Pharmaceutical Cleanroom Equipment

Your Questions, Answered - FAQs

What are electric tugs used to move in the pharmaceutical cleanrooms? 

Across pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, electric tugs are used to move a wide variety of equipment such as: 

• Buffer & media totes
• Bioprocess containers
• Chromatography columns
• Single-use mixers & skids
• Reactors & Agitators
• Vessels & tanks

How do electric tugs facilitate faster suite changeovers?

Where the reconfiguration of process trains or suite layouts was carried out manually, electric tugs streamline the movement to a one-person task, enabling the safe and efficient movement of equipment.

Likewise, the benefits of ‘ballroom’ production layouts and mounting equipment on wheels allow pharmaceutical manufacturers to create mobile and modular processes – enabling faster suite changeovers and increasing uptime. 

I’m moving high-value, sensitive equipment, do electric tugs connect securely to the load?

Yes, electric tugs create an unbreakable connection to the load. Whether you opt for our SM100+ SS to move buffer totes, or our MT20-1500+ SS to control large chromatography columns, you can be confident that your equipment will be securely moved using our electric tugs.

Hydraulic coupling systems maximise load security and manoeuvrability, enabling large, heavy equipment to be precisely moved in even the tightest of spaces.

Can they work in tight cleanroom environments?

Yes – all of our stainless steel electric tugs and tows can push, pull, manoeuvre and stop mobile process equipment in tight spaces. We know space is at a premium in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and that size is a key consideration when it comes to material handling equipment.

Our electric tugs are compact but powerful, meaning they’re adequately powered to move the heaviest of loads, without taking up valuable space.

The flexible steering on our machines also enables them to rotate loads on their corner axis. This unparalleled range of movement means that our electric tugs can move loads in even the tightest of cleanroom environments.

What grade of stainless steel is used?

All of our stainless steel electric tugs are constructed with 316 high-grade stainless steel.

A pickle and passivation process is undertaken to assist with the formation of a continuous chromium-oxide passive film and to remove contaminants.

Finally, a 180 grit polish is applied to provide a durable finish. This makes them ideally suited to biopharmaceutical cleanrooms.     

What IP ratings are available?

The Stainless Steel range encompasses a number of different machines, with varying ingress protection (IP) ratings. Individual IP ratings can be found on the Technical

Specification Sheets for each model, though as a guide, IP ratings range from IP42 - IP55, with higher ratings available as a custom solution.