Stäubli Robotics announces the new Stericlean robot for VHP Environments

Citation

(2009), "Stäubli Robotics announces the new Stericlean robot for VHP Environments", Industrial Robot, Vol. 36 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2009.04936bad.001

Stäubli Robotics announces the new Stericlean robot for VHP Environments

Article Type: New products From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 36, Issue 2

The new Stericlean robot (Figure 1) is going where no other robotics application has effectively gone before; into barrier isolator systems used in aseptic processes in the pharmaceutical, life sciences and medical device industries. According to the Stericlean developers, the innovation represents a major breakthrough in efforts to automate processes within isolators to eliminate repetitive motion concerns as well as overcome contamination potential, inconsistency, and throughput issues that impact quality and productivity when human operators pierce an aseptic space.

Figure 1 The new Stericlean robot

Designed to protect both personnel and products, the Stericlean robot will withstand corrosive hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) used during regular sterilization processes by employing complex surface coatings and full encapsulation. The technology eliminates restrictive enclosures and problems related to glove ports and heavy mechanical arms, plus other factors that undermined previous attempts at using robotics with isolator systems. “Shadow areas,” or surfaces on and under the device that might otherwise elude the vaporized H₂O₂, can now be effectively sterilized because the robot is deliberately and methodically moved during sterilization.

In addition to addressing product contamination issues, Stericlean robots also eliminate the chance that human operators will be contaminated by toxic drugs during syringe filling operations or will suffer from repetitive motion injuries. “A strong partnership between Stäubli, the system integrator and end-users continues to drive the success of the new technology,” says Sylvie Algarra, Life Sciences Activity Manager of Stäubli Robotics. “We’ve proved that when committed partners share the same strategies and bring to the table experience in both robotics and ‘clean room’ environments, obstacles to automating processes within isolators can be fully overcome to create Subclass 1/Class 100 ratings.”

During extensive testing, the new technology has already demonstrated its ability to simulate human motion and meet productivity goals, raising the rate at which syringes can be filled on a high-speed line from 200 to 800/min. Stericlean robots can be adapted for a wide range of production needs, from pharmaceutical compounding to cell culturing.

For more details please contact: d.arceneaux@staubli.co