In the health sector products have to meet particularly strict hygiene and sterility requirements. 2016 will see the relevant EU directive ISO 11607 for the manufacturers of pharmaceutical packaging enter its tenth year. Meeting the regulations requires a two-part barrier system consisting of sterilisation and protective packaging. Regardless of the material this generally ensures a sufficient physical and microbial barrier during storage and transportation. An innovative manufacturing process now makes it possible to produce blister packs in a manner that is more time and cost-efficient than conventional methods.
Self-Sterilising Blister Packs
The world’s largest pharmaceutical company ‘Boehringer Ingelheim’ alone produces some 120 million blister packs per year. Generally, its manufacturing methods follow the same two-stage sterilisation and packaging process used by all medicine manufacturers. In future, it will be possible to achieve this in one production stage. Swiss machinery manufacturer ‘Rohrer’ has managed to develop a blister unit for a self-sterilising foil coating making it possible to dispense with the additional treatment with hydrogen peroxide used at the packaging stage. The sterile foil can be shaped, sealed and stamped like conventional foils and the process is also low priced.
Flawless and Counterfeit-Proof Pill Blister Packaging
The Nordic firm ‘Sepha Ltd’ specialises in the development of high-quality healthcare products. Its innovation on the machinery market for medicinal products is called 'VisionScan Max' which can automatically test up to 600 blister packs per hour for possible leaks immediately weeding out faulty goods in case of doubt. Two new developments come from Germany’s ‘Romaco Group’: the high-speed 'Kilian KTP720X' press is able process up to one million temperature-sensitive one or two-layer tablets per hour. With its 'Macofar MicroMaxX 18' this Karlsruhe manufacturer is continuing to extend its research in the field of aseptic micro-dispensing.
The device is suited to effective and highly accurate filling and subsequent freeze-drying of powders and sterile liquids in small bottles. An innovative weighing system guarantees permanent weight control during the entire production process. The company offers counterfeit-proof blister solutions by means of an individualised hologram stamp that the 'Noack 960' line incorporates into the packaging.