Robots’ Hygienic Features, Precision Spur Pharmaceutical Applications

A number of new robotic technologies meet the pharma industry’s need for greater automation, offering solutions for capping, pick-and-place, and other processes.

Epson Robots new GX Series of SCARA robots have been designed for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, and intricate small-parts handling processes.
Epson Robots new GX Series of SCARA robots have been designed for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, and intricate small-parts handling processes.

Another area requiring robots engineered to hygienic standards and offering extreme accuracy is the pharmaceutical market. According to a recent report from Grand View Research, the global pharmaceutical robots market size was valued at $162.7 million in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2022 to 2030. Says the report, “The growing need for automation in manufacturing units, coupled with the high costs of new drug discovery, is significantly increasing the demand for robotics in clinical trials, drug discovery, and laboratories for automating the procedures. In addition, key companies are introducing technologically advanced robotic machines, which has further led to the tremendous growth of the market. With rising demands for precision, output, and faster turnaround times, automation and robotics have gained traction in the pharmaceutical industry.”

According to a 2022 report from PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Trends Shaping the Future,” three out of four pharmaceutical companies interviewed for the report are using robotics along their line, and over half predict they will implement more robots/cobots in the future.

Currently, traditional robots, as opposed cobots, account for the largest share of the market, at 63.7%, shares Grand View. Applications include pick-and-place material handling, loading and unloading, packaging, palletizing and depalletizing, storing and retrieving, product placement, stacking, cutting, scribing, sorting, process-to-process transferring, and precision spot welding.

Epson Robots new GX Series of SCARA robots have been designed for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, and intricate small-parts handling processes.Epson Robots new GX Series of SCARA robots have been designed for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, and intricate small-parts handling processes.Designed for ultra-high precision for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, and intricate small-parts handling processes is Epson Robots’ new GX Series of SCARA robots for the medical device, electronics, and consumer electronics industries. The two robots that make up the series, the GX4 and GX8, incorporate Epson’s Gyroplus vibration reduction system and rigid arm design for fast settling times. The robots are available with multiple arm configurations, with   250- to 350-mm reach for the GX4 and a 450- to 650-mm reach for the GX8.


Watch video   Watch a video on Epson’s new GX Series SCARA robots.

According to Epson, the high-power-density SCARA robots are equipped with larger motors to handle heavy workloads at fast speeds. The GX4 can handle payloads up to 4 kg, and the GX8 up to 8 kg, both from a small form factor. The robots are also equipped with Epson RC+ industrial automation development software that streamlines automation so operators can design complex and robust robotic solutions with a simple interface, advanced integrated solutions, and an advanced 3D simulator.

Built for demanding environments, the GX robots are available in Standard, Cleanroom (ISO3), and ESD (electrostatic discharge) models; new standalone ESD models are available. The GX8 also supports IP65, which means it protects against low-pressure water jets from any direction, as well as condensation and water spray.

ESS Technologies’ Robotic Capping System integrates one, two, or three Fanuc SR-3iA robots with an ESS-designed gripper-style EOAT.ESS Technologies’ Robotic Capping System integrates one, two, or three Fanuc SR-3iA robots with an ESS-designed gripper-style EOAT.Another new SCARA robot-equipped solution geared toward the pharmaceutical market is ESS Technologies’ Robotic Capping System. The system integrates one, two, or three Fanuc SR-3iA robots with an ESS-designed gripper-style EOAT to pick caps from a feeder track, place them on a test tube, bottle, or vial, and apply a pre-torque before the containers convey to a final torque station—all at speeds to 120/min. The system can accommodate multiple cap sizes and torque or pressure requirements, push-on caps, and pucked containers, such as test tubes with rounded bottoms or irregularly shaped bottles.

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