Feeders integrated into Pfizer’s high containment facility
Pfizer’s newly constructed high containment pharmaceutical production facility in Freiburg, Germany, features high-accuracy batch feeders from Coperion K-Tron as part of its automated manufacturing process. The facility, which employs over 2,000 people, is designed to double the company’s drug production capacity while reducing overall production time.
Coperion K-Tron’s K3 line of pharmaceutical feeders was selected for its accuracy, modular design, and ability to meet the stringent demands of high containment pharmaceutical manufacturing. The Freiburg plant, which handles highly potent OEB 4 compounds, uses completely enclosed systems incorporating split butterfly valves and glove boxes for safe material transfer.
The Coperion K-Tron K3-PH feeders are integrated into an automated batch system where raw materials—including APIs and excipients—are delivered from various container types and dosed according to set formulations. The feeders operate under a PLC-based control system, which communicates precise batch setpoints to the feeder’s KCM-III controller.
The KCM-III controller is equipped with advanced Smart Force Transducer (SFT) weighing technology, providing a resolution of 8,000,000:1 in 20 milliseconds. It ensures precise dosing, while also storing event logs and process data for traceability.
Designed to comply with cGMP guidelines and FDA requirements, the K3-PH feeders feature a compact footprint, quick-change components, and options for wash-in-place cleaning. These features support both batch and continuous manufacturing needs.
The integration of Coperion K-Tron’s feeders into Pfizer’s state-of-the-art facility highlights the increasing role of precise material handling in pharmaceutical production, contributing to greater efficiency, safety, and product consistency.
Coperion K-Tron pharmaceutical feeders are an integral part of the Pfizer high containment automated production facility in Germany
Coperion K-Tron’s pharmaceutical feeder with a redesigned trapezoid scale shape and significantly smaller footprint is optimized for multi-feeder clusters around a process inlet.
