Zimmer Group gets to grips with cleanroom flexibility challenges

The trends for personalisation and customisation, already established within the automotive and food manufacturing sectors, are now also becoming a requirement within the pharmaceutical industry.

This is resulting in smaller batch runs which in turn requires greater levels of flexibility and rapid changeover between different product variants.  In addition, other mitigating factors such as an overall shortage of labour, together with the need to consider social distancing between operators within the production environment, means that higher levels of automation are required to deliver the productivity and quality levels needed  to meet demand.

German specialist machine manufacturer Bausch+Ströbel has responded to this growing trend towards increasing levels of automation and customisation by introducing the flexible VarioSys production system. This modular and aseptic production system fully automates the filling and sealing of ampoules, syringes and vials in small batch sizes, with the aid of Zimmer Group’s mechatronic gripper systems.

Bausch+Ströbel turned to Zimmer Group for collaboration on the nest and tub handling of this special application. A key challenge in this application, in addition to seamless interaction with the robot, concerned the use of these grippers within a cleanroom system. From the outset this of course excluded the use of pneumatic grippers, not only due to issues with exhaust air, but also for reasons relating to space restrictions, therefore a purely mechatronic gripper solution was specified

A further benefit from the choice of Zimmer Gripper technology is the fact that the grippers have only a single cable outlet, which in itself represents a significant advantage for the restricted space conditions within the cleanroom. In addition, the use of IO-Link within the system made it easy to read specific data, such as the temperature measurement, position and number of cycles.