METHOD FOR PRODUCING ACTIVE INGREDIENT BEADS

摘要

The invention relates to a method for automatically producing active ingredient beads (10; 12) with a gel-like carrier material, preferably a bio-polymer such as agarose, and with a biologically active material embedded in the carrier material, such as an active ingredient and/or a material producing an active ingredient, comprising the following steps: a) providing a free-flowing, solidifiable mixture (18), comprising the carrier material and the biologically active material, b) solidifying a core bead (10) by introducing a predetermined amount (22) of the free-flowing mixture (18) into a fluid bath (24), preferably a liquid bath, particularly preferably an oil bath, and c) removing the core bead (10) from the fluid bath (24), wherein a bead contact surface area (36; 42) of a bead receiving tool (34; 38) is used for carrying out step c), and step c) comprises to this end either the following substep ca1) or the following substep cb1): ca1) producing a contact engagement between the core bead (10) and a preferably concave bead vacuum contact surface (42) of a bead vacuum receiving tool (38) by means of vacuum, or cb1) producing a contact engagement between the core bead (10) and a preferably concave bead gravity contact surface (36) of a bead gravity receiving tool (34) in the fluid bath by means of gravity.