Retrofit of a granulate mixing system at Acino Pharma
What can be done to reduce the increasing maintenance downtime of production facilities? Our customer Acino Pharma commissioned us to find an efficient solution for an aging active ingredient mixer and at the same time to increase its production capacity. The zenon Batch Control from COPA-DATA was used.
The Swiss pharmaceutical company Acino Pharma produces medicines at its site in Liesberg. In order to increase machine availability and minimise downtime, the production systems in use are checked regularly.
As a result, CTE received the order to retrofit an active ingredient mixer. Our analysis showed that, in addition to the PC operator stations, the frequency converters in the system also needed to be replaced. With the replacement of the PC operator stations and their visualisation, it quickly became clear that we would rely on our proven CTE basic function concept for this project.
The zenon software platform from COPADATA in the current version V11 was to be used as the appropriate visualisation. With our CTE Automated Engineering and the Out of the Box functions, this is the perfect choice to ensure efficient, fast and high-quality work.
The SE version of zenon Batch was used for the existing system type. The connection with our qualified CTE GFK head in the newly programmed PLC makes this an advantageous element in the future production plant.
FAT with WinMOD
Together with the operator, all functions of the system were recorded and documented in the new functional description. At the same time, improvements and optimisations relating to system operation and process sequences were suggested and incorporated into the FS.
After successful customer review of the new function description, the starting signal was given to create the PLC program and the zenon visualisation. During subsequent software FAT, all functions were extensively tested with the system operator. For the FAT, the entire system was simulated with WinMOD. This meant that operator training could also be carried out on the test system following the successful software FAT.
Zenon in action
As always when converting a production plant, the downtime should be as short as possible. To ensure that the start of production could be met after two weeks of conversion, production-related recipes were created and tested together with the customer after the FAT. The fact that we had already put zenon Batch in the original version 7.11 into operation on various systems at the customer's premises was also a major time advantage. The software platform with CTE's basic function concept is known and appreciated by the production staff. After the problem-free installation of the new peripherals (Stahl Remote HMI for EX Zone 2) and the loading of the software, the line test began. After a brief functional test of the software, the two frequency inverters were also successfully replaced with two new SEW Movitrac units. After around two days of conversion work, we began our functional tests on the system.
FAT as a guarantee of success
Thanks to the successful FAT, in the office the SAT was completed after just two days. The subsequent cleaning of the system was carried out directly with the previously created CIP recipe.
The system was successfully handed over to production on completion of the training for employees at the "Production, maintenance and management" level.
