Feeder speeds up sachets

An innovative system for packing single form blisterpacks into sachets has been developed for one of its customers by UK-based Elecro-mec (Reading). The system offers increased output and virtually eliminates mis-fills and double fills, thereby reducing wastage and labour costs.

The customer produces single dosage tablets in various strengths in single blisters on a footprint of 25 or 30mm square, known as a unit. Prior to insertion into the sachet, the units are scanned on a specially designed Singles Sorter that checks for correct fill at a rate of 250 units/minute.

The units are then fed in bulk into contra-rotating vibratory bowls that sort and orientate them into two lanes in single file. A vertical indexing rotary carousel with vacuum pick and place then transfers the individual units into dedicated infeed chutes above a Volpak sachet machine. At a signal from the Volpak, the units are dropped into the sachets.

The system is capable of an output of 80 units/minute per lane.