Print-proof doors for the production of secure primary packaging

The carousel of the machine rotates step by step at a one-second interval. A robotic arm picks up finished glass tubes, approximately two meters long, from an automatic glass storage and hands them over to vertical holders in the machine. The raw glass bodies are moved past horizontally arranged flames heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius with each movement, which heats the glass. Tools within the machine shape the hot mass before the glass is cut off at the end of the process. The final product leaving the machine in the production hall of SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA Müllheim are vials for liquid medications. The rooms where the small containers are inspected for quality and then packaged are cleanrooms. To ensure particle-free conditions corresponding to one of the cleanroom classes, these areas are secured with door sluices equipped with EFAFLEX EFA-SRT®-Cleanroom rapid doors.

"We have chosen a high-quality door supplier for the new construction as well as when replacing doors in existing buildings, and also for their excellent service level," reports Michael Bury, Head of Technical Service at the Müllheim site. The machine builder is responsible for the construction projects and technology in the plant. Depending on the installation situation, the doors must meet different requirements within the plant. For the hall closure doors, high energy efficiency is very important. In a material sluice, he points out additional usage aspects: "These sluice doors from the EFA-SRT-Cleanroom series by EFAFLEX are very pressure-stable. Our cleanrooms are operated with a positive pressure of 35 Pascals. This ensures that when the doors are opened, the airflow can only escape outward."

With door systems for cleanrooms of classes 5 to 7, certified according to DIN EN ISO 14644-1 and VDI 2083, EFAFLEX offers a wide range of options for properly sealing sensitive areas. The doors impress with their high airtightness combined with an elaborate door leaf guide to prevent unwanted air exchange due to pressure differences. The smooth surface structure and seamless design of the rapid doors facilitate cleaning and largely prevent particles from settling. Quick opening and closing increase efficiency in the cleanroom. This keeps filter contamination low and reduces air loss.

Door sluices against particle entry

Between the production area and the connecting corridor to the warehouse, two more doors, EFA-SRT®-ECO, open very shortly one after the other. A third door with transparent, insulated louvered panels, arranged at a right angle outward, remains closed. The insulated door in the waste sluice, which was installed by the general contractor at the time, had to be replaced by EFAFLEX after a short period because it could not withstand the many load changes. "Behind this is our disposal area," explains Michael Bury. The two interior doors and the outer one are interlocked. This means that employees can only open either the outer door or the two inner ones. "This prevents particles and especially insects from entering the production area," continues the technical manager. "We are a supplier to the pharmaceutical industry. Accordingly, we operate under strict regulations. If we detect contamination in a package, for example from insects, we cannot ship the entire batch."

Because the 13 billion medication containers leaving the facilities of SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA each year are filled with vaccines and liquid medications, which then reach patients worldwide.

Over 800 load changes per day

The two EFA-SRT®-ECO sluice doors in front of the disposal area have already completed 221,000 load changes in less than a year. "At this point, the doors had to be as wide as the corridor because we also bring new systems into the production area through this route," explains Michael Bury. The narrow side frames and space-saving design of the rapid doors make this possible.

Currently, there are forty doors from the specialist EFAFLEX at SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA in Müllheim. "Soon, there will probably be sixty to seventy," announces Michael Bury.

In a storage area of the existing building, an EFA-SST-L ECO spiral rapid door is installed. This hall entrance requires the maximum clearance height. Because a standard round spiral no longer fit under the ceiling, an oval spiral door was installed here. "EFAFLEX's field service always recommends the right solutions for each of our tasks. This allows us to also install modern and high-quality EFAFLEX doors in auxiliary buildings."

Reliable partner for the pharmaceutical industry

This technically current and standard-compliant equipment is very important for a supplier to the pharmaceutical industry like SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA. Pharmaceutical companies must be able to rely on the fact that their medicines are delivered safely, quickly, and reliably to patients.

SCHOTT Pharma employs over 4,700 scientists, pioneers, and problem solvers in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The company operates 17 GMP-compliant production sites worldwide to serve customers locally and shorten delivery times.

The product portfolio of SCHOTT Pharma ranges from solutions for drug storage to systems for drug administration, manufactured in cooperation with leading industry partners. The range of pharmaceutical syringes, carpules, vials, and ampoules is one of the most extensive and advanced on the market for injectable medicines.