The Automatic Choice
ARX PRODUCTS
1.6
On average, 1.6 pharmacists choose to automate with one of our robotic systems every day
Advanced Solutions, Proven Service: With over 4,000 installations across Europe, the Rowa systems installed by ARX are the most widely proven automation systems available today. We have a full range of automation products from small checking systems to fully automated pharmacy systems. Also, with over 30 engineers in the UK alone, we pride ourselves in providing a first rate service & peace of mind to our customers.
The ARX Strategy Since our first installation we have laid down a clear strategy for continued and long-term success. The strategy consists of 3 main objectives: • Tailor, modify & develop our solutions to meet the needs of every individual. • Continue to invest to maintain a clear technological lead in both the products & services we provide. • And most importantly, to ensure all our products and services help to improve patient care.
1
No.1
All the products we provide are worldwide market leaders
Market leader
Contents Intro: About ARX
1-2
Main Robotic Systems: SmartTM Vmax® Vmax® Duplo
1995 Established
ARX was established in 1995, and over the years we have continued to provide the most advanced systems for you
3-4 5 6
Add On’s: ProLog® Automatic Loading iProLog Automatic Loading Prima Labeller ReFredgerator Self Cleaning Module Store Rx Ward Box System Button and Lights Box System
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 14
Specifications and Service:
4,000
Over 4,000 systems installed worldwide
System Placement and Size ARX Service Team Astea Service Software
15-16 17 18
Installations 2
SmartTM Key Features:
Multiple pack picking on a budget
Picking Head
The SmartTM is a ‘plug and play’ automation system that comes in one of two sizes
The V-shaped picking motion allows accurate multiple pack picking in one movement.
to provide a cost effective solution for smaller pharmacies. The SmartTM has been designed to give the smaller pharmacy all the benefits of an automation system, and is the ideal solution for pharmacies dispensing from
Camera Enables remote servicing & integrated customer displays.
Dashboard Gives stock and performance overview easily via a digital dashboard.
Simple Quick and easy to build, set up and use.
Two Sizes; • SmartTM 4.5 metres long. • Smart XT 6.5 metres long. That’s two metres longer than the standard model for those pharmacies wanting a higher storage capacity.
3
approximately 4,000 items per month.
The picking head:
Simple designs, unlimited benefits
Line Picking Issuing several identical packs at the same time:
The SmartTM uses the same multiple pack picking head as our award winning Vmax速 system, with the ability to pick up to 9 packs at a time. The direct input simply requires a user to scan a pack and place it on the input belt.
1 This simple storage and dispensing process enables the smaller pharmacy to realise benefits such as increased safety and quality of service as well as time and space savings.
2
The parallel jaws take ...& pull them onto hold of all the packs... the picking head.
3 The picking head delivers all 3 packs at once.
Prescription Picking Issuing several different packs at the same time:
1 1 yellow pack & 2 green packs are required. The parallel jaws take hold of the yellow pack.
2 The picking head moves to a shelf with green packs & collects 2 green packs.
3 The picking head outputs all 3 packs together.
Compact Mode Dispensing one pack, which is stored behind others:
4,000 Items per month
Ideal solution for pharmacies dispensing from approximately 4,000 items per month
1 The requested pack has been stored by the robot behind two different packs.
2 The picking head picks all three packs, and dispenses the requested pack.
3 The remaining 2 packs are then put back onto the shelf.
4
Vmax® Key Features:
Bespoke automation
Picking Head
Dramatically increase your dispensing speeds with the Vmax®, by picking
The V-shaped head allows accurate multi-pack picking in one movement.
multiple packs in one movement. The Vmax® is designed bespoke to each site’s requirements and is available
Camera
in a variety shapes and sizes, with the option for either one or two picking heads or multiple units joined together for even more storage space. There
Enables remote servicing & integrated customer displays.
is even the option to have your main inputting station at the side of the machine as opposed to the front to ensure your system is designed for the space available.
UPS Uninterrupted power supply. If you have a power cut, the UPS will enable you to continue dispensing.
Secure Backup The Vmax® has 2 management PC’s installed within it. One is live and one is a backup.
Integrated Tote Shelf The door has been designed to incorporate a handy shelf/output which can hold a tote box.
Optical Pack Confirmation Indicator lights alert the user to inconsistencies when inputting packs, to assist patient safety.
Upgrades The Vmax® can be upgraded at any point to the Duplo or to include automatic loading, labelling and much more.
5
Vmax Duplo Increased redundancy and speed
Awards and certifications:
The Duplo is simply a Vmax® with an additional picking head. Together, the multiple picking heads can work faster than a single picking head as they can be prioritised to do different tasks. For example, one can dispense while the other puts stock away. A Vmax® can be installed with a single head, with the capability of adding an extra head at a later date if required, pre-prepared with the track to reduce system downtime at a later date.
4,000
The Vmax® is capable of storing up to 4,000 packs per metre
Packs per metre 6
ProLog® Key Features:
Fully automated loading
Just tip out your delivery & the system will do the rest.
Packs, including tubs and bottles*, will move along the hopper’s conveyor
When a delivery arrives, it can all be tipped straight into the external hopper. into the ProLog®. The ProLog® will then scan the barcode on each pack and
Buffer Conveyor Allows entire deliveries to be input at once. Allows delivery in a different location to the robot (even on a different floor).
Separate Picking Head Allows concurrent input & output.
Scanning Station Measures packs photometrically to ensure maximum space efficiency. Scans barcode, thus ensuring accuracy.
Reject Chute Enables the system to continue loading, should the system not recognise a pack.
Adaptable Software One ProLog® can fill several robots.
*Tubs and Bottles The ProLog® can be upgraded so that it is capable of handling tubs and bottles as well as medicine packs.
7
put it inside your robot for the picking head to put away.
iProLog Fully automated loading Simply tip a delivery into the loading bin and the iProLog will check each
Key Features: Reduced Footprint
pack, including tubs and bottles*, and put them on a conveyor inside the The iProLog is integrated within the footprint of the Vmax system.
robot for the picking head to put away. The iProLog is ideal for pharmacists who would like automatic loading, but either have small deliveries, space constraints, or don’t have the right layout in the Pharmacy to fit an external ProLog.
*Tubs and Bottles The iProLog can be upgraded so that it is capable of handling tubs and bottles as well as medicine packs.
Aesthetics and Design As the iProLog is located inside the Vmax and there are no bulky systems placed externally, the system is neat and visually appealing.
Compact The iProLog allows for automatic loading in a more compact space. It is important to consider that this will take up some space inside the Vmax.
2 Moves
Simply tip your delivery into the hopper, and start the system. Two moves and your stock is put away for you 8
Prima Key Features:
Automated Labelling
Function
An automatic, patient-specific labeller for packs that are stored in your robot.
Built into, or onto the dispensing system, the Prima applies patient-specific labels to the packs.
As a requested pack leaves the robot, the Prima will place a label on the pack with the correct dosage and customer details. It can even wrap labels around small packs.
Standard Labels No need to change your existing stock.
Rollers Apply the labels fully onto the packs. Enable the label to be wrapped around smaller packs.
Moveable Application Head Positions the labels in an exact location.
Linked to the robot Ensures the correct label is applied to the correct pack.
The Prima can label 360 packs per hour. The robot picks the next pack while the Prima labels
9
360 Packs per hour
ReFridgerator Integrated automated fridge A refrigerated section of shelving within your robot. It can track and trace the temperature inside the fridge and can be connected to building management
Key Features: Integrated A section of the shelving inside the robot can be refrigerated.
systems in order to alert staff to any anomalies. The ReFridgerator doors will only open as far as the required shelve, to avoid raising the temperature in this controlled area.
Data Logger Can track & record the temperature inside the fridge & can be connected to building management systems in order to alert staff to any anomalies.
Doors Only open up at the shelf required, to keep the temperature consistent.
Reporting Reports are displayed externally.
940
The ReFridgerator is capable of holding up to 940 packs
Packs 10
SelfCleaningModule Key Features:
Efficient housekeeping for your robot When the housekeeping mode is selected on the visualisation screen of your robot, the robot
Schedule
will move packs from one particular shelf so it is clear, then using the cleaning attachment, wipe
A cleaning schedule can be created so that the robot
the vacant shelf.
automatically starts cleaning at a certain time.
Module Storage The cleaning module is stored inside the robot on one of the shelves.
Efficient Cleaning The cleaning module can operate out of hours, so the robot can concentrate on dispensing and loading during opening hours.
The self cleaning module and all other functions on the robot can work 24 hours a day, even if no staff members are present 11
24 Hours a day
StoreRx Store completed prescriptions
Key Features:
StoreRx is the most efficient way of storing your customers’ prescriptions inside your robot. It enables accurate tracking of completed prescriptions,
Efficient Storage
which is ideal for prescriptions with several bags, and also for monitoring
Full prescriptions can be pre-prepared and stored
those which haven’t been collected.
inside the system, ready for collection.
Robot Compatible Prescription Holding Boxes Space efficient storage resulting in a tidier pharmacy.
Software System Enables tracking of completed prescriptions, which is ideal for prescriptions with several bags and also for monitoring those that have not been collected.
12
Key Features:
Distribution Methods The Distributor System
Volume Picking Packs can be picked by volume to avoid overflow.
Automatic ward/tote-box filling Allows orders to be dispensed into tote-boxes, ready for distribution. Several orders can be dispensed at once and refrigerated items and controlled drugs are picked last so that
Weight Picking
temperature limits are not exceeded.
The heaviest packs can be picked first, meaning that little packs dont get damaged by heavier packs landing on them in a tote-box.
Button with Light Upgrade
Picking by Type Refrigerated lines and Controlled Drugs can be picked after, when requested.
Automatic notification of full tote-boxes Button and Lights are an additional upgrade for the Distributor system. The button light will shine if a tote is full, and once the tote has been replaced the button is then pressed to resume the picking process. When the dispensing of an order is complete, the light will shine again.
Completion Software Allows for out of hours picking and can produce a manual ‘exceptions’ pick list.
Emergency WardBox The WardBox system is set so that it dispenses orders without interrupting peak dispensing times. If an order is urgent, then it can be dispensed straight away.
Button and Light Upgrade Allows for more autonomous picking.
13
Key Features:
BoxSystem The BoxSystem sits alongside your Vmax system and can be made up of different components, where you can choose the right options for you.
Bespoke tote-filling system The BoxSystem is an automated tote-filling system that sits alongside the Vmax. It can be designed using a variety of different components to suit your
De-stacker
needs, such as lifts, conveyors, tote de-stackers and labellers.
Varies in size depending what size tote-boxes you require. The De-stacker will pick up a totebox and put it on the conveyor ready for your robot to output packs into.
The system will initially present a tote to the Vmax which will pick the required packs from an order or prescription and output them into the tote-box. The tote is then labelled for identification purposes and then sent for completion, checking and if needed, bagging.
Tote-Boxes Tote boxes can be purchased from us in one of 2 sizes, small (299mm x 199mm) or wholesale (505mm x 330mm). Alternatively you can use any existing tote-boxes you may have.
Conveyor Belt If you choose to have a de-stacker, then it must be combined with a conveyor belt, which supplies and buffers the tote-boxes.
Roller Conveyor This can either replace the conveyor belt, or be connected onto the end of one.
Label Printer
1 Member of staff
Many pharmacies with an ARX system only require 1 member of staff to help with the picking/distribution process
The label printer can label tote-boxes with a barcode, the destination of the tote, or print the order and place it in the tote.
14
Results:
System Placement & Size ARX robots can be installed into pharmacies with small or large volumes and our systems can also be designed to fit into small
“Script volume has increased by 20% year 1, 20% year 2, waiting times have been reduced & no additional staff have been employed.” Raj Thacker – Thacker’s Pharmacy
“Installing the ARX robot has allowed us to re-organise the department and greatly improve our skill mix. The work environment is hugely improved and job satisfaction has greatly increased.” Maggie Otter - Hillingdon Hospital
pharmacies as well as medium to large ones. Here are some examples:
Central Fill NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Distribution Centre
Small Pharmacy “We have had over 30% increase in turnover, and no picking errors since installing our system.” Martin Bennet - Wicker Pharmacy
“When we got the robot we had 10 staff. Through natural wastage that number has reduced to 8, yet overall productivity is up. I have only 5 staff in today, yet I’ve been talking to you for the last 45 minutes without any interruptions. That would never have been possible before.” *Jonathan Lloyd, Health Centre Pharmacy
Ancaster Surgery Lincolnshire
High Volume H I Weldrick Limited South Yorkshire
“The customers only have to wait 5 minutes, maximum, for their prescription. I think it’s brilliant and I have saved 20 hours of overtime a week. The machine means 2-3 extra staff members to us.” *Ryszard Cygan, West Elloe Pharmacy
Low Volume University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
15
“What is groundbreaking is the scale of what we’ve achieved through automation. Good stock management has saved £300 per bed over one year, that’s £1.35million in total. Dispensing time has also been cut from 7 minutes per item to 3.”* Professor Norman Lannigan, Lead Pharmacist
“I could never envisage going back to a pre-automated dispensary. Because of the continual growth in items required, we would have run out of space. We have future-proofed ourselves for years to come.” Adrian Down, Practice Manager
“Our relationship with ARX now extends to five Robots placed in our busiest dispensing branches. We find that an ARX robot helps these branches to dispense more safely, efficiently and with less untidiness. This also helps free up Pharmacist time for MURs and NMS.” Richard Wells, Superintendent Pharmacist
"Automation can be added into what we would have originally classed as space limited facilities and has added considerable value to our patient pathways and actual patient experience in regards to waiting times. For all our new designs both recently and in the future, automation is first on the list.” Simon Keady, Principal Pharmacist
*As statesd by Professor Lannigan in the Pharmaceutical Journal 2012
Results: One of the main reasons that we can automate many sites, despite size or volume constraints, is that the majority of our systems are designed bespoke to the pharmacy they are being installed into. Here are some examples of some of our current installations:
Our smallest community installation:
Our smallest hospital installation:
25m total floor area 10,000 items per month 2 members of staff
12m total floor area 2,500 items per month 1 member of staff
2
“Since the installation of the robot we have achieved a large one-off stock saving, as well as continuing to reduce wastage. The accurate stock control and monitoring of expiry dates have become invaluable to us!” Caroline Sutton - Llandough Hospital
2
“When we started we had over 9,000 individual packs in the dispensary this has now been reduced to 7,000 and over the next two months I expect it to reduce further, probably to about 6,000.” Peter Weedle, Weedles Pharmacy
“We have achieved a boost in business of about 30 per cent with an increase of staff levels of only 10 per cent.” Richard Hutton, Taylors Pharmacy
“Business is through the roof. We are up 15%20% dispensing volumes in the first 6 months.” Anne Smyth, Smyths Pharmacy
Our lowest volume installation:
Our highest volume installation:
4,000 items per month 3 members of staff 1 robot
800,000+ packs per month 40 members of staff 9 robots
“Since the ARX robot was installed, we have managed to release a large number of staff onto the wards, improving medicines management and increasing patient safety.” Brian Smith - Royal Bolton Hospital
16
ARX Service ARX have invested considerably in a large UK-based service team. Each engineer is highly skilled and possesses an expansive knowledge of the systems provided by ARX. They undergo extensive training in the UK and then spend time in Germany with the manufacturers, CarefusionÂŚRowa, to ensure a full and comprehensive understanding.
Jim Williamson Service Quality Manager I have been working at ARX for 6 years now and during this time, ARX have invested heavily in the quality of the service provided, not only with staff but also with up-to-date technology, Astea, and customer feedback. As well as ongoing maintenance, ARX also organises bi-annual user groups where all our customers are invited to a central location and can meet other people with the same equipment. ARX are very grateful for the opinions and feedback which we receive, both at these user group meetings and through any other curcumstances. All feedback is extrememly valuable to us as it helps with the continuing development of our comany, products and the services we provide to you.
70% of the ARX team are after sales support, meaning that you can feel conďŹ dent you have the support needed when investing in our systems 17
70% After sales staff
Advanced Service Management ARX uses Astea service software which allows field-based engineers to receive service calls direct to their PDA (hand-held computer). These calls contain information such as site details, time, caller details and query. All tasks are assigned to our engineers in this way so that we can maintain a full record of all service activity. Customers can also view the progress of any calls they have made by logging into our customer portal.
Dave Burden Hotline Manager At ARX we have a very strong work ethos and great enthusiasm for pharmacy automation, with a commitment to customer service levels that is second to none. Year on year we continually look at ways to improve the services we provide to our growing customer base. We have a very experienced team of field service engineers across the UK and ROI which allows us to give a rapid response to all our customers. It is a great feeling knowing that we have been able to help improve patient safety and make a telling contribution to the UK and ROI health systems.
67% Issues fixed remotely
Over 67% of any issues that occur with an installed system are ďŹ xed remotely by our hotline department
18
ARX Ltd The Automatic Choice
Unit 6 Beaumont Works Hedley Road, St. Albans AL15LU Tel: +44 1727 893360 Email: info@arx-ltd.co.uk www.arx-ltd.co.uk FRANCE ARX SAS La Petite Périche, Route des Navrans 72200 Bazouges sur le Loir Tel: +33 243480050 Email: info@arxinter.net www.arxinter.fr ESPAÑA ARX Automatización de Farmacias Camino de Casabermeja, 118-Bajo 29014 - Málaga Tel: +34 902 011 237 Email: info@arxinter.com www.arxinter.com BELGIQUE ARX SPRL Boulevard de l’Humanité, 231 1620 Drogenbos Tel: +32 2 539 25 39 Email: info-belgium@arxinter.net www.arxinter.be SUISSE ARS SA Rue Thalberg, 2 Case Postale 1507 CH-1211 Geneve 1 Tel: +41 227389541 Email:info@arxinter.net www.arxinter.ch NORGE ARX Norge AS Olaf Helsets vei 6 0694 Oslo Norge Tel: +47 23 38 38 41 Email: norge@arxinter.net www.arxnorge.no