Pharmaceutical manufacturing: automation of heat and mass transfer processes

即使最近取得了显著的进步，但制药行业的制造效率仍然落后于大多数其他行业。自动化和连续加工是提高竞争力的一种方式，可以减少生产时间、能源消耗和产生的废物量。事实上，更好的传感器和闭环反馈控制系统能够通过基于设计的质量过渡到更理想的质量，而不是通过基于测试的质量来制造下一代医药产品。目标是提高呈现质量和热交换的三个过程的自动化：片剂的涂布：开发提供薄膜涂布属性的在线视觉传感器(涂布水平，分布在片剂上的美学缺陷，-颗粒的干燥(在它们被压缩成片剂之前)：安全且可靠地在线最小化干燥时间和/或能量消耗。-瓶的冷冻干燥：安全且稳健地在线最小化干燥时间和/或能源消耗。将使用第一原理建模和模拟、实验数据和在中试工厂上的在线测试来开发算法。在该项目期间开发的柔性制造工具和知识将帮助辉瑞蒙特利尔公司将自己定位为为整个辉瑞制造网络提供新的创新制造技术的全球研发中心。

Even if remarkable progress has been recently achieved, the manufacturing efficiency of the pharmaceutical industry still lags behind that of most other industries. Automation and continuous processing is a way to become more competitive, to reduce production time, energy consumption and the amount of waste produced. Indeed, better sensors and closed-loop feedback control system enable the transition toward a more desirable quality by design-based, rather than quality by testing-based, manufacturing of the next generation of pharmaceutical products. They also reduce process variability and operator errors and lead to a better understanding of the process.The objective is to increase the automation of three processes that present mass and heat exchanges:- Coating of the tablets: development of a in-line vision sensor providing film-coating properties (coating level, distribution across tablets esthetical defects, etc.).- Drying of the granules (before they are compressed into tablets): safe and robust in-line minimization of the drying time and/or energy consumption.- Freeze-drying of vials: safe and robust in-line minimization of the drying time and/or energy consumption.The algorithms will be developped using first principles modelling and simulations, experimental data and in-line tests on pilot plants. The tools and knowledge of flexible manufacturing developed during this project will help Pfizer Montreal to position itself as a global research and development centre for new and innovative manufacturing technologies for the entire Pfizer manufacturing network.