PTA Pharma-Technischer Apparatebau installs new system for cleaning pharmaceutical closure elements

PTA Pharma-Technischer Apparatebau - Huber Machines has achieved another success in selling its specialized cleaning system for pharmaceutical closure elements of the DS40 type. A renowned, internationally active manufacturer from the pharmaceutical industry is once again relying on the patented systems made in Germany.

The company PTA Pharma-Technischer Apparatebau is currently installing a new DS40 system at a leading company in the pharmaceutical industry at its European headquarters. Here, the machine will clean up to 500,000 pharmaceutical closure elements per day to effectively remove water-soluble chemical contaminants from the surface of the rubber and thus comply with medicinal guidelines for injectable products. Each treatment cycle includes washing and rinsing with WFI water, a water of particularly pure quality used for the production of infusion or injection solutions, silicone coating with silicone emulsion or pure silicone oil, and drying with filtered hot air. The machine is equipped with three automatic dosing systems: one for detergent, one for silicone oil, and one for silicone emulsion. These are separated from the rest of the service area by an additional housing for easy maintenance and cleaning. Overall, the system will operate up to 14 hours daily — this operating time includes not only the actual washing, silicone coating, and drying cycles but also the times for loading and unloading the machine and the so-called Cleaning-In-Place cycles between two washing cycles during product changeovers. The DS40 is designed for front-side loading and unloading. The cleaned components are directly filled into so-called Tyvek bags at the machine using a sterile bag sealing device integrated into the unloading station. During the unloading process, the system additionally generates an airflow to protect the washed items until they are placed into the Tyvek bags. The operator determines the amount to be unloaded, so that the bags are filled with a piece count of 4,000 to 20,000 according to the desired fill volume.

With the stopper cleaning system DS40, the customer replaces a washing machine with rotating drums of the type WPS-DG 20, also supplied by Huber Machines, which reliably served every day for 37 years — except for the annual one-month shutdown due to the summer break. The reason for the switch was the company's desire for a modern system tailored to its current needs, aiming for modernization and increased efficiency. While the old model was significantly oversized, the new DS40 conserves valuable resources such as WFI water thanks to its size adapted to current usage conditions. Additionally, switching to a new machine simplifies not only cleaning but also the spare parts supply for maintenance and repairs. Another reason for purchasing a system from PTA – Huber Machines is the good experience with the predecessor model. "From the very beginning, we have always focused on combining excellent quality, market-leading cutting-edge technology, and maximum efficiency in operating our machines," explains Rüdiger Dilg, Managing Director of PTA Pharma-Technischer Apparatebau - Huber Machines. "For example, the piping of our machines is welded orbitally, with each orbital weld inspected internally using an endoscope and documented with color images."