Bucket Elevators: Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Applications

The manufacture of regulated and OTC (Over-The-Counter) pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements (nutraceuticals) often involve applications for which bucket conveyors are excellent equipment choices. This blog examines how bucket conveyors may be employed to address the conveying needs inherent in these types of applications.

Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications involve the blending and mixing of ingredients, the movement of in-process product on manufacturing lines, and the transport of finished product to packaging lines. These types of processes can be considered as “sanitary service”, requiring conveyors designed with sanitary features to assure hygienic operation and product safety, as well as ease of cleaning and fast equipment turnaround.

TipTrakTM Bucket Elevators for Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Applications

A common misconception with bucket elevators is they are often large in size and designed for heavy-duty industrial operations. In actual fact, some manufacturers, such as UniTrak, offer bucket elevators that are right-sized for the types of operations often found in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

For example, the TipTrakTM TT250 bucket conveyor is a small conveyor that can be readily fitted into pharmaceutical or nutraceutical manufacturing lines. TT250 refers to the metric size of the bucket itself (250ml). This gentle-handling conveyor is ideal for moving in-process product through the manufacturing process without breakage or damage. In addition, TT250 conveyors can also be used to convey ingredients to mixing and blending processes, as well as feeding finished product on to the final packaging line.

For applications which require higher volumetric throughput rates, the TipTrakTM TT500 or S-2 models are excellent equipment choices. Like their smaller TT250 cousin, these conveyors are excellent equipment choices for conveying ingredient materials, moving in-process product, or feeding the final packaging line.

TipTrakTM conveyors can be readily customized to support the needs of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical manufacturers, as well as contract packers.

To cater to the variety of material flowpaths often found in facilities, TipTrakTM conveyors are available in a variety of equipment configurations. These consist of six configuration types, from Z-type configurations, through C-type, to inclined and inclined-horizontal.

To support sanitary service requirements, TipTrakTM conveyors can be supplied with the beltchain and interlocking bucket joint strips fabricated from FDA-approved materials. In addition, the conveyor can be supplied with a Clean-In-Place (CIP) option that supports equipment washdown and hygienic service.

If you are a pharmaceutical manufacturer, nutraceutical manufacturer, or contract packer, TipTrakTM bucket conveyors are a proven equipment choice to consider for your application. To see a case study which highlights how UniTrak worked with a leading multi-national pharmaceutical company to solve their conveying needs, please click here. To find out how TipTrakTM conveyors can service your needs, please contact our sales department.