Modular Conduit Track Layout for Disposable Tubing Changeovers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pharmaceutical, bioprocess, and food/dairy manufacturing systems face organizational complexity due to numerous conduits and components, leading to inefficiencies in setup, operation, and maintenance, particularly in managing flexible tubing and ensuring sterilization and bio-burden reduction.
Innovation Solution
A modular system of conduit tracks with connectors to spatially organize flexible tubing and components, allowing easy insertion and removal, and integration with process components like valves and pumps, which can be mounted on a scaffold for organized fluid pathways and quick swapping of disposable tubing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If flexible disposable tubing is used to avoid sterilization, then cleaning and sterilization time is reduced, but organizational complexity and setup time increase due to numerous tubing segments
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the tubing management into modular conduit tracks with standardized connectors. Each track segment can be independently managed, connected, and replaced. This segmentation allows the complex tubing system to be broken down into manageable units that are easier to organize, install, and replace without requiring sterilization of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
Conduit tracks serve as intermediary structures that organize and manage the flexible tubing segments. These tracks provide a structured framework with connectors that mediate between individual tubing segments and the overall system, reducing organizational complexity by providing a standardized interface and spatial arrangement for all tubing connections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If numerous conduit segments are used for complex processes, then process functionality is achieved, but visual complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is segmented into modular track sections with standardized connectors. This allows the system to be configured for different process functionalities by connecting different numbers and types of segments, while maintenance becomes simpler because individual segments can be accessed, inspected, and replaced independently without disrupting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit track system is designed to be dynamically reconfigurable. Connectors allow tracks to be easily assembled, disassembled, and rearranged to accommodate different process requirements. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to various process functionalities while maintaining ease of operation through standardized interfaces and modular construction.
3Reliability
If flexible tubing is discarded after use, then sterilization requirements are eliminated, but downtime for tubing replacement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit tracks and connectors are pre-assembled into modular units before use. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid installation and replacement of tubing segments. When tubing needs to be replaced, pre-prepared track segments with connectors can be quickly installed, minimizing downtime while maintaining cross-contamination prevention through the use of disposable tubing segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs disposable tubing segments that can be quickly discarded and replaced. The reusable conduit tracks and connectors are retained and recovered for continued use. This approach eliminates the need to sterilize the entire system while minimizing downtime, as only the disposable tubing segments need replacement rather than the entire conduit system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing flexible conduit or tubing used in pharmaceutical, bioprocess, or food/dairy applications includes a segment of flexible conduit or tubing and a plurality of conduit tracks, each conduit track including a conduit channel disposed on a first side thereof and extending along the length of each respective conduit track and dimensioned to receive the segment of flexible conduit or tubing therein, each conduit track further including a connector channel disposed on a second, opposing side and extending along the length of each respective conduit track and containing the one or more connectors that connect adjacent conduit tracks. The conduit tracks can be connected to each other or other process components.