A high-speed automated tablet packing system from Schubert is helping to cut packaging costs for a German pharmaceutical manufacturer.
The compact Schubert TLM-F2 line uses a cyclical method to package blisterpacks of tablets into dispensing wallets are a rate of 240 packs/minute.
The blisterpacks are loaded into the machine from a high-capacity product buffer that is capable of storing up to 8 minutes" worth of production. A rapid thermoforming and sealing section glues the blisterpacks into carton strips. These strips are then folded around the packs by specially designed, quick-change tools. In the final stage, the machine applies a sealing label and a laser imprint to the wallets.
The machine, which has a footprint of only 2 x 9 metres, is being used by the German manufacturer to produce two different packs with a typical 20-minute reconfiguration time between sizes.
"A growing number of pharmaceutical manufacturers are choosing to pack their tablets in carton strips," said Alan Law, Schubert UK's managing director. "It is not only a very economical way of lowering packaging material consumption, but also has benefits for the consumer. As the blisterpack is sealed within a wallet, it ensures that important consumer information such as dosage instructions remain attached to the product."