To stay ahead in today’s competitive marketplace, pharmaceutical organisations have to be agile. They must exploit constantly evolving technologies, achieve ever-shorter times to production, and deploy techniques to do so efficiently. Pharmaceutical facility operators are constrained by many diverse factors and rely on uninterrupted power supplies. They must work within strict, multiple compliance and regulatory regimes. Compliance also requires uninterrupted monitoring and data logging for highly environmentally-sensitive, lengthy batch cycles.
The challenges of providing uninterrupted power to the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry
The key challenges faced in pharmaceutical application UPS power protection include:
- A need for flexibility over a facility’s lifetime due to evolving technologies and techniques, e.g. yield increases, single-use innovations, and modular production pods
- Space, floor loading and noise restrictions for the location of uninterrupted power equipment
- Increased in-house data storage and processing due to IP and privacy concerns
- Highly environmentally sensitive, lengthy batch cycles that for compliance require uninterrupted monitoring and data logging
- International projects requiring 24/7 IT systems and minimal downtime
- The entire working environment must be kept productive and safe, with an always-reliable UPS system for emergency lighting and lifts, shutters and doors, and environmental control systems
The pharmaceutical manufacturing process
Highly automated production processes include micronizing, milling and grinding. This is a process which granulates substances into extremely fine particles. The finished chemicals are then combined and processed further. Which is then followed by a mechanical process to capsulate, press into tablets or make into a liquid solution.
Other machines at a pharmaceutical plant fill bottles with capsules, tablets, or liquids, seal and then label. Power interruptions are the most frequent causes of disrupted operation of many industrial processes, particularly those using power electronics equipment. Pharmaceutical manufacturing is a highly sensitive process that involves a number of precisely controlled steps reliant of uninterrupted power.
Therefore, the requirement to source suitable industrial power solutions to produce continuous and clean production output without interruption is critical.
Innovative UPS products and optimised configurations
This complex and highly site-specific power protection profile is best achieved by engaging with a well-established UPS supplier in the UK such as KOHLER Uninterrupted Power (KUP). A UPS company with the resources, experience and expertise essential for installing and maintaining UPS systems in a highly sensitive environment. By taking a consultative approach, KUP helps users identify an optimal configuration of uninterruptible power supplies, emergency lighting inverters, UPS batteries and stand by generators and associated power protection infrastructure.
Naturally, good service must be complemented by innovative uninterruptible power supply products. KUP’s power protection product portfolio includes a comprehensive range of uninterrupted power supplies that can protect the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility from disturbances in electrical supply, brownouts and power failures which could result in hours of lost production time.
KUP’s uninterrupted power supplies range from modular three-phase UPS systems through to standalone models, compact single-phase UPS power supplies and UPS designed to handle regenerative loads from lifts. All UPS units are highly configurable, scalable and efficient, enabling its clients to right-size now and easily grow their UPS systems later, which is one of the challenges faced in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ideal for N+1 deployments, the modular UPS range has ‘six nines’ availability. This means it is exceptionally fast to replace or repair in the event of an issue. The new PW 9250DPA – independently certified as the most energy-efficient UPS system in its class.
The KUP engineering team have extensive pharmaceutical experience designing UPS back-up battery systems to suit specific floor plans and loading limits, environmental conditions, autonomy needs and UPS monitoring, and management requirements. For longer UPS battery autonomy, KUP’s standby generators can be specified with a range of fuel and engine types, including KOHLER Uninterruptible Power’s own.
KUP’s range of UPS along with its proven combination of pharmaceutical experience and ongoing customer support. Thus earned its trusted position with a variety of leading pharmaceutical organisations including Glaxo SmithKline, Pfizer and Proctor and Gamble.
Ongoing UPS support for Pharma power
Once all equipment has been specified to meet site requirements, the UPS must be installed, commissioned and serviced correctly to ensure a lifetime of efficient and reliable operation. KUP achieves this by using its own nationwide team of permanently-employed, factory-trained field service UPS engineers, backed by significant local spares inventories.
For more information regarding any of our uninterrupted power products or services, you can get in touch with KOHLER Uninterruptible Power via our contact page or call us on 01 460 6859.
