WILCO Automates High-Mix/Low-Volume Visual Inspection with the launch of EVO CAX

Designed for visual inspection of high-mix/low-volume pharmaceutical products, the EVO CAX 20 fully automates vial inspection within the smallest possible footprint. This innovative solution enhances production planning flexibility, particularly in clinical and small-scale environments, by providing consistent, high-quality visual inspection.

The EVO CAX addresses longstanding challenges faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in high-mix, low-volume production settings. Clinical and small-scale production requires high flexibility for product turnover while the intervals between batches can be difficult to bridge for human operators. The EVO CAX delivers 100% automated visual inspection efficiency with reliable and reproducible results at minimal space requirements. It’s an ideal solution for facilities constrained by space, suitable for both clinical and small-scale production environments.

Key Features

1.       Small Footprint

Designed for minimal space, the EVO CAX seamlessly integrates into existing production environments. Its ideal size allows for scalability through a fleet concept as well as accompanying a product throughout its life cycle, from the laboratory to inline production through to reduced product volume before market withdrawal.

2.       Quick Format Change

Featuring the WILCO OptiX fixed vision system, the EVO CAX eliminates the need for setup adjustments during format changes, enhancing operational efficiency.

3.       Highest Flexibility

Capable of handling liquid and lyophilized (lyo) vials ranging from 2R to 30R at speeds up to 20 vials per minute, the EVO CAX supports swift product changes.

4.       Fast Recipe Development Cycles

Equipped with AI-supported baselines, the EVO CAX accelerates the development and validation of new product recipes, ensuring rapid adaptation to varying production configurations.

 

Addressing Market Challenges

The clinical production of parenterals often encounters issues such as product variability, infrequent production batches, and small batch sizes. Manual Visual Inspection (MVI) requires extensive operator training and requalification, resulting in fluctuating inspection quality. The EVO CAX overcomes these challenges by consistently delivering high-quality inspection results during production runs spread over time, reducing the need for constant requalification and enabling economical production of small batches.

 

Innovative Design for High Performance

The EVO CAX is compact in size, but does not hold back on additional innovations and functionalities to improve inspection quality and usability while focusing on gentle products treatment:

 

-          Adapted Lighting: Reduced energy exposure to products, minimizing stress and preserving product integrity.

-          Human-Inspired Inspection: Gentle mechanical handling with robots reduces the need for fast vial spinning, further protecting products.

-          Turbidity and Color Inspection: Fully integrated color and turbidity measurement for less stress on products by reducing transport needs.

-          Operator Assistance: Guides operators through critical processes, such as line clearance, ensuring smooth and error-free operation.

-          Image Quality: Highest resolution lowers false rejects and allows additional inspection tasks.

 

The EVO CAX sets a new benchmark for visual inspection, delivering reproducibility, security, and stringent quality standards. Its advanced capabilities cater to the evolving needs of ATMP (Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products) and C&G (Cell & Gene) product markets, offering a reliable alternative to manual inspection methods.

 

Joint Development and Market Launch

The EVO CAX is the result of a successful collaboration between WILCO AG and a major pharmaceutical company. Following an intensive, three-year development phase, the EVO CAX is now ready for its official market launch. Detailed information and product specifications will be available on the WILCO AG website at https://www.wilco.com/products/.