Grifols Engineering develops new filling line for Laboratorios Grifols Murcia

 

15/05/2010

Laboratorios Grifols, a member of the Grifols group of international hospital-pharamaceuticals companies, has completed installation of a new filling line for parenteral solutions for its fluid therapy product range at the group’s production plant in Las Torres de Cotillas in Murcia (south-east Spain).

Grifols Engineering, the group’s engineering company, was responsible for the design, assembly and installation of the new bag filling line. In addition to complying with GMP standards (Good Manufacturing Practice), the design incorporates improved mechanisms and finishes to ensure easy cleaning and maintenance.

 

The line is fully automated, offers compatibility for bags ranging from 100 ml to 1000 ml, and has a capacity of up to 2500 bags/hour.

 

Incorporating the very latest techniques, it offers full production, incident, alarm and maintenance data management via an Ethernet network, and also has an artificial vision system to review the correct marking of bags.

 

The line consists of: a) filling device, b) servo transfer for filled bags, and c) blister packing machine.

The filling machine is responsible for: checking correct positioning of bags, filling, stopping, review and rejection of incorrect bags. The correctly filled and sealed bags are transported by the servo transfers to the blister packing machine loading station. This machine labels, checks and double-bags the blood bags.

 

The line incorporates sensors at each stage of the process, enabling close control of every element of the operation, including: filling level, control of stopper and bag supply, control of presence, sealing, rejection, alarm management, etc.

The control system consists of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an independent touch-screen for each machine. Programming and communication between machines are a core part of the process which ensure the correct operation of the line.

 

Bags come off the line ready for transfer for sterilization.

 

Grifols Engineering also develops and builds tailor-made solutions and equipment which is not available on the open market.