Understanding Pharmaceutical Transfer Panels: Design, Function, and Compliance

In the pharmaceutical industry, utility and distribution systems ensure essential services, such as water, compressed air, and steam, in the entire manufacturing plant. They enable pharmaceutical equipment to produce quality products and ensure safe working & regulatory compliance. The utility distribution system in the pharmaceutical industry has its distinct place and consists of various technologies and equipment, regulated by regulatory guidelines. 

The Transfer Panel is widely used in regulated industries, such as pharma, to ensure purity and hygiene. It acts as a physical barrier between different types of fluids and prevents unintended mixing and contamination. The panel can also adapt to different processes and product requirements. 

What is a Transfer Panel?

Transfer panels are mechanical equipment used to divert fluid from one direction to another. They are a simple mechanical structure with a support frame and dedicated piping fixed in different directions. The main component is the U-bend, which directly connects to the required process requiring a diversion in the fluid.

The dedicated U-bend provides a mechanical barrier, preventing fluid from mixing up. It also prevents fluid from being transferred to the wrong process or piping.

Transfer panels, also called diversion panels or swing panels, provide a physical break between the fluid and the underlying process. Since they come in indirect or direct contact with the pharmaceutical product, they must comply with standard pharmaceutical requirements. 

Applications of Transfer Panel

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, they can be used for the following applications.

Material Transfer

The most important application of Transfer Panels to transfer material from one point or piece of equipment to another. Piping designated for different points or pieces of equipment is laid down fixed in the manufacturing area and attached to the transfer panel. 

The U-bend is then used to make different combinations of piping depending upon the source and destination. After the completion of material transfer, the U-bend is detached to disconnect the source and destination.

Clean In Place - CIP 

Clean In Place  (CIP) is an automated cleaning system for various manufacturing processes, including pharmaceuticals. In this system, the entire equipment and its different components are cleaned without being removed from their place. 

Transfer panels act as a support component for CIP systems. They direct the flow of cleaning agent and water  into a network of piping inside the equipment. This ensures cleaning without disassembling the equipment or any of its components.

Controlling Utility Supply 

Utilities are an essential ingredient of the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Due to contamination and purity issues, they are often generated in technical areas away from the routine production area. From the technical area, utilities are transferred to the required department or equipment through a piping network.

Transfer panels are used to provide an end-to-end network from generation to production. For this purpose, piping network is laid down from technical area to every department or process, and transfer panels are used to make required connections to appropriate departments or machines.

Parts of  the Transfer Panel

Let’s discuss some standard parts of the transfer panel.

Support Plate

The support plate holds all the mechanical components of the transfer panel. It must be of adequate thickness, to adequately support. The thickness and mechanical specifications depends on the used components.

Identification plates

Identification plates identify each port, nozzle, piping, and other component. Its purpose is to ensure correct connection during the process and prevent human or other un-intentional errors.

Magnetic Jumper Stem 

They are thick cylindrical pieces connected to the base plate. They in conjunction with proximity sensors are used to detect the presence of a U-bend. Its purpose is to prevent accidental fluid flow, in case of absence of a U-bend.

U–bend

A pipe of appropriate size in a U shape attaches to the pots on the transfer panel. It is used to make required connections between different piping networks through a transfer panel.

Drip plate

It is a plate directly welded to the lower and front sides of the transfer panel. It collects spilled fluids from different pots, nozzles, and connections, to prevent spillage on the manufacturing  or production floor. 

Proximity Switches 

Proximity switches detect metals. In the transfer panel, they detect the presence of a U-bend and give signal to main controller to alert and prevent accidental fluid spillage, when the U-bend is not connected.

Design Considerations of Pharma Transfer Panels

Transfer Panels come in direct contact with the product or associated fluids. Their design & mechanical structure directly impacts the production process and final product. To ensure quality, safety, and regulatory compliance, the transfer panel must be carefully subject to design selection. 

Some design considerations are discussed below.

Application

As mentioned earlier in this article, the transfer panel can be used for different applications. Each application has its unique requirements and impacts the mechanical design and capacity. So, when selecting  a transfer panel , consider your requirements.

For process-related applications, the transfer panel installation, capacity, and working depend on productivity requirements, area of installation, available area, and many other factors. For CIP-related applications, the design of the transfer panel often depends on the equipment to be cleaned. 

Material of Construction - Stainless Steel 316L

The material of construction for the transfer panel must be selected to prevent liquid degradation and altering liquid’s chemical and physical characteristics. The material’s characteristics should also remain stable when in contact with the liquid. 

Stainless steel 316L is used as the construction material. It is the low-carbon variant of SS316 and tends to resist corrosion. It is suitable for high-temperature applications and can withstand welding without changing the material’s characteristics. Since some products or cleaning agents can be above room temperature, SS316L is best suited. It also provides adequate protection against material corrosion.

Surface Finish 

Surface Finish defines the texture and appearance of the metallic surface and is the function of irregularities in the surface of metals. Surface finish is commonly determined in terms of surface roughness, Ra.

It is used to indicate the roughness of a metal. A rough surface will easily harbor impurities and contaminants, stick to it, and make it difficult to clean, sanitize, and remove them. A smooth surface will provide less support for these contaminants and allow easy removal of impurities and contaminants. 

The material must have approved surface roughness requirements for the transfer panel, typically below 8. This will enable easy and effective cleaning to prevent contamination, impurities, and other foreign bodies from sticking to the surface and product residue from previous batches. This is more critical for transfer panels because they are mostly used for liquid-based processes and applications.  

Connection Configuration

The connection arrangement allows several paths to be formed simultaneously. Multiple path formation enables various process connections simultaneously. It increases productivity and maximum utilization of the transfer panel. 

If your application requires multiple transfer connection within a department or during the production process, a multiple connection configuration design can be adopted.

Sensor in the transfer panel

Proximity sensors are also included in the design of the transfer panel, and are used to detect the presence of the U-bend with the relevant incoming & outgoing ports. It acts as a safety mechanism to prevent the accidental fluid flow; in case a U-bend is not present or fitted.

Always ensure that the transfer panel’s control systems have input probability through appropriate ports. If it is not included in the control system, the U-bend cannot detected and the user has to invest more to make the possibility.

Advantages of pharma transfer panels

Let’s discuss some advantages of pharma transfer panels.

Flexible Transfer System

The transfer panel allows pharmaceutical professionals to implement a flexible fluid transfer system by adapting to process requirements and equipment. A single transfer panel can be used to establish fluid transfer mechanisms between different upstream and downstream processes.

On the other hand, a fixed transfer system requires dedicated piping and relevant components that can only be used for a particular machine or process. If there is no requirement, these piping and attached components will remain idle. 

The pharma transfer panel allows a single transfer system for various processes or machines. It prevents or reduces the transfer panel’s idle time, making it more valuable and cost-effective.

Cost-effective with respect to fixed piping

Pharma transfer panels consist of fewer ports, valves, piping, and other components. They can easily integrate with existing piping systems. On the other hand, a fixed system requires dedicated components, such as a motor, controller, and transfer piping. 

These features make the transfer panel cost-effective against the fixed transfer solution.

Enablers of new sterility technology

New sterilization regulations and requirements focus more on less human involvement and more automated manufacturing solutions. The main idea behind this concept is that humans are the main source of contaminants  in the manufacturing process. This can be significantly reduced by reducing human access to critical operations. 

Pharma transfer panels are used to implement less human involvement practice. It can reduce human interaction and exposure to the product during product transfer & equipment cleaning, thereby increasing sterility, purity, and compliance fulfillment.

About the Author

Muhammad Asim Niazi has a vast experience of about 11 years in a Pharmaceutical company. During his tenure he worked in their different departments and had been part of many initiatives within the company. He now uses his experience and skill to write interested content for audiences at PharmaSources.com.