FEATURE Pharmaceuticals
T
he growing complexity of packaging lines, the range of types and shapes of the packaging components, and the greater
focus on automation by drugs producers all raise new challenges. Autoinjectors, inhalers, aerosol actuators, syringes with safety devices and contact lenses are just some examples of the products that need to be not only labelled and packaged, but also require innovative handling solutions, ready to incorporate a series of quality controls throughout the packaging process. For these reasons, Marchesini Group, one of the fi rst worldwide manufacturers of automatic pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging machines, designs fast, effi cient, reliable and customisable solutions to satisfy its customers’ needs. This challenge is the responsibility of the Neri Division, the Marchesini Group’s production site specialising in labelling equipment, with over 50-year experience in labelling applications for the pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries.
Frequently-encountered challenges In most cases the products must be labelled in an upright (or vertical) position, but there are some products that have a base that is much smaller than their height, which may cause problems during transfer from one machine to another because the products may tilt. In this case, the machines must avoid jams and heavy loads by using linear feeders with low friction belts or vibrating tables, but at the same time they must be high-speed solutions with good performance, guaranteeing the fast transit of products through the packaging line. Another challenge is represented by
products with a smaller base and larger cap: in this case, the traditional buff er systems are not up to the job since such products get stuck or spring up during the accumulation because of their large cap. One potential solution is to design the linear feeders with low friction belts and upper contrast over the caps or the FIFO (fi rst in-fi rst out) belts. Then there are products with a non- cylindrical shape with the very frequent issue of jamming during transportation, or components that instead require the use of transport pucks. There are other components which typically need to be labelled in a horizontal position: in this case, the same labeller must handle components with shapes and profi les quite diff erent from each other, presenting a series of challenges to the whole process.
12 June 2022 | Automation
Customised labelling
solutions for all requirements
labelling machines for autoinjector pens. These products often require complex feeders, customised transport systems and numerous GMP controls of packaging components, before and after the label application. The Marchesini Group and Neri Division have developed specifi c solutions to meet these requirements, such as:
• Robotic stations that handle the pick-up of the pens from the trays, their correct orientation, placement onto the labeller transport belt, and management of the emptied trays. This solution signifi cantly facilitates the operator’s activities and ensures greater autonomy for the entire packaging line.
Marchesini Group labelling machine
However, that’s not all. The label itself can present problems and requires dedicated solutions for proper adhesion to the product: for example, it could be a multipage booklet label, a hanger label with a very stiff plastic element, or a label with an incorporated RFID tag that must be handled very gently and is often not at all fl exible. Ultimately, the strength of the Marchesini Group is being able to customise solutions to meet all customer requirements, designing specifi c labelling and handling systems for products with unconventional shapes and sizes.
Labelling machines
The best way to guarantee customised solutions is to invest in continuous enhanced integration of robotic technology (developed in-house) and fully servo- driven motorisation of the main working stations of the labellers. This is particularly true for one of the most requested solutions in the market at the moment, which represents the perfect example of products with unconventional shapes and sizes:
• Robotic stations that extract the pens
from the trays, change their position from horizontal to vertical and place the pens into the pucks in a pre-orientated fashion. In this way, if the pen label needs to be aligned with the reference mark or dose counter window, label application is easier to perform because all the pens have exactly the same orientation at the labeller infeed. • Systems developed to align some
specifi c graphics on the label with the reference point on the autoinjector pen. The alignment precision required is usually very high and the system used on the machine to perform the label alignment must be designed in an appropriate manner to meet such demanding tolerances.
• Robotic stations to place the labelled pens back to the trays or feed them to the downstream equipment in a controlled way. So, no product shape or size is a problem for Marchesini Group, which can customise any solution.
CONTACT:
Marchesini Group
www.marchesini.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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