GSK breathes easy with new inhaler line: robotics and 'adaptable' equipment help GlaxoSmithKline meet demand for the market's No. 1 asthma inhaler

A hop, skip and a jump from the GlaxoSmithKline complex in Research Triangle Park, the Zebulon, N.C., plant houses the only U.S. production of Advair Diskus, an ingenious powder inhaler that is the leading delivery system for asthma medication.

As the U.S. launch date loomed and the product's popularity grew internationally, GSK set up three identical packaging lines in Zebulon to augment the company's Advair Diskus output at two plants in the United Kingdom and France. The Zebulon MDPI (Multi-Dose Powder Inhaler) facility, in production now for a little more than a year, will have produced 10 million devices for the U.S. market in 2004.

Like proud parents, Bob Geer, director of respiratory process, and Mike Kipfer, MDPI principal production engineer, point out unique features of the lines' design and functions, including robots, servos, automation and multiple online inspections.

Each line meets four key requirements that were identified during the project's planning stage:

* Quick machine setup: Machines are programmed for product variances in a simple two-step process: Select the recipe in the TIPS production management system from Systech and hit "send." Product information is then downloaded via Profibus network to all the machines, except the case labeler, which is set up separately. Siemens PLCs were specified for the machines to be consistent with the other Advair Diskus packaging sites.

* Minimum production stoppages: A 15-minute accumulation buffer between final device assembly and packaging helps the line maintain a steady flow of product throughout packaging. In addition, a large magazine on the cartoner requires fewer fills, and the continuous-motion flowrapper measures any backlog and self-adjusts to, again, maintain a steady flow.

* Equipment accessibility: Machines allow easy access for the operators to clean, clear jams and load magazines, as well as allowing maintenance personnel to make quick repairs. The line's layout--designed for easy access and smooth material workflow--allows for future additions. GSK is currently considering adding a palletizer, a tamper-evident labeler and an in-line leak tester.