New packaging line features flexibility

A flexible line for the filling and packaging of pharmaceutical liquids has been installed at Belupo, the second largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in Croatia, by Kugler, part of the Optima packaging group based in Schwaebisch Hall in Germany. Based in Koprivnica, Belupo specialises in cardiovascular and dermatological therapies, as well as cosmetics.

The key requirement for the new line was flexibility. Although supplied as a turnkey project by Kugler for the filling of dermatological liquids, the modular design of the line allows it to be extended to handle other liquid and semi-liquid products. At present, generics are filled into glass and plastics bottles in volumes of 10-500ml, but fill volumes of 1-1000ml can be handled.

The containers are loaded onto a turntable where they are turned through 180° and air rinsed; plastic bottles are also deionised to avoid static charging. The bottles are then tare weighed before passing on to the Kugler Linoline linear filling and capping machine. To save time, the filling is carried out in two stages of 50% each, after which the gross weight is determined. Dosing accuracy is said to be +/-0.1%. A plug or spray pump is inserted and a crimp cap, screw cap or tamper-evident closure applied. The entire filling and capping line is suitable for laminar flow.

A labelling machine, also supplied by Kugler, prints batch numbers and expiry dates onto labels and applies them to the container. Label presence, print quality and Pharmacode are checked before the containers pass to a cartoner, where spoons are added if appropriate, as well as inserts. The Pharmacode on the insert is checked against that on the container, and the carton is embossed with a batch number. The cartoner is fitted with a special infeed that will allow the manual loading of suppositories and blisterpacks.

Finally a multipack machine arranges the cartons in collations of 10 and wraps them in film prior shrinkwrapping them.

The use of servomotors and quick-change pucks means that product changeover can be achieved in 30 minutes. The line conforms to cGMP and 21 CFR Part 11 standards, says Kugler.