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Rx applied to tablet line

AstraZeneca looks outside of pharmaceuticals to find an accumulation, buffering, and line-balancing system that improves OEE.

BOTTLE BUFFER. Dynac's compact helical design provides a large amount of accumulation in a small footprint.
BOTTLE BUFFER. Dynac's compact helical design provides a large amount of accumulation in a small footprint.

AstraZeneca's online mission statement says that its people are dedicated to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative pharmaceutical solutions. The company's Newark, DE, plant proves that the company's mission extends beyond product research and development into its packaging operations.

Last year the facility added a Hartness (www.hartness.com) Dynac 6400 system to boost efficiency between a capper and labeler on Line 4, which fills tablets into 75-cc white opaque high-density polyethylene bottles from O-I (www.o-i.com).

By adding the Dynac system, AstraZeneca's post-installation line analysis showed a significant improvement in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). OEE is determined through a mathematical formula involving three ratios: equipment availability, material quality, and performance. For more details on OEE, visit www.sixsigma.com).

Before adding the Dynac, “the spacing between the equipment was not sufficient for the 325-bottle-per-minute speed we need to run,” says AstraZeneca project manager Dave Mason. In the past, the line experienced frequent stops during the day, which reduced efficiency due to a lack of consistent bottle flow between the equipment.

In an effort to improve bottle flow on Line 4, Mason explains that company representatives looked to the cosmetics business.

“We were looking for efficient equipment, and the cosmetics industry is more into OEE than the pharmaceutical business. Their equipment is more reliable,” he says. “Pharmaceuticals are getting there, but we lag behind other industries,” where efficiency is concerned.

Pricing structures have a lot to do with it, says Mason. For example, the profit on a bottle of aspirin is higher than on a bottle of juice. Consequently, he observes, the pharmaceutical market hasn't needed to focus on packaging efficiency as much as other industries.

But that's changing, particularly at AstraZeneca. “I know other pharmaceutical companies are talking about OEE, and have hired consultants out of other industries,” says Mason. “AstraZeneca is saving money by being more efficient and making sure we utilize our assets correctly.”

Based in London, the company's U.S. headquarters are in Wilmington, DE. AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business and maker of prescription pharmaceuticals and supplier of healthcare services.

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