The AC Compacting Automatic Solid Dose Sample Collection System

The AC Compacting Autosampler

General Description of the AC Compacting Automatic Sample Collection System:

Do you need to regularly collect samples of solid dosage oral forms, such as tablets or capsules, from a tablet press or some other pharmaceutical production line? Would you like to have a fully automated system so you wouldn’t need to have a person there to collect the samples?

The AC Compacting Autosampler is designed to automatically take samples from a solid dosage production machine at user-defined intervals, manually at any time, or based the production time of the machine. The product is collected into sample collection bins and then transferred to your testing operation. This could be a tablet hardness or weight testing system, a friability tester, sample collection bottles any other downstream testing system you have. Additionally, the PLC software can be supplied so that it communicates with a downstream system to signal that a sample has been transferred.

It operates as a stand alone system and requires no direct electrical or mechanical feedback from the production machine (typically a tablet press). The Autosampler is simply placed in the output stream of the machine. This self monitoring system can be used for tablets, capsules, or any other solid dosage form. The system can also be supplied as a dedicated system connected directly to a production machine.

The unit pictured at the top of the page uses gravity to move the product. Alternatively, we can supply the system with a vacuum transfer or other type of transfer system if gentle handling of the product is required.

Automatic Sample Collector Control System:

The PLC-based control system employs a graphic touch screen user interface for operator entry, displaying sample status and alarm conditions. The control system is designed to be intuitive and user friendly with password protected user levels. The touch screen can display numeric and alphabetic keys for entering alphanumeric fields and it also displays symbolic, animated graphics to indicate which sampling mode it is in. Fault conditions are indicated by an a audible alarm and a warning light.

Autosampler’s automatic sampling intervals are defined in the Setup screen. Assumning that there is no system fault it will then collect the sample(s) at the specified time without human intervention. The Autosampler will also allow an operator to manually collect a sample at any time.

The Autosampler pictured at the top of the page has a built-in strip printer with time stamp to document sample collection intervals and system alarms for record keeping and regulatory compliance purposes.

Cleaning and Maintenance:

The Autosampler’s contact surfaces are constructed of 316 stainless steel and FDA approved plastics. The modular construction construction allows the system to be easily disassembled with a minimum amount of tools for cleaning and maintenance.

Designed to Your Requirements:

As mentioned above, the AC Compacting Automatic Sample collection system can be supplied to your specific requirements. It can be supplied as a mobile, stand-alone system pictured above or directly integrated with a solid dosage production machine. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss your application in further detail.