Precision Adaptive (Volumetric) Powder Dispenser

The picture shows the Adaptive Precision Powder Dispenser. In this novel electromechanical device, powder is stored in a conical cavity inside the dispenser. A vortex is induced using pressurized nitrogen inside the dispenser to force the powder out of the dispenser and into a cavity in the slider attached in the bottom of the dispenser. This cycle of pressure is alternated with applying vacuum inside the dispenser conical cavity to break up powder agglomerations. After pre-determined cycles of pressure and vacuum, the slider is slid into the dispensing position, and the powder is ejected from the slider cavity using vibration and gentle nitrogen pressure into a septum sealed container.

• This dispenser can be adapted via software to dispense a range of powders with widely varying properties in the 0-100 mg range within ± 5%
• Powders are differentiated by dispensing parameters, which are stored by in a database, the entry into which is identified by means of a bar code label on the dispenser. Unique design of the dispenser prevents the build-up of electrostatic charge inside the powder dispenser
• The technology is highly scalable, from a one dispenser bench top system to hundreds of dispensers per system

Application Areas Of This Technology:

• Precise powder dispensing for a powder filling line.
• Dispensing lyophilized microorganisms.
• Dispensing resins for combinatorial chemistry
• Distributing compounds in the compound distribution center
• Can be used to fill active pharmaceutical ingredients directly into vials for accelerated clinical trials, thus avoiding time-consuming excipient compatibility studies.
• Can be used to dispense powders for Solubility Screening
• Can be used to dispense powders for Salt Selection etc.
• Can dispense powders in sealed microtiter plates and septum sealed vials
• Any other application, when powder is to be precisely delivered in a controlled  environment.

This system was developed to meet the catalyst screening needs of a biotransformation group to precisely dispenses enzymes in a variety of microtiter plates from a library of 288 enzymes. The manual process was very labor intensive and error prone, and tied up Ph.D. level scientist in a purely labor intensive exercise—it was felt that the intellectual horse power could be better used in furthering the science.
A high throughput catalyst screening is an indispensable tool in a search for the right enzyme. Biotransformation Group developed biological processes to support Chemical Development efforts in synthesis of new drug entities. Enzymes are used to develop biological processes to support Chemical Development efforts in synthesis of new drug entities, their intermediates or metabolites. The use of enzymatic methods is finding increasing application in synthetic organic chemistry. This trend is brought about by global regulatory trends favoring pharmaceutical development of single enantiomers rather that race mates. Due to enzyme’s high emanation and region selectivity the biotransformation technology is best suited for efficient production of enantiopure molecules.

Key System Features:

• Modular System.
• Can dispense a very wide range of enzymes, on an average 10 mg ±5%, from any of the 288 dispensers on the carousel, into a sealed 24/96 well deep well microtiter plate. The dispenser can be randomly stored anywhere on the carousel.
• Powders are differentiated by dispensing parameters, which are stored by in an ACCESS database, and are identified by means of a bar code label on the dispenser.
• Front Panel Touch Panel Control.
• The dispenser can be kept anywhere on the carousel–the system will find it.
• Ten data communications networks in the system.
• Five axis of servo motion control.
• Digital Pressure regulators.
• Custom developed robotic arm to transport the dispenser.
• Novel vibration isolation technology for precision weighing of powders.