WO2016059663A1

WO2016059663A1 - Drug manufacturing equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2016059663A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/005266
Authority: WO
Inventors: 格木村; 真嗣井戸
Original assignee: 日揮株式会社
Priority date: 2014-10-16
Filing date: 2014-10-16
Publication date: 2016-04-21

Abstract

[Problem] To provide drug manufacturing equipment which makes it possible to achieve a safe work environment for workers. [Solution] In a process chamber 1 of the drug manufacturing equipment, in order to subject the processing materials to different processes in order, multiple processing devices 22-27 are arranged spaced away from each other in a planar direction. The drug manufacturing equipment is also provided with a container movement mechanism 34 for moving a conveyance container 4 housing the material to be processed, and a robot 3 which has a remotely controlled manipulator and which moves horizontally by means of a horizontal movement mechanism 34. Further, the robot 3 carries out operations relating to: conveying the processed materials to the processing devices 22-27; performing the processing; and using the container movement mechanism 34 to convey the conveyance container that houses the materials after processing.

Description

Pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical production facility provided with a process chamber for producing a pharmaceutical.

In the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, a powder (powder raw material) which is a pharmaceutical raw material is processed to produce, for example, a tablet-shaped pharmaceutical. In the pharmaceutical manufacturing factory, the bag containing the powder raw material is opened and transferred into the transfer container, the transfer container containing the powder raw material is transferred into the process chamber, and weighed, granulated, mixed, Processing such as tableting (molding into tablets) and coating are sequentially performed. In the process chamber, a processing device for performing each processing is arranged, and in the first weighing, there is a case where the powder raw material is put in the transport container, but in the subsequent processing, An object to be processed (powder raw material, intermediate substance or product from powder raw material to product) is taken out from the transport container and put into the processing apparatus. And the to-be-processed object processed with the processing apparatus is moved to another conveyance container, for example, and is conveyed to the following processing apparatus.

Pharmaceutical powder materials contain highly active chemicals that affect the human body, so each processing unit must be operated in a sealed space so that the material to be processed does not leak from the handling space to the outside. An isolator to perform, for example, a glove box for performing an operation through a glove is attached. When changing the type of powder raw material to be used, the glove box is removed from the apparatus, carried to the cleaning area, cleaned, attached to the apparatus, and a series of processes is started. Also, the worker wears protective clothing, and the passage from the process chamber where the worker leaves the process chamber to the cleaning area is separated from a general passage for environmental safety measures.

However, even with such an isolator or protective suit, the operator is always forced to pay close attention, the operator's burden is heavy, and the accuracy of work may be affected by the skill level of the operator. For this reason, it is difficult to say that it is always possible to completely prevent the powder raw material from touching the human body. In addition, when changing the powder raw material, a cumbersome work of glove box cleaning work is required, and in the layout of the factory, a dedicated passage for workers who have finished work in the process room is secured. There are restrictions.

In general, there is known a robot operation system in which operators share intuitive sensations such as visual, auditory, and tactile sensations and can operate intuitively and interlockedly without being conscious of maneuvering the robot.
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes a surgical operation system using a manipulator arm.
However, the technique described in this patent document cannot be a motivation for the present invention.

JP 2007-167463 A

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility capable of ensuring the safety of the worker's working environment.

The pharmaceutical production equipment of the present invention is a pharmaceutical production equipment provided with a process chamber for producing a medicine by processing a material to be treated.
A plurality of processing devices arranged in the process chamber so as to be spaced apart from each other in a planar direction, and sequentially performing processing on the workpiece;
A transport container for transporting the workpiece,
A container moving mechanism for moving the transport container;
A robot with a remotely operated manipulator;
A horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving the robot in the process chamber,
The operations performed by the robot by the remote operation include a carry-in operation for carrying the workpiece into the processing apparatus, a processing operation for processing the workpiece by the processing apparatus, and a processed workpiece after processing. And a transfer operation for transferring the transfer container to the outside of the subsequent processing apparatus or the process chamber using the container moving mechanism.

The said pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment may be provided with the following characteristics.
(A) The operation unit of the horizontal movement mechanism is provided in an operation area where the robot is remotely operated. Alternatively, the operation performed by the robot by the remote operation includes an operation of the horizontal movement mechanism.
(B) An elevating mechanism for elevating the robot is provided in combination with the horizontal movement mechanism. At this time, the operation part of the raising / lowering mechanism should be provided in the operation area where the robot is operated remotely. Or the operation performed by the robot by the remote operation includes the operation of the lifting mechanism
(C) The horizontal movement mechanism also serves as the container movement mechanism, and the conveyance operation includes an operation in which the robot places the conveyance container on the horizontal movement mechanism and an operation in which the conveyance container is lowered from the horizontal movement mechanism. Alternatively, the container moving mechanism is a caster provided at the bottom of the transfer container, and the transfer operation is an operation in which the transfer container moves on the floor surface along with the horizontal movement mechanism. At this time, the operation in which the transfer container moves along with the horizontal movement mechanism is an operation in which the robot pushes or pulls the transfer container.

In addition, the other pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment is a pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment provided with a process chamber for processing a processed object to manufacture a medicine.
A robot including a remotely operated manipulator; a horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving the robot in the process chamber; a lifting mechanism that is provided in combination with the horizontal mechanism and moves the robot up and down; Using a transport container for transporting an object and a container moving mechanism for moving the transport container, a loading operation for transporting the object to be processed into a processing apparatus, and then processing the object to be processed by the processing apparatus And a processing operation for transporting a transport container storing the processed material after processing to the outside of the subsequent processing apparatus or the process chamber using the container moving mechanism. A plurality of processing devices are provided in the process chamber so as to be sequentially separated from each other in the planar direction.

The present invention relates to transportation of a transport container containing a processing object or a processing object in a process chamber of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility provided with a plurality of processing devices for performing processing on the processing object transported by the transport container. For example, the robot is equipped with a manipulator to perform an operation for processing the image by a processing device. For this reason, even if pharmaceutical raw materials that affect the human body are handled, there is no influence on the worker's environment, and the working environment can be made safe.

It is a cross-sectional top view of the process chamber provided in the pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the robot which performs work in the process room. It is a perspective view of the robot in a state where a body part is extended. It is a front view of the operator who performs remote operation of the robot. It is a side view of the operator. It is the 1st explanatory view showing operation which a robot performs in the process room. It is the 2nd explanatory view showing operation which the robot performs. It is the 3rd explanatory view showing operation which the robot performs. It is an operation view of the process chamber. It is a perspective view of the robot which concerns on other embodiment.

Hereinafter, the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility of the present invention, the robot 3 for performing various operations in the facility, and the system for controlling the operation thereof will be described with reference to FIGS.
The pharmaceutical production facility of the present invention is provided as a process chamber 1 that handles pharmaceutical raw materials that affect the human body and the environment, for example, in a pharmaceutical production factory.

The process chamber 1 is isolated from other spaces in the pharmaceutical manufacturing factory via the partition wall 13, and various processing devices 22 to 27 for sequentially processing the pharmaceutical raw materials are disposed therein.
For example, in the process chamber 1, a weighing device 221 that weighs pharmaceutical raw materials, a doubling / weighing unit 22, which is a table in which a raw material container 222 into which the raw material to be crushed is placed, and a doubling / weighing unit 22 A granulating liquid preparation device 23 for preparing a granulating liquid to be coated or bonded to a pharmaceutical raw material that has been triturated and weighed in the above, and a pharmaceutical granule by spraying and drying the granulating liquid on the pharmaceutical raw material A fluidized bed granulating device 24, a container mixing device 25 for mixing excipients with this granule, a tableting device 26 for forming a mixed powder of agitated and mixed medicine, And a coating device 27 that coats the molded pharmaceutical tablets.

The process chamber 1 is elongated in the left-right direction as viewed in FIG. 1, and the processing apparatuses 22 to 27 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the process chamber 1 so as to be separated from each other in the plane direction. Each of the processing devices 22 to 27 is arranged so as to be arranged in almost one row along the order of processing performed on the pharmaceutical raw material.

In the arrangement of these processing devices 22 to 27, the pharmaceutical raw material stored in the transfer container 4 is carried from the outside of the process chamber 1 to the side wall surface on the side of the doubling / weighing unit 22 where the processing of the pharmaceutical raw material is started. A carry-in portion 21 is provided. Further, on the side wall surface on the side of the coating apparatus 27 where the processing of the pharmaceutical product is completed, a carry-out unit 28 for carrying the coated pharmaceutical product to the outside in a state of being stored in the transport container 4 is provided.
In the following description, pharmaceutical raw materials, substances that are being processed in the processing apparatuses 22 to 27, and coated pharmaceuticals are also collectively referred to as “objects to be processed”.

The carry-in part 21 and the carry-out part 28 have an air lock structure that allows the container to be carried in and out in a state where the internal space of the process chamber 1 is separated from the outside. Moreover, you may comprise the carrying-in part 21 and the carrying-out part 28 as a shower room provided with the air shower for removing the powder of the to-be-processed object which adhered to the surface of the container in the process chamber 1, and the shower of the washing | cleaning liquid.
Here, a space that is disposed adjacent to the process chamber 1 and into which a part of the coating apparatus 27 is inserted is the machine chamber 100. An operator can enter and leave the machine room 100 from other areas in the pharmaceutical manufacturing factory.

As shown in FIG. 1, the process chamber 1 in which the various processing apparatuses 22 to 27 are arranged is provided in the pharmaceutical manufacturing factory so that an object to be processed that affects the human body and the environment does not leak out of the process chamber 1. Isolated from other areas.
For example, an unillustrated open / close door provided in the partition wall 13 of the process chamber 1 is closed, and an operator cannot enter the process chamber 1 in a normal state. The air conditioning exhaust in the process chamber 1 is performed via a filter unit (not shown), and the object to be processed floating in the process chamber 1 is removed from the exhaust.

In the process chamber 1 thus isolated from the surroundings, an operation for loading and unloading the workpieces via the loading section 21 and the unloading section 28, an operation for conveying the workpieces between the plurality of processing apparatuses 22 to 27, and various processes. Loading and unloading operations into the devices 22 to 27 are performed using the robot 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot 3 is a slave robot having a humanoid upper body provided with a head 31 and two arm-shaped manipulators 32 in a body portion 36 and operated by remote operation. It is configured.
The head 31 provided at the upper end of the body portion 36 includes, for example, two 3D cameras 311, and the direction of the 3D camera 311 can be changed by moving the head 31 up and down and left and right by remote control. The head 31 is provided with a microphone that detects sound in the process chamber 1.

Each manipulator 32 includes an arm portion 321 having a plurality of joints, and a plurality of, for example, 3 to 5 finger portions 322 provided at the tip of the arm portion 321. Each finger portion 322 includes a plurality of joints. Is provided. The movement of the arm portion 321 and the finger portion 322 using each joint is executed by a remote operation described later. In addition, each finger portion 322 is provided with a pressure sensor (not shown), and a tactile sensation when holding the transport container 4 or the like containing the object to be processed can be fed back to the operator P. In addition, a proximity sensor that detects the proximity of these devices may be provided on the outer surface of the arm portion 321 in order to avoid collision with the devices in the process chamber 1.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower end portion of the body portion 36 is connected to an elevating portion (elevating mechanism) 33 that elevates and lowers the entire body portion 36 (elevates and lowers the robot 3), and uses a manipulator 32. Thus, the height position at which the object to be processed and its transport container 4 are handled can be changed. The body part 36 provided on the elevating part 33 is configured to be horizontally rotatable. The raising / lowering operation of the raising / lowering part 33 and the turning operation | movement of the body part 36 are performed by remote control.

Further, the lower end portion of the elevating unit 33 is fixed on a cart unit 34 constituting a horizontal movement mechanism of the robot 3 (the elevating unit 33 is provided in combination with the cart unit 34). The carriage unit 34 can horizontally move the robot 3 in the process chamber 1 using wheels 341 that are rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown). The drive mechanism can rotate the wheel 341 by switching between the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction, thereby moving the carriage unit 34 forward or backward. Further, the drive mechanism can change the direction of the wheels 341, and can move the carriage unit 34 in the left-right direction. The movement operation of the cart unit 34 is also executed by remote operation.

Further, a sensor (not shown) for detecting the guideline 12 indicating the movement trajectory of the robot 3 is provided on the lower surface of the carriage unit 34. As shown in FIG. 1, the guideline 12 is drawn in advance on the floor surface of the process chamber 1. The carriage unit 34 is configured as an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) that moves along the guideline 12 based on the detection result of the sensor. In the plan view of FIG. 1, the robot 3 that has moved along the guideline 12 has access positions to the carry-in unit 21, the carry-out unit 28, and the processing devices 22 to 28.
Further, the cart unit 34 is provided with a collision sensor for automatically stopping the cart unit 34 when a shock that collides with an obstacle is detected, and a control unit for the drive mechanism.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a placement surface 340 for placing the transport container 4 is provided on the upper surface of the carriage unit 34 on the front side in the traveling direction of the robot 3. The transport container 4 storing the object to be processed is transported between the carry-in unit 21, the carry-out unit 28, and the processing apparatuses 22 to 27 while being placed on the placement surface 340. From this viewpoint, it can be said that the carriage unit 34 also serves as a container moving mechanism for moving the transport container 4.

The robot 3 includes a wireless communication unit (not shown), and a head 31, a manipulator 32, a body unit 36, an elevating unit 33, and a carriage unit 34 with the slave-side control unit 51 disposed in the process chamber 1. Operation signal reception, video information photographed by the 3D camera 311, microphone audio information, and pressure information detected by the finger 322 are transmitted. The slave side control unit 51 inputs and outputs these pieces of information to and from the master side control unit 52 provided on the operation zone side outside the process chamber 1 (“signal A,” shown in FIGS. 2 and 5). B ").

Next, a master system that performs remote operation of the robot 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. The operation area of the robot 3 provided with the master system is not particularly limited as long as it is outside the process chamber 1, but is provided in the same pharmaceutical manufacturing factory as the process chamber 1, for example.
The master system of this example includes a headgear unit 61 mounted on the head of an operator P who performs remote operation of the robot 3, a head link mechanism 623 that detects the position and orientation of the headgear unit 61, and both hands of the operator P. A finger link mechanism 621 that is attached to the finger and detects the position and orientation of each finger, and an arm link mechanism 622 that is attached to the hand of the operator P and detects the position and orientation of the arm of the operator P. The head link mechanism 623, the finger link mechanism 621, and the arm link mechanism 622 are attached to the trunk (for example, the back) of the operator P, and the head 31 and the manipulator 32 (arm part 321 and finger part 322) in the robot 3. Is connected to an input / output unit 62 that detects and outputs information that teaches the position and orientation of the input and output.

The movement of the body of the operator P is detected as the amount of change of the joint accompanying the shape change of the head link mechanism 623, the finger link mechanism 621, and the arm link mechanism 622 (multi-joint structure), and the robot 3 is remotely operated. An existing system can be used as a technique for outputting teaching information (operation signal) for the purpose.

The direction of the headgear unit 61 detected using the head link mechanism 623 is input as an operation signal for changing the direction of the head 31, and the head 31 of the robot 3 moves in conjunction with the movement of the head of the operator P. It will be. Further, the operator P is equipped with an upper body link mechanism (not shown) that detects a twist around the vertical axis of the upper body, and when the upper body of the operator P is twisted, the body portion 36 is horizontally turned toward the twist direction. Can do. Thereafter, when the twist of the upper body of the operator P is returned, the turning of the body portion 36 is stopped.
Further, the headgear unit 61 is provided with a 3D monitor that displays images taken by the 3D camera 311 of the robot 3, and the operator P can visually check the inside of the process chamber 1 through the 3D monitor. .

Similarly, the position and orientation of the arm and finger of the operator P detected using the finger link mechanism 621 and the arm link mechanism 622 are input as an operation signal of the manipulator 32, and the movement of the arm and finger of the operator P is detected. In conjunction with this, the manipulator 32 of the robot 3 moves. The pressure information detected by the pressure sensor of the finger 322 is transmitted to the glove worn by the operator P as a tactile sensation when the transport container 4 is held by the manipulator 32.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the master system in this example includes a work chair 65 on which an operator P who performs remote operation of the robot 3 is seated, and a floor surface under the feet of the operator P seated on the work chair 65.

Various operation pedals

631, 632, 633, 634, 641, and 642 are provided.

For example, a forward pedal 631 for moving the carriage 34 forward and a reverse pedal 632 for moving backward are provided on the right foot side of the operator P sitting on the work chair 65. At a position further deviated to the right side from the home position where the forward pedal 631 and the reverse pedal 632 are provided, there is an ascending pedal 633 for causing the elevating unit 33 to perform an ascending operation, and a descending pedal 634 for causing the descending operation to be performed. Is provided. On the other hand, a right movement pedal 641 for moving the carriage unit 34 in the right direction and a left movement pedal 642 for moving in the left direction are provided on the left foot side of the operator P. Various corresponding operations are executed while these

operation pedals

631, 632, 633, 634, 641, and 642 are stepped on. Moreover, you may comprise so that the moving speed of the cart part 34 and the raising / lowering speed of the raising / lowering part 33 can be changed according to the depression amount of these operation pedals 631,632,633,634,641,642.

The teaching information of the head 31, the manipulator 32, and the body 36 obtained from the head link mechanism 623, the finger link mechanism 621, the arm link mechanism 622, and the upper body link mechanism is stored in the operation area via the input / output unit 62. Is input to the master-side control unit 52 arranged in In addition, operation information of the

operation pedals

631, 632, 633, 634, 641, 642 is also input to the master side control unit 52. These pieces of information are output to the slave side control unit 51 on the process chamber 1 side as operation signals for remotely operating the robot 3. Also, the video information, audio information, and pressure information acquired from the slave side control unit 51 are also transmitted to the headgear unit 61 and the glove worn by the operator P via the master side control unit 52.

Operations performed using the robot 3 in the process chamber 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, when the transfer container 4 storing the powdery pharmaceutical raw material (powder raw material) is carried into the carry-in unit 21 from the outside of the process chamber 1, the robot 3 carries out the carry-in unit 21 that has been isolated from the outside. The transport container 4 is taken out from the inside (FIG. 6A).

Then, the robot 3 places the transport container 4 on the placement surface 340 of the carriage unit 34 as shown in FIG. 2 and transports it to the doubling / weighing unit 22. In the doubling / weighing unit 22, it is mounted in the weighing device 221 while being put in the transport container 4 or by transferring the pharmaceutical raw material in the transport container 4 to another container for weighing (FIG. 6B). The figure shows an example in which the transport container 4 is mounted as it is on the weighing device 221). Next, the robot 3 performs the trituration of adding and mixing the raw material to be triturated in the raw material container 222 to the pharmaceutical raw material in the transport container 4 by a predetermined weight.

After completing the trituration, the robot 3 places the transport container 4 on the carriage unit 34 and transports it to the fluidized bed granulator 24, and opens and closes the open / close door 242 provided on the main body 241 of the fluidized bed granulator 24. The charged pharmaceutical raw material is charged into (loaded in) the main body 241 (FIG. 7A).

Further, the robot 3 extracts the granulation liquid from the preparation tank 231 of the granulation liquid preparation apparatus 23 at a predetermined timing before and after the operation of bringing the pharmaceutical raw material into the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 24 (FIG. 6 (c)), Using a transport container (not shown), it is transported and put into the granulation liquid tank of the fluidized bed granulator 24. For example, cellulose serving as a binder and purified water are supplied to the preparation tank 231 through a supply pipe, and these liquids are mixed by a mixer (not shown) arranged in the preparation tank 231 to prepare a granulated liquid. ing.

After the pharmaceutical raw material is charged into the main body 241 of the fluidized bed granulator 24, the open / close door 242 is closed and hot air for drying is supplied from the lower side of the main body 241 to form a fluidized bed of the pharmaceutical raw material. By spraying the granulation liquid toward the fluidized bed, fluidized bed granulation drying is performed in which a pharmaceutical raw material is coated with a binder to obtain a pharmaceutical granular material.

After the fluidized bed granulation drying is completed, the robot 3 extracts the granular material from the unillustrated extraction line provided in the main body 241 to the transport container 4 and then places the transport container 4 on the carriage unit 34 to mix the containers. Transport to device 25. In the container mixing device 25, the granular material in the transport container 4 is charged (carried in) into the container unit 251 held by the driving unit 252, and the molding excipient is charged (FIG. 7). (B)). Thereafter, the container unit 251 is rotated using the driving unit 252, and dropping in the container unit 251 is repeated to mix the pharmaceutical granular material and the excipient.

When the mixing operation of the pharmaceutical granular material and the excipient is completed, the robot 3 extracts the mixed granular material from the container unit 251 to the transport container 4, puts it on the cart unit 34, and transports it to the tableting device 26. The robot 3 puts (mixes) the mixed powder into the charging hopper 262 of the tableting device 26, compresses the mixed powder using the tableting mechanism installed in the main body 261, Form. The tablets dispensed from the main body of the tableting device 26 are conveyed by the conveyance mechanism 263 and are dispensed to the dispensing hopper 264 (FIG. 8A).

As shown in FIG. 8B, the payout hopper 264 is configured to be moved up and down by a lifter 265. Further, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 8 (b), between the tableting device 26 and the coating device 27, the lower position of the dispensing hopper 264 raised by the lifter 265, and the tablet loading into the coating device 27 A mounting table 266 configured to be able to turn horizontally between the operation positions is provided. On the mounting table 266, a transport container 4 for transporting tablets is placed. After the transport container 4 is inserted below the dispensing hopper 264 raised by the lifter 265, the dispensing hopper 264 moves to the transport container 4. Dispensing of tablets.

When the tablet is dispensed to the transport container 4, the mounting table 266 is turned to the coating apparatus 27 side, and the robot 3 receives the transport container 4 on the mounting table 266 and transfers the tablet in the transport container 4 to the coating apparatus 27. It is carried into the drum in the main body 271 (FIG. 8B). The drum in which the tablet is loaded is sealed and then starts to rotate, and the film liquid is dried and coated on the surface of the tablet by allowing the air for drying to flow while spraying the film liquid into the drum. Can be obtained.

When the coating of the medicine is completed, the robot 3 pays out the medicine of the product from the drum of the coating device 27 to the clean transport container 4, seals the transport container 4, and then places it on the carriage unit 34 and transports it to the transport unit 28. . Then, when the robot 3 carries the transfer container 4 into the carry-out part 28, the inside of the carry-out part 28 is isolated from the space in the process chamber 1, and after washing the outer surface of the transfer container 4 with an air shower or a cleaning liquid shower, The transport container 4 storing the pharmaceutical product is carried out to the outside.

As described above, in a series of processes from the carry-in unit 21 to the carry-out unit 28 via the processing devices 22 to 27, the robot 3 includes an object to be processed (granulating liquid) to the processing devices 22 to 27. The same applies hereinafter), and the transfer container 4 storing the object to be processed is placed on the carriage unit 34, and the subsequent processing devices 23 to 27 and the transfer unit 28 are carried out (FIG. 9). . Further, the robot 3 pushes a processing operation for processing by the processing devices 22 to 27 after carrying in the processing object, that is, a button provided on an operation panel or the like of each processing device 22 to 27, thereby processing the processing devices 22 to 27. The operation | movement which operates 27 is also performed.

Here, as the transfer container 4 for transferring the object to be processed between the carry-in unit 21 and each of the processing apparatuses 22 to 27, those carried into the process chamber 1 from the carry-in unit 21 may be used continuously. Different transport containers 4 may be used between the respective apparatuses. However, in the operation of transporting the medicine coated with the coating device 27 to the carry-out unit 28, the inside of the product can be cleaned and sealed in order to avoid contamination of the medicine of the product with raw material powder or the like. It is preferable to use the transport container 4.

The process chamber 1 according to the present embodiment has the following effects. In the process chamber 1 of the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility provided with a plurality of processing devices 22 to 27 for processing the object to be processed conveyed by the container 4, the conveyance container 4 containing the object to be processed is transported. Operations for processing objects to be processed by the processing devices 22 to 27 are performed by remotely operating the robot 3 including the manipulator 32. For this reason, even if pharmaceutical raw materials that affect the human body are handled, the environment of the operator P is not affected and the safety of the work environment can be achieved.

The configurations of the robot 3, the master system for performing remote operation thereof, and the transfer container 4 are not limited to the examples described with reference to FIGS. For example, in FIG. 12, instead of the

various operation pedals

631, 632, 633, 634, 641, and 642 provided on the operation area side, the robot 3a itself is a cart unit 34 that is a horizontal movement mechanism, and an elevator unit (elevating mechanism). ) 33 is shown.

For example, on the upper surface of the carriage unit 34 of the robot 3 a, a forward button 351 and a backward button 352 for executing the forward movement and backward movement of the carriage unit 34, and a right for executing the right movement and left movement of the carriage unit 34. A move button 353, a left move button 354, and a rise button 355 and a drop button 356 for executing the raising and lowering operations of the body portion 36 are provided. An operator in the operation area moves the manipulator 32 using the master system described above, and operates these operation buttons 351 to 356. The operation buttons 351 to 356 are provided at positions that enter the visual field of the 3D camera 311 when the 3D camera 311 provided on the front surface of the head 31 is directed downward.

Further, in FIG. 10, instead of the technique of carrying the transport by placing the transport container 4 on the mounting surface 340 of the carriage section 34, a caster 41 as a container moving mechanism is provided at the bottom of the transport container 4 a to transport the transport container 4 a. A method for carrying out the above is described. The robot 3a (which may be the robot 3 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) is an operation of holding the grip portion 42 provided on the upper side of the transport container 4a with the manipulator 32 and pushing the transport container 4a, or By the pulling operation, the transfer container 4a is moved along with the horizontal movement of the robot 3a.
Furthermore, the transfer of the transfer container 4 using the

robots

3 and 3a may be performed by moving the carriage unit 34 in a state where the transfer container 4 is lifted using both manipulators 32, for example. .

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the size of the transport container 4 that can be transported by being placed on the placement surface 340 of the carriage section 34 is a case where the capacity is about several liters to 300 liters. When the capacity exceeds 400 liters, it is preferable to use the transport container 4a with the casters 41. FIG. 10 shows a relatively small transport container 4a. For example, when transporting a large transport container 4a of about 400 to 1000 liters, the gripping portion 42 is provided on the body of the transport container 4a with casters 41. May be attached and pulled, or a transport container 4a with casters 41 may be disposed in front of the carriage unit 34 and pushed by the left and right manipulators 32.

And the horizontal movement mechanism which moves the

robots

3 and 3a to a horizontal direction is not limited to the case where it comprises as the trolley | bogie part 34 which mounted the body part 36 of the

robots

3 and 3a. For example, a support member that supports the body portion 36 from the lower surface side may be provided, and a moving mechanism such as a moving belt that moves the support member may be disposed along the floor surface of the process chamber 1. Needless to say, the support member may be provided with an elevating mechanism for elevating the body portion 36.
Furthermore, the number of

robots

3 and 3a that perform the work in the process chamber 1 is not limited to one, and a plurality of

robots

3 and 3a that are remotely operated by a plurality of operators P are used to carry in an object to be processed. The processing and the transport operation of the

transport containers

4 and 4a may be performed.

Further, the processing apparatuses 22 to 27 arranged in the process chamber 1 are not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. For example, the process chamber 1 includes a film solution preparation device that prepares a film solution to be supplied to the coating device 27, and a process test device that performs an in-process test, for example, an object to be processed in each of the processing devices 22 to 27. You may arrange in.

In addition to these, in all the transfer of the workpieces between the carry-in unit 21, the carry-out unit 28 and the processing devices 22 to 27, the workpieces are transferred by the

robots

3 and 3a while being accommodated in the

transfer containers

4 and 4a. It is not essential to do. For example, an operation may be included in which some of the processing apparatuses 22 to 27 are connected to each other by piping, and the granular material to be processed is transported by piping along with the transfer gas. Also in this case, the

robots

3 and 3a execute button operations on the operation panel for executing the pipe transportation.

Further, the method of arranging the carry-in unit 21, the carry-out unit 28, and the processing devices 22 to 27 in the process chamber 1 is not limited to the case where they are arranged in a line as shown in FIGS. For example, the loading section 21, the unloading section 28, and the processing devices 22 to 27 are arranged in a ring shape along the circumferential direction of the process chamber 1 so as to surround the center of the process chamber 1 having a substantially square cross section. May be.

P Operator 1 Process chamber 101 Robot cleaning chamber 21 Carry-in unit 22 Diffusion / weighing unit 23 Granulation liquid preparation device 24 Fluidized bed granulation device 25 Container mixing device 26 Tableting device 27 Coating device 3 Slave robot 31 Head 32 Manipulator 33 Lift unit 34 Dolly unit 4 Transport container 71 Shower unit 72 Cleaning liquid supply unit 73 Robot shower unit

Claims

In a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility equipped with a process chamber for processing a workpiece to manufacture a pharmaceutical
A plurality of processing devices arranged in the process chamber so as to be spaced apart from each other in a planar direction, and sequentially performing processing on the workpiece;
A transport container for transporting the workpiece,
A container moving mechanism for moving the transport container;
A robot with a remotely operated manipulator;
A horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving the robot in the process chamber,
The operations performed by the robot by the remote operation include a carry-in operation for carrying the workpiece into the processing apparatus, a processing operation for processing the workpiece by the processing apparatus, and a processed workpiece after processing. And a transport operation for transporting the transport container to the outside of the subsequent processing apparatus or the process chamber using the container moving mechanism.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit of the horizontal movement mechanism is provided in an operation area in which the robot is remotely operated.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 1, wherein the operation performed by the robot by the remote operation includes an operation of the horizontal movement mechanism.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 1, wherein an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the robot is provided in combination with the horizontal movement mechanism.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 4, wherein the operation unit of the elevating mechanism is provided in an operation area where the robot is remotely operated.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 4, wherein the operation performed by the robot by the remote operation includes an operation of the lifting mechanism.
The horizontal movement mechanism also serves as the container movement mechanism,
2. The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 1, wherein the transport operation includes an operation in which the robot places a transport container on the horizontal movement mechanism and an operation in which the transport container is lowered from the horizontal movement mechanism.
The container moving mechanism is a caster provided at the bottom of the transport container,
The said manufacturing operation is operation which the said conveyance container moves a floor surface with the said horizontal movement mechanism, The pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility according to claim 8, wherein the operation of moving the transport container along with the horizontal movement mechanism is an operation in which the robot pushes or pulls the transport container.
In a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility equipped with a process chamber for processing a workpiece to manufacture a pharmaceutical,
A robot including a remotely operated manipulator; a horizontal movement mechanism for horizontally moving the robot in the process chamber; a lifting mechanism that is provided in combination with the horizontal mechanism and moves the robot up and down; Using a transport container for transporting an object and a container moving mechanism for moving the transport container, a loading operation for transporting the object to be processed into a processing apparatus, and then processing the object to be processed by the processing apparatus And a processing operation for transporting a transport container storing the processed material after processing to the outside of the subsequent processing apparatus or the process chamber using the container moving mechanism. A pharmaceutical manufacturing facility comprising a plurality of processing devices arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a planar direction in the process chamber for performing the processing in order.