In the days of Covid-19, the remote FAT becomes reality

In cooperation with German customer Dr. Gustav Klein, MG2 implemented a remote procedure to perform FAT and validation of the delivered machine - an MG Compact for filling homeopathic and nutraceutical capsules - and thus start up the line, despite the limitations imposed by the lockdown.

MG2 has successfully overcome the worldwide spring 2020 crisis, which severely limited the movement of both people and goods, by implementing the most consolidated office automation tools. Indeed, with Microsoft Teams, MG2 could offer both remote technical assistance and machines tests. It is the case of the FAT run with the German customer Dr. Gustav Klein GmbH & Co. KG, a company of the Alpen Pharma Group, that is specialized in the production and distribution of herbal medicinal and homeopathic products which are exported to over 20 countries worldwide.

The machine at the centre of the remote FAT and the partnership with MG2 was an MG Compact capsule filler, with a maximum speed of 48,000 capsules per hour, equipped with two dosing units for powders and pellets with relevant dosing size parts, two capsule transport size parts and a statistical weight control system model SWC. This MG2 technology will allow to fill capsules with phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Dr. Gustav Klein bought the capsule filler despite the COVID-19 crisis. That is why a remote procedure had to be defined to both run the FAT and carry out product validation.

As it happens, in practice the remote test

 «In this first remote FAT we used two video cameras - says Eng. Fabrizio Buffoni, MG2 Area Manager - one fixed and one on the operator. Wearable technology allows MG2 to show all the components purchased by the customer.

The live procedure totally corresponds to the Factory Acceptance protocol that we usually apply. In this specific case, the customer asked to weight some of his capsules once a production batch was finished. The capsules were then collected in three stages during one hour of production: at the beginning, at the end and in the middle of the batch production, they have been weighed one by one, subsequently emptied and weighed again.

Usually the customer is near the machine, but today we can show the machine functioning on remote mode, by making available the batch reports in real time.

A key element of the FAT is the objective evaluation of the correct capsule filling - continues Eng. Buffoni - an aspect which, in the case of the customer Dr. Gustav Klein, was highlighted by two specific tests: the SWC weight control system, which tests a capsule every 20 seconds and it was part of the supply, and a further statistics check requested by the customer».

The remote procedure, which covers all the steps necessary for the correct execution of a FAT, involves sharing all the documents of both validation and order confirmation, strictly following what is displayed by the two cameras. Furthermore, with the same remote technology, it was possible to verify all the machine documentation (user manual) and validation documentation, by connecting the customer and the MG2 specialist in charge.

The FAT recording, lasting 3 working days of 8 hours each, is another tool that let the customer the possibility to objectively evaluate the test.