Pharma Technology New Integrated Pilot Plant at University of Sheffield

Continuous manufacturing technology from GEA takes center stage at the University of Sheffield’s new chemical engineering teaching plant.

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GEA representatives were delighted to attend the official opening of the University of Sheffield’s Diamond Pilot Plant (DiPP) in April, which features a world-leading continuous powder processing plant - the first of its kind in any UK University. Hailed as groundbreaking by industry leaders, this pioneering new facility will manufacture pharmaceutical tablets from blends of model active ingredients and excipients and will spearhead industry driven research and learning for engineering students across the globe.

Students will use, test and explore integrated processes with state-of-the-art simulations and world-class control systems in a safe, production-orientated environment. At the heart of the university’s plant is GEA’s Consi Gma CTL 25, a multipurpose platform that has been designed to transfer powder into tablets in development, pilot, clinical and production volumes in a single compact unit. The system can perform dosing and mixing of raw materials, wet granulation, drying, tableting and quality control, all in one line.

The university mentions that product development using continuous powder processing platforms is becoming the first choice in the pharmaceutical industry. The integrated powder processing line at Sheffield will help to address knowledge gaps using experimental and modelling techniques and support industry’s drive to adopt continuous solid oral dosage manufacturing technologies.

Continuous manufacturing will form an increasing part of solid dosage production in the future, and the industry needs well-trained graduates who understand the processes involved. GEA recognizes the need to collaborate with academics, as well as other suppliers to the industry, to ensure that the full potential of this exciting technology is achieved.

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