Whether moving from manual to automated dispensing or simply upgrading dispensing and dosing systems, we understand that it is no small feat.
We also know it is crucial to select the right powder dispensing system to support your application, materials, and processes. Crucial, in order to ensure continued efficiency, reliability, and, above all, safe operations and outcomes.
The right dispensing system should improve consistency, compliance, and support long-term operational performance.
Hence, it becomes essential for those working in labs, where powder dispensing is key, to understand the specific application requirements, key performance indicators, and overall objectives and goals of powder dispensing.
In this post, we cover what to consider when choosing the right powder dispensing system for your processes and the benefits of moving to an automated system.
Challenges in Powder Dispensing
In general, we know that powders, especially when dispensing, can be difficult to manage.
This is because, depending on the makeup of the powder, it can compact, disperse (particle size can vary), and absorb moisture (affecting its structure), making accurate and consistent dosing incredibly challenging.
Dispensing requires proper handling, and when making the move from manual dispensing methods to automation, it is critical to maintain precision, product consistency, and minimise loss.
In addition, when looking at various powder dispensing systems, you will face:
Investment justification – you may be asked, why are these systems necessary? What are the benefits of introducing new powder dispensing technology to your processes? Will they help achieve overarching aims and objectives?
ROI concerns – management and boards will always want and need to know the return on investment, how long for ROI to show, and if there is any support available with upfront investment costs.
Vendor comparison – not all dispensing systems are the same or indeed suitable for your application. Make sure to research vendors and carry out a comparison to understand which is most suitable, not solely basing decisions on cost.
Internal stakeholder buy-in – what information does your board/team need to gain buy-in? Benefits? ROI breakdown?
Solution evaluation – outline how you will measure and monitor performance, cross-referencing this against actual value delivered. Ensure to build realistic timescales into this evaluation.
Choosing the Right Powder Dispensing System
When choosing the right powder dispensing system, you will have to understand and think about:
Your application – think about material compatibility in terms of the materials the system itself is manufactured from and the product requiring dispensing. Could there be any compatibility issues? Does the product have any sensitivities to be aware of, such as to heat or oxidation? Is the powder highly abrasive, which can lead to a higher risk of equipment wear and maintenance requirements, adding to costs and time?
Powder flowability – consider the type of material you are dosing, as different materials will have different characteristics. For example, think about flow behaviour: are you working with free-flowing powder (moves with ease but can flood or segregate during dispensing) or non-free-flowing (powder can compact and stick together, resisting flow and blocking dispensing)? Consider product weight and particle size, which again will impact flowability, segregation, and risk of attrition. These crucial differences are vital to understand, as they will determine what type of system you will require and how to maintain consistent transfer rates.
Required accuracy – do you require high precision dosing (working to tight tolerances) or general volume dosing (where slight speed variations are acceptable)? Are you dosing by volume or weight? Low batch vs high batch? Repeatability is also a key performance indicator; i.e., do you require consistent weight and precision across containers?
Environment and operating conditions – think about your application and also the environment and operating conditions surrounding this. For example, in pharmaceutical manufacturing, dust control is a key concern. Can the powder dispensing system carry out dust collection? Does it have a sealed design to minimise contamination and improve safety?
User-friendly – as with all systems, there will still be a requirement for human intervention and management. How easy is the system to operate, change dispensing requirements, disassemble and reassemble for cleaning, etc.?
Energy efficiency – the buzzword across all manufacturing; how can we make systems and processes more energy efficient? How will automated powder dispensing contribute to energy efficiency in the lab and manufacturing process?
Scalability – is the system able to scale with you and your processes in the future? The right investment now can save you thousands in the long term.
Benefits of Automated Powder Dispensing
In response to some of the challenges you may face when looking at integrating automated powder dispensers, the benefits these systems provide include:
- Fast, effective, efficient powder dispensing helping deliver ROI
- Improved production outcomes, achieving better accuracy across set weight ranges
- Limitless dispensing capabilities covering typical mass ranges
- Dispensing of various powders without causing damage or making concessions on accuracy or speed of dispensing
- Improved safety, ensuring efficient batch operations and high data security standards
- Frees up resources and capacity
- Supports scaling production
Gironex
Flexible, convenient, and designed to meet all precision powder dispensing requirements, the Gironex Cube Range helps to eliminate powder weighing errors and incorrect measurements.
Offering you:
- 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance
- Batch and Event Log Recording
- Batch and Single Mode Operations
- Interactive `Accept`/`Reject` Dispense Information
- Secure Electronic Batch Record Generation
- User Account Management with Access Level Control
- Automated Back-up
- Configurable Data File Storage and Network Transfer
- Complete flexibility in precision powder dispensing
- Confidence in achieving precision dispensing.
It’s essential that you carry out a comprehensive evaluation of your requirements, looking at the questions and areas above in depth to evaluate what you require from automated powder dispensing.
To request a demonstration of our Cube Range or to speak to an expert about your requirements, contact us today.