1. Overview

The Fully Automatic Softgel Tumble Dryer Basket Cleaning System represents a groundbreaking advancement in cleaning technology specifically engineered for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, particularly within the softgel drying stage of production. This system is designed to automate and perfect the cleaning of tumble dryer baskets, which are critical components in the softgel manufacturing process, where residual oils, gelatin, and other fillers can accumulate.

2. Revolutionary Cleaning Technology & Principle

At the heart of this system lies a revolutionary approach that leverages high-pressure saturated steam as the core cleaning medium. This marks a significant departure from and improvement over traditional methods.

• Traditional Method Drawbacks: Conventional softgel tumble dryer cleaning equipment relies on high-pressure water jets combined with various chemical solvents. This approach is not only highly wasteful of water but also generates contaminated effluent containing chemicals, posing environmental hazards and requiring complex waste treatment.
• Steam Cleaning Advantages: Our system initiates a revolution by utilizing high-pressure saturated steam. It requires minimal water and absolutely no chemical solvents, thereby completely eliminating the environmental and operational disadvantages of the old methods. The saturated steam, under high temperature and pressure, possesses unique properties essential for softgel production line hygiene:
• It effectively dissolves and vaporizes even the most stubborn greases, oils, and softgel residues.
• Its powerful penetration allows it to cut into the smallest cracks and seams of the tumble dryer basket, thoroughly stripping away all contaminants.
• This results in a cleaning process that is inherently efficient, water-saving, environmentally friendly, and capable of achieving an ultra-clean standard crucial for post-drying process equipment.

3. System Components & Operation

• The system is engineered for robust, automated operation tailored tosoftgel manufacturing
• Automated Handling & Drive: The tumble dryer basket is easily loaded into the machine’s cleaning chamber drum using a standard forklift. A dedicated motor then drives the drum, ensuring the basket rotates for comprehensive exposure during the cleaning cycle.
• Multi-Media Cleaning Station: The system uses steam as the primary medium but can be configured to integrate clean water, purified water, or approved disinfectants as a supplementary spray. This combination enables all-directional flushing of both the inner and outer walls of the basket, ensuring no area of the raw material cage is left untreated.
• Integrated Disinfection & Drying:Following the deep clean, the system can execute a programmed disinfection and drying process. This ensures the tumble dryer basket is not only clean but also sanitized and ready for immediate return to the softgel drying line, supporting optimal batch turnaround.
• Process Visualization: A sturdy sight window made of toughened glass allows operators to visually monitor the entire cleaning process inside the chamber, providing an added layer of control and assurance.

4. Fully Automated Control System

The entire basket cleaning process is governed by a sophisticated Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) module. This automation ensures unmatched consistency and reliability.

• Operators can easily modify cleaning parameters, including cycle stages, duration, and media use, directly from the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) to suit specific soil levels or **softgel production protocols.
• This programmability allows the system to adapt to varying degrees of residue left from the softgel drying operation, guaranteeing optimal results for every batch.

5. Versatility and Specifications

Designed for flexibility within softgel manufacturing facilities, this washing machine accommodates tumble dryer baskets of various sizes, typically with diameters ranging from 600mm to 1000mm and lengths up to 1400mm. This wide range ensures compatibility with most standard softgel drying tumblers.

6. Environmental & Economic Benefits

This system stands as a paragon of sustainable industrial cleaning:

• Water Conservation: Drastically reduces water usage compared to traditional high-pressure washing.
• Chemical-Free Operation: Eliminates the cost, handling, and environmental impact of chemical solvents.
• Energy Efficiency: The direct use of steam, often already available in manufacturing plants, makes the process highly energy-efficient.
• Waste Reduction: Minimizes the generation of contaminated wastewater, simplifying disposal and reducing environmental liability.

7. Extended Application: Softgel Drying Tray Cleaning

The superior design of this system extends its application beyond drying basket cleaning, making it perfectly suitable for cleaning softgel drying trays. This demonstrates its powerful functionality and cost-effectiveness as a “multi-purpose machine.”

• Targeted Cleaning Challenge: Softgel drying traysdirectly hold softgels during the drying process and are prone to accumulating trace amounts of gelatin, oil stains, or active ingredient residues. Inadequate cleaning of these residues can affect the quality of subsequent batches. Traditional manual wiping or ordinary rinsing struggles to ensure consistency and hygiene standards.
• Advantage of Steam Technology: The system utilizes the powerful dissolving and penetrating properties of high-pressure saturated steam to quickly soften and strip away all softgel residues from the surface and crevices of the drying trays. The high-temperature steam itself provides natural sterilization and disinfection, offering a hygiene grade for the drying trays that far exceeds conventional cleaning.
• Adaptable Operation: For cleaning drying trays, a dedicated cleaning cycle can be set by adjusting the PLC program. The layout of the spray system within the cleaning chamber ensures that steam and rinsing media evenly cover all surfaces of the drying trays. Operation is equally simple: loading the drying trays into the cleaning drum via a forklift or dedicated fixture initiates the fully automatic cleaning cycle.
• Integrated Benefits: Consolidating the cleaning of both drying baskets and drying trays into the same fully automatic machine offers significant advantages for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers:
  • Cost Savings: Eliminates the need to purchase multiple dedicated cleaning machines for different components.
  • Standardized Process: A unified, high-standard cleaning, disinfection, and drying process ensures consistent cleanliness for all product-contact equipment parts.
  • Simplified Management: Unified maintenance, operator training, and validation procedures reduce operational complexity.
  • Maximized Equipment Utilization: Significantly improves the return on investment for a single piece of equipment.

8. Conclusion

This fully automatic multifunctional cleaning system, integrating the cleaning of both softgel tumble dryer baskets and drying trays, is an indispensable key component in building a modern, intelligent softgel production line. Through its revolutionary steam cleaning technology, fully automatic PLC control, and outstanding environmental and water-saving features, it not only addresses the pain points of traditional cleaning but also offers users greater operational flexibility and economic benefits through its multifunctional capabilities. The system ensures that all key containers used before and after softgel drying achieve the highest standard of cleanliness, thereby providing a solid guarantee for the quality, safety, and production compliance of the final softgel product. It maintains a unique leading position in the global cleaning technology landscape.