WipCon®: Containment at the Highest Level
Isolator with automated cleaning technology for tableting highly potent products safely and efficiently
More safety, less complexity: With WipCon®, KORSCH offers high-containment solutions up to OEB 5. Isolator version, automated WIP cleaning, and a design consistently tailored to customer requirements ensure safe, efficient, and reproducible tableting processes.
WipCon® (Wash-in-Place) technology allows tablet presses to be designed for the containment levels OEB 4 and OEB 5. The corresponding technical equipment makes it possible to set up, operate, and clean the machines completely without personal protective equipment (PPE) under high-containment conditions.
Automated cleaning
Apart from the machine‘s isolator version, the main difference between WipCon® and DryCon® technology lies in the cleaning process: After production has ended, an automated cycle starts, rinsing all surfaces that come into contact with the product in several steps – first with hot water, then with acidic or alkaline detergents, and finally with purified water. In addition, critical areas within the isolator can be flexibly cleaned via a manual spray bottle. By using the glove ports, critical machine parts – particularly the compression tools – can be discharged safely via the RTP system between pre-cleaning and main cleaning. This is followed by the targeted drying of all relevant system parts by means of compressed air. The entire procedure takes place without PPE – even with highly potent active ingredients of category OEB 5. This corresponds to the pharmaceutical principle that technical solutions take precedence over operational protective measures. The result: increased safety and enhanced ergonomics and efficiency for production processes. The WIP process can be controlled entirely via recipes and individually adapted to the requirements of the powder mixture used. Peripherals are also supplied in a WIP-compatible version and integrated into the automated WIP cycle. After the WIP process‘s completion, all surfaces in contact with the product are wetted and the dust is bound. This ensures safe opening of the isolator and peripherals (tablet deduster and tablet tester) after production.
Extended requirements for production environment
WipCon® systems place higher demands on peripherals: In addition to a WIP skid for supplying cleaning agents, they also require process dedusting, wastewater treatment, and room concepts with pressure cascades and sluices. Careful planning is essential, especially when integrating systems into existing production lines. Upstream and downstream process steps must be taken into account during planning. In research and development, on the other hand, more compact, self-sufficient systems can be used.
The machine control system integrates the cleaning cycles and communicates with all peripheral devices, allowing most of the operation to be carried out via the tablet press‘s HMI. Systems for leak detection before production start (pressure retention test) and filter monitoring using differential pressure and integrity tests are standard features. WipCon® presses are designed as genuine isolators – with verified impermeability thanks to inflatable seals, safety glass panes, controlled airflow, and safety mechanisms for system isolation in an emergency.
Achieving an overall solution
“The most demanding part of project planning is accurately recording customer requirements and conditions on site,” explains Benjamin Haby, Team Leader Sales Engineering at KORSCH AG. “In addition to OEB classification, we consider the overall technical solution: containment, flexibility, ergonomics, and productivity must be thought of as a single unit.” Thomas Vermeulin, Head of Technology, Production and Service at MEDELPHARM, adds: “WipCon® achieves a higher level of safety due to the isolated design and has additional redundancies – essential for handling extremely hazardous substances.”
Application-specific WipCon® machines
Various product lines are suitable for use with WipCon® technology: As a compaction simulator, the STYL’ONE Evo enables precise tableting simulations in R&D – with maximum safety. As the smallest rotary press, the XL 100 is also available in a WipCon® version. The X 3 offers excellent flexibility and an ergonomically optimized isolator interior for small to medium production quantities. The XL 400 is scalable and ideal for industrial high-containment applications.
Customer-specific consulting
WipCon® or DryCon® – the decision depends on product requirements, budget, and the operator‘s previous experience. “We support our customers from the definition of their requirements to implementation – with modular, tried-and-tested, and customized complete solutions,” Benjamin Haby summarizes.
