Bosch presents Fast Air Lock ISS 1000 for quick and contamination-free transfer

At Achema 2012 in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Bosch Packaging Technology introduces the new Fast Air Lock ISS 1000 at its booth (C70, C72) in hall 3.1.

The new machine was developed for the fast and contamination-free transfer of pharmaceutical equipment into and out of isolators. It operates independently from the status of the main filling isolator and can, for instance, transfer microbiological materials. With an especially efficient evaporation process and an optimized loading unit, cycle times of this new development have been significantly reduced. The external door of the lock can be opened while the isolator is in operation. Bio-decontamination can also occur independently from the operating condition of the main isolator. The transfer cart enables a very ergonomic loading and unloading of the lock. This leads to optimized loading patterns and consequently to minimized transfer times. Depending on the load, the ISS 1000 only needs approximately 20 minutes per cycle.

The new ISS 1000 is equipped with the well-proven bio-decontamination system Bosch SafeVAP, which ensures a safe evaporation of hydrogen peroxide. Air supply is generated from the ambient space while the exhaust air is conducted to the outside of the building. The air within the lock is conducted by Hepa filters.

The ISS 1000 is available as integrated or stand-alone version. The inner door of the integrated version opens directly into the main isolator to which it is firmly connected. Instead of the inner door, the stand-alone unit has an aseptic interface in the form of an RTP (rapid transfer port) system. In this version, the connected container and the lock are decontaminated simultaneously. Due to the independent container transfer, several filling lines can be supported with only one ISS 1000. The transfer container is loaded by means of a glove which is integrated into the door.

For more than 20 years, Bosch Packaging Technology has developed isolators for the pharmaceutical industry. Compared to conventional cleanroom production, isolators offer higher product quality, lower operating costs and a safe accomplishment of longer production cycles. Bosch isolator systems are available for all machine types processing ampoules, vials, cartridges and ready-to-use syringes.

Bosch underlines its pioneering position in the field of isolator technology with the current sale of its 100th isolator to an international pharmaceutical customer. At Achema, this isolator is showcased with an FLC filling and sealing machine and will be delivered to the customer after the trade fair. The FLC fills up to 24,000 vials and infusion bottles per hour and is available for cleanroom conditions and as isolator version. The isolator is the smallest, safest and most economical solution for a sterile room.

At the customer’s site, the isolator will be used in combination with an entire vial filling and sealing line for highly potent pharmaceuticals. The filling machine is connected upstream to a washing machine and a sterilization tunnel. The filled vials are loaded into a freeze dryer and transported to a capping machine after lyophilisation. The isolator ensures a sterile and contamination-free process from the end of the sterilization tunnel to the loading station of the freeze dryer and to the capping machine. Apart from product protection, the safety of the operating personnel is given top priority in the processing of highly potent agents.