Powder and granular material management and transport system

Abstract

To provide a management and transport system capable of managing physical properties of raw material powder and granular material processed and generated by a powder and granular material processing device and appropriately transporting the raw material powder and granular material to the next processing process.SOLUTION: The powdery or granular material management and transport system 1 measures the physical properties of the powdery or granular material produced by the powdery or granular material processing apparatus 2, and transports the powdery or granular material to the next processing step 6 based on the measurement result. A physical property measuring part 3 for measuring the physical properties of the raw material powder and granular material is arranged at the rear stage of the powder and granular material processing device 2. In the physical property measurement unit 3, the raw material powder is temporarily stored, and various physical properties such as particle diameter and particle size distribution are measured. The physical property data obtained by the physical property measurement unit 3 is sent to the determination control unit 4. A determination control part 4 determines the content (tableting treatment or the like) of the next treatment process 6 of the raw material granular material on the basis of the obtained physical property data and a predetermined reference value. A selective conveyance unit 5 is provided at the subsequent stage of the physical property measurement unit 3, and the raw material powder is transported to the next processing step 6 by a robot arm based on the determination and instruction of the determination control unit 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder and granular material management and transportation system that manages the physical properties of raw powder and granular material processed and produced in a powder and granular material processing apparatus, and performs deviation processing of the raw powder and transportation to a tablet press, a vibrating sieve, etc. [Background technology]

[0002] In the process of producing tablets and powders for pharmaceuticals, health foods, and other uses, raw materials are first processed using powder processing equipment such as dry granulators or fluidized bed equipment to produce the raw powder required for the product. The resulting raw powder is then measured and controlled for physical properties such as particle size, moisture content, uniformity of ingredients, and packing density. It is then sent to the next processing step, such as a tablet press, vibrating sieve, or recycling, according to predetermined standards and specifications. Raw powders that meet the standards are then sent to the next processing step via pneumatic transport using a vacuum conveyor or bucket lifter, while those that do not meet the standards are rejected as defective. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5798400 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-3837 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, methods such as pneumatic conveying and bucket lifters for transporting raw powder and granular materials to subsequent processing stages have both advantages and disadvantages in terms of their impact on raw material properties, equipment layout, cleanability, flexibility in changing transport routes, and containment compatibility. For example, pneumatic conveying allows transport between distant equipment and is advantageous in terms of equipment layout, but it lacks flexibility. Furthermore, there are issues with the risk of raw material segregation and physical load during transport, and there is a risk of raw material (granules) breaking down, so its use is limited depending on the raw material. Furthermore, pneumatic conveying requires cleaning and inspection of the transport route, and there is a risk of abrasion and contamination of plastic hoses, resulting in a significant validation burden. Furthermore, while containment compatibility is possible, it is not easy, and there are also issues with dust explosions and contaminated air treatment.

[0005] On the other hand, transport using a bucket lifter reduces the risk of segregation of raw materials and physical load, but is limited to linear transport and layout changes after installation are difficult. This results in issues of poor equipment layout flexibility and a lack of flexibility. Furthermore, with bucket lifters, the slide belt part for driving the bucket cannot be washed with water, requiring a cleaning cover, and cleaning must be done at high altitudes due to vertical movement. Furthermore, it is not easy to accommodate containment, and in particular, WIP cleaning (cleaning in place) is nearly impossible.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a management and transport system that can measure and manage the physical properties of raw powder and granules processed and produced in a powder and granule processing apparatus, and can appropriately transport the raw powder and granules to the next processing step. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The powder and granular material management and transportation system of the present invention is a powder and granular material management and transportation system that measures the physical properties of raw powder and granular material produced by a powder and granular material processing apparatus and transports the raw powder and granular material to a next processing step based on the measurement results, and is characterized by having: a physical property measurement unit that is located downstream of the powder and granular material processing apparatus and measures the physical properties of the raw powder and granular material; a judgment control unit that judges and decides the next processing step of the raw powder and granular material based on the physical property data obtained by the physical property measurement unit; and a selection and transport unit that is located downstream of the physical property measurement unit and transports the raw powder and granular material to the specified next processing step in accordance with the decision of the judgment control unit.

[0008] In the powder and granular material management and transportation system, the powder and granular material processing device may continuously produce the raw powder and granular material, the physical property measurement unit may temporarily store a predetermined amount of the continuously produced raw powder and granular material as a unit amount and measure its physical properties, the judgment control unit may determine the next processing process for the raw powder and granular material based on the physical property data of the unit amount of the raw powder and granular material, and the selection and transport unit may transport the raw powder and granular material by the unit amount to the next processing process determined by the judgment control unit in accordance with the decision of the judgment control unit.

[0009] The physical property measuring unit may include a storage unit for storing the raw material powder and an inspection unit for measuring the physical properties of the raw material powder in the storage unit, and the judgment control unit may include a measurement control unit for controlling the operation of the physical property measuring unit, a data comparison unit for acquiring the physical property data obtained by the physical property measuring unit and comparing it with a predetermined reference value, a processing judgment unit for judging and determining the next processing step of the raw material powder based on the comparison result of the data comparison unit, and a transport instruction unit for determining the operation of the selective transport unit based on the judgment result of the processing judgment unit and issuing a control instruction for the selective transport unit.The judgment control unit may also include a quality judgment unit for judging the quality of the raw material powder based on the comparison result of the data comparison unit.

[0010] The selective conveying unit may be provided with a transport container for accommodating the raw material powder and a transport container conveying means for conveying the transport container, the raw material powder whose physical property data has been measured by the physical property measuring unit may be accommodated in the transport container, and the transport container conveying means may convey the transport container from the physical property measuring unit to the next processing step determined by the judgment control unit. In this case, the transport container may be provided with a container section for accommodating the raw material powder, a containment valve attached to the container section for maintaining the container section in an airtight state, and a discharge assist mechanism for facilitating discharge of the raw material powder in the container section.

[0011] In the transport container, the discharge assist mechanism may be configured to discharge all of the raw material powder and granular material from the container portion, and at that time, the discharge assist mechanism may be configured to impart vibration to the container portion.

[0012] The transport container conveying means may be a robot arm to which the transport container is fixedly or detachably attached.

[0013] Alternatively, the physical property data may be measured as at least one of the particle size, particle size distribution, moisture content, uniformity of the contained ingredients, and packing density of the raw material powder. The subsequent processing step may be any of tableting, sieving, mixing, sizing, recycling, and disposal of the raw material powder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The powder and granular material management and transportation system of the present invention measures the physical properties of raw powder and granular material produced in a powder and granular material processing device and transports the raw powder and granular material to the next processing step based on the measurement results, and includes a physical property measurement unit that measures the physical properties of the raw powder and granular material downstream of the powder and granular material processing device, a judgment control unit that determines the next processing step for the raw powder and granular material based on the physical property data obtained in the physical property measurement unit, and a selection and transport unit that transports the raw powder and granular material to the specified next processing step in accordance with the decision of the judgment control unit downstream of the physical property measurement unit.Therefore, it is possible to transport the raw powder and granular material to the appropriate next processing step based on the physical properties of the raw powder and granular material processed and produced in the powder and granular material processing device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a powder / granular material management and transportation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a custody transport system for raw powder particles, which is an example of the system shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 10 is a table showing an example of physical property data. [Figure 4] 10 is a table showing an example of judgment reference values ​​in a pass / fail judgment unit and a processing judgment unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of processing in a powdery material management and transportation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a table showing another example of the determination process in the determination control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a powder and granular material management and transportation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The powder and granular material management and transportation system 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as system 1 where appropriate) measures the physical properties of raw powder and granular material processed and produced in a powder and granular material processing device 2 such as a dry granulator or a fluidized bed granulator, and transports the raw powder and granular material to an appropriate next processing step (tabletting, sieving, recycling, disposal, mixing, sizing, etc.) based on the results of the measurements.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, a physical property measurement unit 3 that measures the physical properties of the raw powder and granular material is provided downstream of the powder and granular material processing device 2. In the physical property measurement unit 3, the raw powder and granular material is temporarily stored and various physical properties such as particle size, particle size distribution, moisture content, uniformity of contained ingredients, and packing density are measured. The physical property data obtained by the physical property measurement unit 3 is sent to the judgment control unit 4. The judgment control unit 4 controls the operation of the system 1 and, based on the obtained physical property data and predetermined reference values, judges whether the raw powder and granular material is good or bad (OK or NG), determines the processing form depending on the data, and decides the content of the next processing step (tabletting, etc.).

[0018] A selective conveying unit 5 is provided downstream of the physical property measuring unit 3. The selective conveying unit 5 transports the raw material powder to the next processing step 6 based on the decisions and instructions of the judgment control unit 4. In system 1, if the physical properties of the raw material powder are OK, the selective conveying unit 5 transports the raw material powder to various processing devices such as a tablet press or vibrating sieve, or to recycling processing, etc., according to the physical property data. On the other hand, if the physical properties are NG, deviation processing is carried out as the next processing step 6, and the NG raw material powder is discarded.

[0019] The judgment control unit 4 is a control device that controls the operation of the system 1, and may be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a PC (Personal Computer). The judgment control unit 4 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a timer 14, etc., and receives the physical property data detected by the physical property measurement unit 3. The judgment control unit 4 also has a production management database 15 that stores the physical property data along with the device specifications and operating conditions in chronological order, and a transport control unit 16 that operates the selection and transport unit 5 based on instructions from the CPU 11.

[0020] The ROM 12 stores programs for controlling the system 1, as well as reference values ​​and thresholds for physical property data. The physical property data detected by the physical property measurement unit 3 is input and stored in the RAM 13. The data in the RAM 13 is compared with the reference values ​​in the ROM 12 by the CPU 11 to determine whether the raw powder is good or bad and to select future processing. Based on the determination result, the CPU 11 determines whether deviation processing is necessary and the operation of the selective conveying unit 5, and issues instructions for operation to the selective conveying unit 5 via the transport control unit 16.

[0021] In order to make such judgments and instructions, the CPU 11 is provided with a measurement control unit 21 that controls the operation of the physical property measuring unit 3. It is also provided with a data comparison unit 22 that acquires physical property data obtained by the physical property measuring unit 3 and compares it with predetermined reference values, etc., and a processing judgment unit 23 that judges the future processing form of the raw material powder and granular material based on the comparison results of the data comparison unit 22. The processing judgment unit 23 is provided with a quality judgment unit 23a that judges the quality of the raw material powder and a next processing process determination unit 23b that decides the next processing process. The CPU 11 is also provided with a transport instruction unit 24 that determines the operation of the selective transport unit 5 based on the judgment results of the processing judgment unit 23 and issues control instructions to the transport control unit 16.

[0022] Specifically, a powder and granular material custody and transport system 1 according to the present invention is constructed, for example, with a configuration as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the system 1, and in this embodiment, a custody and transport system 31 for granulated material (raw powder and granular material) for tablets continuously produced in a dry granulator (powder and granular material processing device) will be described. In the custody and transport system 31 (hereinafter abbreviated as system 31 as appropriate) of FIG. 2, the physical properties of the granulated material produced in a dry granulator 32 are measured as part of the tablet manufacturing process, and the granulated material is transported to a tablet press 61, a vibrating screen 62, a recycling container 63, or a disposal container 64 according to the physical property data. Note that in addition to these, a mixer, a sizing machine, or the like may also be provided as appropriate, and the granulated material may be transported thereto.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 2, a physical property measuring device 34 is provided below the powder / granule discharge port 33 of the dry granulator 32 as the physical property measuring section 3. Furthermore, a raw material transport robot 51 is provided downstream of the physical property measuring device 34 as the selective transport section 5. Based on the measurement results, the raw material transport robot 51 transports the granulated material, whose physical properties have been measured by the physical property measuring device 34, to a tablet press 61, a vibrating sieve 62, a recycling container 63, or a waste container 64, which are set as the next processing step 6.

[0024] The physical property measuring device 34 is provided with a storage section 35 that temporarily stores the continuously produced granulated material, and an inspection section 36 that measures the physical properties of the granulated material in the storage section 35. The storage section 35 is provided with shut-off valves 37, 38 on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, so that the granulated material can be temporarily stored in a storage inspection chamber 39 between the shut-off valves 37, 38. The shut-off valves 37, 38 are, for example, pneumatically driven butterfly valves, and their operation is controlled by the measurement control section 21 of the judgment control section 4. When the shut-off valves 37, 38 are in the closed position, the storage section 35 is closed, and a sealed storage inspection chamber 39 is formed.

[0025] In the physical property measuring device 34, when the downstream stop valve 38 is closed during the granulation process, the produced granulated material is blocked in the storage inspection chamber 39. After that, when the upstream stop valve 37 is closed, the granulated material that flowed in during that time is stored in a sealed state in the storage inspection chamber 39. After the physical property measurement, the stop valve 38 is opened to discharge the granulated material from the storage inspection chamber 39, and when the stop valve 38 is closed again and the stop valve 37 is opened again, the granulated material that was blocked before the stop valve 37 flows into the storage inspection chamber 39, and the next physical property measurement begins.

[0026] In system 31, the storage inspection chamber 39 of the physical property measuring device 34 is relatively small (approximately 1 L), and physical property measurements are performed for each predetermined unit amount (segment: 1 L in this case). Therefore, in the physical property measuring device 34, the physical properties of the granulated product can be measured continuously without stopping the granulation process of the dry granulator 32, and the generated granulated product can be monitored in real time for small unit amounts.

[0027] The physical properties of the granulated material stored in the storage inspection chamber 39 are measured by the inspection unit 36. Here, a laser particle size distribution measuring device (physical property inspection means) 41 is provided as the inspection unit 36. The laser particle size distribution measuring device 41 irradiates the granulated material that has flowed into the measurement zone with laser light and detects the particle size distribution, particle diameter, etc. of the granulated material in real time. The physical property data obtained by the laser particle size distribution measuring device 41 is sent to the judgment control unit 4 and stored in the RAM 13, and the data is also input to the data comparison unit 22 of the CPU 11.

[0028] The physical property data obtained by the physical property measuring device 34 is associated with UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) for each segment and recorded in the production management database 15 of the judgment control unit 4. The physical property data in the database is also associated with the operating conditions of the dry granulator 32 (for example, machine specifications such as roll diameter, screw rotation speed, roll pressure, rotation speed, etc.) and is used for feedback control of the dry granulator 32. In addition, the data is evaluated and analyzed and used to improve production conditions and ensure traceability. The accumulated data can also be used for production management using MSPC (Multivariate Statistical Process Control) and AI.

[0029] The granulated material whose physical properties have been measured by the physical property measuring device 34 is transported by a raw material transport robot 51 to a location (hereinafter referred to as next processing position 50) where devices belonging to the next processing step 6 (such as a tablet press 61) are located. The raw material transport robot 51 is configured by attaching a transport container 53 to a single-axis articulated robot 52. The single-axis articulated robot 52 is equipped with a robot arm (transport container conveying means) 54 having the transport container 53 attached to its tip, and an arm drive unit 55 that operates the robot arm 54. In the system 31, the transport container 53 is fixed to the tip of the robot arm 54, but it is also possible to configure the two to be detachable.

[0030] The transport vessel 53 has a cylindrical container section 56 in which the granulated material is stored. One end of the container section 56 is open, from which the granulated material can be stored and discharged. A containment valve 57 is attached near the end of the container section 56. By closing this containment valve 57, the inside of the container section 56 becomes airtight, making it possible to hold the granulated material within the container section 56 in an airtight state.

[0031] The other end of the container section 56 is provided with a discharge assist mechanism 58 that assists and promotes the discharge of the granulated material within the container section 56. Here, a vibration generator that applies vibrations such as ultrasonic vibrations to the container section 56 is used as the discharge assist mechanism 58, and the vibrations promote the discharge of the granulated material. In the system 31, when the granulated material is transferred from the container section 56 to a tablet press 61 or the like, the discharge assist mechanism 58 vibrates the container section 56. This promotes the discharge of the granulated material, and all of the granulated material is discharged from the container section 56 without any waste.

[0032] In this system 31, the physical properties of the granulated material are measured as follows, and the material is transported to the next processing position 50. In this case, granulated material is continuously produced in the dry granulator 32, and this granulated material is temporarily stored in the physical property measuring device 34, where its physical properties are measured to obtain physical property data. In the physical property measuring device 34, closing valves 37 and 38 are operated at predetermined time intervals to introduce the granulated material into a storage inspection chamber 39, where the physical properties are measured. The particle size distribution, particle diameter, etc. of the granulated material in the storage inspection chamber 39 are measured by a laser particle size distribution measuring device 41, and the measured values ​​are sent to the judgment control unit 4 as physical property data.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of physical property data. As shown in FIG. 3, data obtained by the physical property measuring device 34 is sent to the judgment control unit 4, where it is associated with the measurement time, screw rotation speed, etc. and stored in the RAM 13 or the production management database 15. As shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the raw material powder and granules of segment No. 1 measured at 10:05 had a median diameter D50 of 100 μm, a roll gap of 10 mm at that time, and a screw rotation speed of 30 rpm. Such physical property data is compared with predetermined reference values ​​by the data comparison unit 22 of the judgment control unit 4. Then, based on the comparison result, the processing judgment unit 23 determines whether the granules are good or bad and the future processing mode. Here, the quality judgment unit 23a judges whether the granules are good or bad, and the next processing step decision unit 23b judges and decides the subsequent processing.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of the judgment criteria (predetermined criteria) in the processing judgment unit 23. As shown in FIG. 4, the processing judgment unit 23 judges that a D50 of 100 μm or more and 150 μm or less is a non-defective product (property: OK) and judges that the measured granules should be sent to the next process (tabletting machine 61). On the other hand, if the D50 is more than 150 μm and 200 μm or less, the particle size is somewhat large, so the processing judgment unit 23 judges that the granules should be sent to a vibrating sieve 62 for re-sizing. Furthermore, if the D50 is less than 100 μm and 50 μm or more, the particle size is somewhat small, so the processing judgment unit 23 judges that the granules should be sent to a recycling container 63 for re-granulation processing (recycling processing). Furthermore, if the D50 is more than 200 μm or less than 50 μm, the processing judgment unit 23 judges that the granules should be sent to a waste container 64 for deviated processing as a "defective (NG)" and disposed of.

[0035] Based on the judgment by the process judgment unit 23, the transport instruction unit 24 determines the operation of the raw material transport robot 51 (selected transport unit) and issues control instructions for it. In this case, the judgment control unit 4 first attaches the transport container 53 of the raw material transport robot 51 to the physical property measuring device 34 when the granulation process starts. That is, the transport control unit 16 operates the robot arm 54 to place the transport container 53 directly below the physical property measuring device 34. At that time, the transport container 53 is placed with the container part 56 facing up, and its upper end opening is placed in close contact with the lower end of the physical property measuring device 34.

[0036] The transport container 53 is airtightly attached to the physical property measuring device 34, and with the containment valve 57 open, the stop valve 38 on the physical property measuring device 34 side is opened. This allows the granulated material in the storage inspection chamber 39 to be introduced into the container section 56 of the transport container 53. After the granulated material whose physical properties have been measured has flowed into the container section 56, the containment valve 57 is closed and the granulated material is stored in an airtight state in the container section 56. Then, the arm driving section 55 is operated according to instructions from the transport instruction section 24. This causes the robot arm 54 to operate based on the measurement results, and the transport container 53 is moved to a predetermined processing position according to instructions from the transport control section 16.

[0037] That is, if the measurement result is OK, the transport container 53 is moved to the tablet press 61 at the next processing position 50a, and the granulated material is transported to the next process (here, tableting processing) for processing. On the other hand, if the measurement result is not NG but the particle diameter is large, the material is sent to the vibrating sieve 62 at the next processing position 50b for sieving. Also, if the measurement result is not NG but the particle diameter is small, the material is transported to the recycling container 63 at the next processing position 50c for recycling and reprocessing. On the other hand, if the measurement result is NG, the transport container 53 is moved to the waste container 64 at the next processing position 50d for waste (deviation) processing.

[0038] At each subsequent processing position 50, such as the tablet press 61, the raw material transport robot 51 rotates the tip 54a of the robot arm 54, turns the transport container 53 upside down, and discharges the granulated material. That is, the transport container 53 is placed at each position with the opening of the container section 56 facing downward. Then, the opening is brought into close contact with each input port of the tablet press 61, vibrating screen 62, etc., and the containment valve 57 is opened. At this time, vibrations are applied to the transport container 53 by the discharge assist mechanism 58, which promotes the discharge of the granulated material from the container section 56. As a result, the entire amount of granulated material in the container section 56 is fed into the tablet press 61, etc.

[0039] In this way, in the system 31 according to the present invention, the physical properties of the granulated material processed in the dry granulator 32 are measured by the physical property measuring device 34, and the granulated material is transported to the appropriate next processing position 50 based on the measurement results. In this case, the physical properties of the granulated material are measured for each predetermined amount (unit amount), and based on the measurement results, the raw material transport robot 51 transports each unit amount to the next processing position 50. When transporting to the next processing position 50, not only is deviation processing (OK or NG) determined, but also the next processing step such as a tablet press, vibrating screen, or recycling is selected based on physical property data such as particle size, and the granulated material is moved to the appropriate position. This makes it possible to transport the generated granulated material to the appropriate next processing step in real time based on its physical properties.

[0040] Furthermore, the system 31 uses a raw material transport robot 51 with a robot arm 54 to transport the granulated material, which means that there are fewer issues with pneumatic transport or bucket lifters in terms of the impact on the raw material properties, equipment layout, cleanability, flexibility, and containment compatibility. For example, with regard to the impact on the raw material properties, the system 31 is configured to store and transport the granulated material in a transport container 53, so no strong physical load is placed on the raw material. As a result, there are fewer issues with the impact on the raw material properties or crushing, it is applicable to a wide range of raw materials, and there are no problems with dust explosions or contaminated air treatment.

[0041] In addition, the robot arm 54 can transport the granulated material in all directions 360°, and the equipment layout and flexibility are excellent. Furthermore, the powder contact area is smaller than that of pneumatic conveyance or bucket lifters (for example, pneumatic conveyance: 823 cm for 5 m). 2 ,Bucket lifter: 6290cm when the main body is 2m 2 This system: 280cm in a 8.5L transport container 2 ) The transport container 53 is designed to be easily disassembled, making it easy to clean and enabling WIP cleaning. In addition, the use of a containment valve makes it possible to accommodate containment, eliminating the risk of scraping or contamination of the resin hose and minimizing the validation burden.

[0042] (Embodiment 2) Next, a powder / granular material management and transportation system 71 (hereinafter referred to as system 71) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. While the aforementioned system 31 uses particle diameter D50 as the physical property data, other physical property data, such as the particle size distribution of the raw powder / granular material, moisture content, uniformity of the contained components, and packing density, can also be used. A combination of these data may be used to determine the next processing step. For example, if moisture content is used as the physical property data, a moisture content of 5% or less may be judged and sorted as "OK to dry" and a moisture content of more than 5% may be judged and sorted as "NG to dry." This may also be combined with particle size for judgment. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the processing flow of system 71 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. System 71 judges the next processing step based on a combination of moisture content and particle size. In the system of Figure 5, the same components as those in system 31 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0043] In system 71 of Figure 5, granulated material produced in dry granulator 32 is dried in dryer 72, the physical properties of the dried granulated material are measured by physical property measuring device 34, and the granulated material is transported to an appropriate next processing location 50 based on the measurement results. Here, the moisture value and particle size are measured by physical property measuring device 34, and based on the data, the next processing step (tabletting machine, mixer, etc.), vibrating sieve, rejection (disposal), recycling, or additional drying is selected, and the granulated material is moved to the appropriate next processing location. In this case, too, the physical properties of the granulated material are measured for each specified amount (unit amount), and transportation based on the measurement results is performed for each unit amount by raw material transport robot 51.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, in system 71, a moisture content of 5% is the standard, with anything below 5% being considered "drying OK" and anything above 5% being considered "not dry." Furthermore, particle diameter D50 is 50 μm and 200 μm as the standard, with anything between 50 μm and 200 μm being considered "appropriate," anything below 50 μm being considered "too fine," and anything above 200 μm being considered "too large." Products deemed "drying OK" and with an "appropriate" particle size are directly transported to the next process (such as tablet press 61; which one will be selected depends on the product). In contrast, even if "drying OK" is selected, particles with a particle size of less than 50 μm are rejected or recycled (as described above, which one will be selected depends on the product), and particles above 200 μm are sent to a sieve and sent to a recycling container 63, a waste container 64, or a vibrating sieve 62.

[0045] On the other hand, those that are "Not dryable" are sent to the additional dryer 73 for further drying, regardless of particle size. Then, after the second drying process, the physical property data is measured again. That is, the moisture content and particle size are measured by the physical property measuring device 74 arranged downstream of the additional dryer 73, and the next processing step is selected based on the same criteria as above. In this case, those that are "Dryable OK" are judged based on the particle size in the same way as above and sent to the next processing step. In contrast, those that are "Not dryable" here are not further dried, but are rejected or recycled. In this way, in system 71 as well, the produced granules are transported to the appropriate next processing step in real time based on their physical properties.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the various values ​​used in determining the next processing step in the above-described embodiment are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate depending on the product specifications. Furthermore, the determination control unit 4 can determine not only whether the product is pass / fail and whether processing, such as tableting, is required, as in the above-described embodiment, but also whether either of these is required. Figure 6 shows an example of the determination process performed by the determination control unit 4, with Figure 6(a) showing only a pass / fail determination and Figure 6(b) showing only a determination of sieving, the next process, and recycling. In both examples of Figure 6, the upper limit of particle size is 500 μm and the lower limit is 100 μm. In the case of (a), if the upper or lower limit is exceeded, the product is deemed defective and discarded, and if the product is within the upper or lower limit, the product is sent to the next process (tabletting). Furthermore, in the case of (b), if the upper limit is exceeded, the product is sieved, if the product is below the lower limit, the product is recycled, and if the product is within the upper or lower limit, the product is sent to the next process (tabletting).

[0047] In the above embodiment, the transport container 53 is fixedly or detachably attached to the tip of the robot arm 54. However, a robot hand may be attached to the tip of the robot arm as the transport container conveying means, and the transport container 53 may be grasped and conveyed by the robot hand as appropriate. Furthermore, a knocker or air may be used as the discharge assist mechanism 58 in addition to a vibration generator. For example, a knocker applies intermittent impact to the container section 56 with air or the like to assist in the discharge of the granulated material and promote the discharge of the entire amount of the granulated material. In addition, air is sprayed against the granulated material in the container section 56 to assist in the discharge from the container section 56 and promote the discharge of the entire amount of the granulated material.

[0048] In addition, the powder and granular processing equipment to which this system is applicable is not limited to dry granulators, but can also be applied to various other equipment, such as fluidized bed granulators, continuous granulators, mixers, etc. Furthermore, as the physical property detection means in the physical property measurement unit 3, not only a laser particle size distribution measurement device but also sensors and devices that can detect the physical properties of raw powder and granular materials in a non-contact and non-destructive manner, such as a near-infrared spectrometer (NIRS) or a Raman spectrometer, can be used as appropriate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0049] The present invention is applicable not only to processes for producing granulated materials (raw powder particles) for tablets used in medicines, health foods, etc., but also to production processes for powder particles other than those for tablets, such as granules, and various powder particles used in confectioneries, fertilizers, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Powder and granular material management and transport system 2. Powder and granular material processing equipment 3 Physical property measurement section 4. Judgment control section 5 Selective transport section 6. Secondary treatment process 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Timer 15 Production Management Database 16 Transport Control Section 21 Measurement control section 22 Data comparison section 23 Processing decision unit 23a Good / bad judgement section 23b Next Processing Process Decision Department 24 Transport Instruction Department 31 Custody transport system (granular custody transport system) 32 Dry granulator (powder and granular processing equipment) 33 Powder discharge port 34 Physical property measuring equipment 35 Reservoir 36 Inspection Department 37 Shut-off valve 38 Shut-off valve 39 Storage Inspection Room 41 Laser particle size distribution analyzer 50 Next processing position 50a Next processing position (tablet press) 50b Next processing position (vibrating sieve) 50c Next processing location (recycling container) 50d Next processing location (waste container) 51 Raw material transport robot 52 Single-axis articulated robot 53 Transport containers 54 Robot arm (transport container transport means) 54a Tip part 55 Arm drive unit 56 Container Section 57 Containment Valve 58 Ejection assist mechanism 61 Tablet press 62 Vibrating sieve 63 Recycled Containers 64 Waste container 71 Powder and granular material management and transport system 72 Dryer 73 Additional dryer 74 Physical property measuring equipment

Claims

1. A powder and granular material management and transportation system that measures physical properties of raw powder and granular material produced in a powder and granular material processing device, and transports the raw powder and granular material to a next processing step based on the measurement results, a physical property measuring unit disposed downstream of the powder / granular material processing apparatus and configured to measure physical properties of the raw material powder / granular material; a judgment control unit that judges and determines the next processing step of the raw material powder and granules based on the physical property data obtained by the physical property measurement unit; a selective transport unit that is arranged downstream of the physical property measurement unit and transports the raw powder or granular material to a predetermined subsequent processing step in accordance with the decision of the judgment control unit.

2. 2. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 1, The powder / granular material processing device continuously produces the raw powder / granular material, the physical property measuring unit temporarily stores a predetermined amount of the continuously produced raw material powder and granules as a unit amount and measures the physical properties of the unit amount; the determination control unit determines the next processing step for the raw material powder or granules based on the physical property data of the unit amount of the raw material powder or granules; The selective transport unit transports the raw powder or granular material in units of the unit amount to the next processing step determined by the judgment control unit in accordance with the decision of the judgment control unit.

3. 3. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 1, the physical property measuring unit includes a storage unit that stores the raw material powder and an inspection unit that measures physical properties of the raw material powder and granules in the storage unit, The powder and granular material management and transportation system is characterized in that the judgment control unit comprises a measurement control unit that controls the operation of the physical property measurement unit, a data comparison unit that acquires the physical property data obtained by the physical property measurement unit and compares it with a predetermined reference value, a processing judgment unit that judges and decides on the next processing step of the raw material powder and granular material based on the comparison result of the data comparison unit, and a transport instruction unit that decides on the operation of the selective transport unit based on the judgment result of the processing judgment unit and gives control instructions to the selective transport unit.

4. 4. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 3, The powder and granular material management and transportation system is characterized in that the judgment control unit further has a quality judgment unit that judges whether the raw powder and granular material is good or bad based on the comparison result in the data comparison unit.

5. 2. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 1, the selective conveying unit includes a transport container in which the raw material powder is accommodated, and a transport container conveying means for conveying the transport container, the transport container accommodates the raw material powder and granules whose physical property data has been measured by the physical property measuring unit, The powder and granular material management and transportation system is characterized in that the transportation container transport means transports the transportation container from the physical property measurement unit to the next processing step determined by the judgment control unit.

6. 6. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 5, The transport vessel comprises a container portion in which the raw powder or granular material is accommodated, a containment valve attached to the container portion to maintain the container portion in an airtight state, and a discharge assistance mechanism for facilitating the discharge of the raw powder or granular material from the container portion.

7. 7. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 6, The powder and granular material management and transportation system is characterized in that the discharge assist mechanism discharges all of the raw powder and granular material from the container section.

8. 8. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 6 or 7, The powder and granular material management and transportation system is characterized in that the discharge assist mechanism applies vibration to the container portion.

9. 6. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 5, A powder and granular material management and transportation system, characterized in that the transportation container transport means is a robot arm to which the transportation container is fixedly or detachably attached.

10. 2. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 1, A powder and granular material management and transportation system, characterized in that the physical property data is at least one of the particle size, particle size distribution, moisture content, uniformity of contained ingredients, and packing density of the raw powder and granular material.

11. 2. The powder and granular material management and transportation system according to claim 1, A powder and granular material management and transportation system, characterized in that the subsequent processing step is any one of tableting, sieving, mixing, sizing, recycling, and disposal of the raw powder and granular material.

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