Introducing A New, Unique Turnkey Isolated Milling Suite At Interphex

Four leading companies collaborate to deliver complete package

The results of a unique collaboration between four market leading companies serving the powder processing industries will be unveiled on Booth #2443 at Interphex 2012 (1-3 May; New York, USA). This new turnkey isolated milling suite encloses the innovative ARTMiS Automated RealTime Milling System within Powder Systems Ltd's (PSL) containment unit, providing a secure, advanced processing solution for those dealing with highly potent and/or high value materials.

Introduced last year, ARTMiS brings Sturtevant's Micronizer Jet Mill together with a Malvern Insitec particle size analyzer and the Schenck AccuRate PureFeed Feeder to deliver a fully automated system for jet milling that offers exemplary process control for optimal manufacturing efficiency. Built on the expertise of all three companies it simplifies and optimizes the jet milling process, reducing operational requirements to the input of a particle size distribution set point and introduction of the feed. ARTMiS then delivers a closely controlled, consistent product with minimal manual intervention, simultaneously maximizing process throughput and reducing the need for manual analysis. Its installation within PSL's advanced containment unit extends all of these benefits to those handling toxic or hazardous materials, such as pharmaceutical actives.

The Micronizer Jet Mill at the heart of ARTMiS is a low-maintenance unit that delivers a narrow particle size distribution. With a sanitary design it is suitable for processing the broadest range of material types, including those that are heat sensitive. The Insitec continuously monitors, in real-time, the particle size of the material exiting the mill, measuring complete particle size distributions in less than one second. These data are used to precisely moderate the feed rate via a simple PID control loop that acts on the Schenck AccuRate PureFeed Feeder, a pharmaceutical industry designed unit which controls feed rates at very precise accuracies.

The PSL isolator is the optimum solution when containment of the jet milling process is required. The isolator provides full operator protection through high containment to nanogram levels, and a controlled, safe environment while performing size reduction of active ingredients. It has been designed for enhanced operator viewing, ergonomics and an assured explosion protection system is fully integrated into the design. PSL's nitrogen purge systems are able to achieve less than 1% RH.

ARTMiS – An automated real time micronization solution http://www.malvern.com/ProcessEng/partners/artmis.htm

About Malvern Instruments
Malvern Instruments is a market leader in measuring performance controlling material properties. These include particle size, particle shape, zeta potential, molecular weight, size and conformation, rheological properties and chemical identification. Malvern delivers the systems, support and expertise that ensure the analytical integrity and productivity needed to drive research, development and manufacturing.

Malvern's measurement solutions for scientists, technologists and engineers advance continually through customer collaboration. Complementary materials characterization systems deliver inter-related measurements that reflect the complexities of particulates and disperse systems, nanomaterials and macromolecules. Combining intelligently implemented technologies with in-depth industry applications knowledge and support, Malvern provides customers with the competitive advantage they demand.

Headquartered in Malvern, UK, Malvern Instruments has subsidiary organizations in all major European markets, North America, China, Japan and Korea, a joint venture in India, a global distributor network and applications laboratories around the world. For more information, visit www.malvern.com.

About Sturtevant Inc
Headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, Sturtevant Inc. is a family-owned manufacturer of material processing equipment including crushers, fine grinders and air classifiers. Since 1883, the company has provided processing solutions to the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and mineral powder processing industries worldwide.

Sturtevant offers a full line of size reduction equipment. From large coarse particle crushers to the patented sub-micron Micronizer, Sturtevant custom engineers units suited to the widest range of applications. If an operation requires particle separation through air classification, Sturtevant produces three different kinds of air classifier systems.

The Sturtevant Sanitary Design Micronizer (USDA-Accepted Jet Mill) utilizes a unique fluid energy grinding system to generate particle-on-particle impact. Designed for high performance below 325 mesh (44 microns) — the economical fineness limit of many mechanical grinders — the Micronizer can consistently produce fines as small as 0.5 microns. It uses quick-release clamps throughout the system and requires no tools for disassembly. With feasibility established in the Qualification Micronizer®, scale-up is simplified in Sturtevant's Lab and Production Micronizers. For more information, visit www.sturtevantinc.com.

About Schenck AccuRate
Schenck AccuRate specializes in the manufacture of volumetric and gravimetric feeding systems, multi-ingredient batching systems, weighfeeders, mass flow meters, bulk bag discharging systems, and vibratory feeders to a wide variety of markets throughout the world. Since 1994, the company has been a wholly owned affiliate of Schenck Process, located in Darmstadt, Germany. Today, as an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, Schenck AccuRate is prepared to provide solutions for employing its state-of-the-art equipment, applications engineering, and unmatched customer support. For more information, visit www.accuratefeeders.com

About Powder Systems
Powder Systems Ltd (PSL) is an international manufacturer of filtration, drying and high containment solutions for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical and laboratory industries.

PSL has been established for 23 years and is an original pioneer of high containment systems such as isolators and gloveboxes. We have significant experience designing and engineering advanced containment processes for highly potent and valuable products including sterile, oncology, hormone and many other pharmaceutical compounds.

PSL provides a full range of filtration, drying and contained isolator products for small-scale production to full process systems. PSL have business units across the world including operations in the USA, UK, France, Czech Republic and Japan with current plans for India and South America and will continue to grow and expand across the globe.

SOURCE: Malvern Instruments