Masosine Pumps Aid Pharmaceutical Product Mixing
Aeropak is using three Masosine sanitary pumps from Watson-Marlow Pumps to ensure the efficient mixing of mainly aqueous and oil-based OTC and prescription medicine such as moisturising creams. The installation of the Masosine pumps has helped to facilitate a phase of extensive increases in throughput over the course of the past five years. In 2002, Aeropak moved to a specially commissioned manufacturing site in Great Yarmouth; this large, modern factory provides improved facilities to manufacture a greater quantity and variety of pharmaceutical products to best-practice standards.
Since moving to the site, Aeropak has installed three Masosine pumps from Watson-Marlow: an SPS2, an SPS2.5 and an MR130 model. 'The pumps are used primarily to help re-circulate bulk product in mixing vessels through homogenisers - an essential process to ensure the quality of the products,' said Graham Abraham, projects manager at Aeropak. The Masosine pumps are also used to transfer product from the mixing vessels into bulk storage containers. According to Abraham, it was the gentle, low-shear product handling capability of the pumps that led to their original selection.
This feature is achieved thanks to the sinusoidal rotor integral to both SPS and MR series models, which gives a wave-like action. The single rotor design offers very low propulsion, while large pumping chambers help to preserve and maintain product integrity. Some of the products manufactured by Aeropak exhibit high viscosity, such as the Doublebase emollient gel that acts as both a moisturiser and a protective hydrating gel. Doublebase looks and feels like a combination of cream and gel - it is thick-shear sensitive and effective mixing is critical to its performance. Abraham continued: 'The viscosity of products such as Doublebase is not a problem for the Masosine pumps.
'They work away without any issues. 'Because of their simple design [one rotor, one shaft, one seal], economical inline maintenance and cleaning is also achieved easily. 'When we need to change product on one of the production lines, stripping the pumps, cleaning them down, testing and reassembly is both quick and straightforward. 'Obviously, the need to get the production lines changed over in an efficient manner is critical to our operations here at Great Yarmouth,' he added.
The Great Yarmouth plant currently manufactures various volume packs of liquids, creams and gels. Among the gel-based products is verruca treatment Bazuka. Products such as these inherently carry volatile and sometimes flammable ingredients, which need to be handled carefully. To improve the handling of a number of its other products, Aeropak is currently considering the adoption of peristaltic pump technology from Watson-Marlow. Project discussions are currently in progress.
Since moving to the site, Aeropak has installed three Masosine pumps from Watson-Marlow: an SPS2, an SPS2.5 and an MR130 model. 'The pumps are used primarily to help re-circulate bulk product in mixing vessels through homogenisers - an essential process to ensure the quality of the products,' said Graham Abraham, projects manager at Aeropak. The Masosine pumps are also used to transfer product from the mixing vessels into bulk storage containers. According to Abraham, it was the gentle, low-shear product handling capability of the pumps that led to their original selection.
This feature is achieved thanks to the sinusoidal rotor integral to both SPS and MR series models, which gives a wave-like action. The single rotor design offers very low propulsion, while large pumping chambers help to preserve and maintain product integrity. Some of the products manufactured by Aeropak exhibit high viscosity, such as the Doublebase emollient gel that acts as both a moisturiser and a protective hydrating gel. Doublebase looks and feels like a combination of cream and gel - it is thick-shear sensitive and effective mixing is critical to its performance. Abraham continued: 'The viscosity of products such as Doublebase is not a problem for the Masosine pumps.
'They work away without any issues. 'Because of their simple design [one rotor, one shaft, one seal], economical inline maintenance and cleaning is also achieved easily. 'When we need to change product on one of the production lines, stripping the pumps, cleaning them down, testing and reassembly is both quick and straightforward. 'Obviously, the need to get the production lines changed over in an efficient manner is critical to our operations here at Great Yarmouth,' he added.
The Great Yarmouth plant currently manufactures various volume packs of liquids, creams and gels. Among the gel-based products is verruca treatment Bazuka. Products such as these inherently carry volatile and sometimes flammable ingredients, which need to be handled carefully. To improve the handling of a number of its other products, Aeropak is currently considering the adoption of peristaltic pump technology from Watson-Marlow. Project discussions are currently in progress.
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