill-finish process, ensuring the highest precision and safety across multiple production steps.
Anyone who has ever been to a pharmacy knows how large the selection of medicines is these days. There are pills for headaches, capsules for nausea, drops for the eyes or syrups that help with coughs. The demand for the different forms of medication is as varied as the illnesses they treat. To ensure that these medications can be taken safely, they must be produced, filled and packaged in sterile environments – a demanding process that must run smoothly and efficiently. This is especially true for injectable medications, such as vital preparations, where any delay or error could have serious consequences. Strict controls, specialised equipment and careful packaging processes must ensure the integrity and safety of these sensitive drugs. In addition to supplying drugs already available on the market, the production of samples and small batches for research is another central element in the pharmaceutical value chain.
Fully automated thanks to Azzurra
How can an innovation that advances the pharmaceutical industry look in practice? How can medications be delivered even more efficiently? The answer from Pharma Integration is Azzurra. These machines were designed to revolutionise the pharmaceutical fill-finish process for next-generation biotechnological injectable drugs. They operate fully automated and 100% robot-controlled, integrating the latest Industry 4.0 technologies. This ensures maximum safety by eliminating the need for human intervention. Risks of contamination and human error are reduced and the increasing demand for biotechnological injectable drugs is efficiently met. The goal of Azzurra is to offer a compact, flexible and scalable solution that meets the diverse requirements of pharmaceutical production – from small-scale research and development to large-scale industrial production.
The Azzurra systems come in three different models: Azzurra Micro is a compact monoblock solution under an isolator with two robot modules. It is ideal for small-batch production, especially for research and development, clinical trials, personalised medicine, and cell and gene therapies. Azzurra Small is a monoblock solution under an isolator with four robot modules, developed for commercial production. It offers the same level of automation and flexibility as Azzurra Micro but with increased capacity. Additionally, there is Azzurra FAB, a monoblock solution that functions as a miniaturised cleanroom structure with four robot modules. It was designed for longer production campaigns and is suitable for large-scale industrial production. Thanks to their flexibility and variability, the machines are suitable for both niche products and mass production, adapting to the diverse needs of the pharmaceutical industry.
Faulhaber in action for filling and sealing
By integrating advanced robotics, as opposed to traditional mechanical systems, Azzurra offers unprecedented precision and gentle handling of the containers used for medication delivery. Faulhaber drives are used in various applications within the Azzurra machine, playing a crucial role in several process steps. Motors, such as the brushless motors of the BX4 family, enable the movement and operation of various key components involved in the different phases of the fill-finish process. One key application concerns the sealing process: the integrated Faulhaber motors ensure that containers are correctly and consistently sealed. Another important task is the environmental monitoring system. Faulhaber drives are employed to move plates for environmental monitoring, which is critical for maintaining sterile conditions in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Additionally, the motors are responsible for handling tubs and nests – the special containers in which vials, syringes or cartridges are brought into the machine.
Through the operation of these various mechanical groups, the Faulhaber motors make a significant contribution to the overall functionality of the Azzurra system. Their compact size and precise control capabilities, such as with the MC3603 motion controller, enable efficient control of multiple critical processes within the machine’s limited space, making the system highly efficient and reliable overall.
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