Originally Published EMDM January/February 2002
Non-PVC production equipment
A complete range of machines is available for the production and filling of medical bags made from non-PVC materials. IVF machines are used for production, forming bags from two single films, a double film, or sleeves. Multicompartment bags can be produced with strippable sealing. IVR machines are used for the manufacture and filling of IV bags. Depending on the type of bag, the IVF and IVR machines can produce or fill bags at rates up to 3600 bags per hour. Thimonnier, Saint-Germain au Mont d'Or, France.
Form-fill-seal
machine
A packaging machine is designed to answer the needs of manufacturers seeking
low or mid-level capacity, while keeping costs to a minimum. The R 230 packaging
machine offers many of the features of the company's larger machines at a lower
price. The unit, which can be equipped to process flexible or rigid film, can
also be washed down completely. The R 230 can produce pack depths up to 130
mm with an opening gap of 150 mm, and a maximum cutoff length of 400 mm. Multivac
Sepp Haggenmüller GmbH & Co. KG, Wolfertschwenden, Germany.
Dressing fabricating system
A packaging system fabricates 400 surgical dressings per minute in pad, strip, and island dressing format, using hydrogel, polyurethane, and combination alginates. The DMS machine offers high-speed flexible narrow-web converting for any dressing, and can also be used to fabricate transdermal devices or electrodes in strip, island,
or multilayered formats. The machine is fully validatable and complies with GMP standards. Doyen Medipharm Ltd., Barton, Cambs, UK.
Breathable
pouches
Sterilizable, breathable pouches made from Tyvek and clear polyethylene are
supplied in a variety of sizes ranging from 3 x 4 in. to 10 x 15 in. The pouches
withstand sterilization by EtO and irradiation. Films and laminates used to
manufacture the pouches are puncture and abrasion resistant and are produced
according to GMP standards. Qosina, Edgewood, NY, USA.
Plastic pouches
A packaging system maintains product freshness and integrity, giving a guaranteed 15-month shelf life. Developed for transport swabs used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, plastic pouches are waterproof, preventing contamination of sterile contents by condensation or accidental contact with moist surfaces. A novel, five-layer laminated plastic film also retards the penetration of oxygen, preventing oxidation, evaporation, and dehydration. There is no shedding of fibres on opening. Bibby Sterilin, Stone, Staffs, UK.
Packaging
services
Thermoforming services are provided to the medical sector by a company offering
in-house design, prototyping, aluminium toolmaking, and serial production in
a Class 10,000 cleanroom. Packaging is routinely produced for catheters, pacemakers,
implantables, pharmaceutical handling trays, hospital kits, and related devices.
The firm has production sites in Belgium, Ireland, the Philippines, and China.
Vitalo Packaging N.V., Meulebeke, Belgium.
Formable web
A
thermoformable, blown film produced with a polyolefin blend can be run on most
form-fill-seal equipment and is puncture resistant with a uniform film draw.
FlexForm B allows for downgauging of the standard bottom web in many thermoformed
packaging applications. Designed for bottom applications that are EtO or gamma
sterilized, the film is typically used with wound dressings, surgical gloves,
IV tubing sets and catheters, syringes, suture breather packs, drainage sets,
guidewire assemblies, and pipettes. Pactiv Medical/Sengewald, Halle/Westfalen,
Germany.
Horizontal pouch packaging machines
Equipment
for the packaging of sutures, syringes, catheters, and other products is supplied
with a choice of customized options. Machines can be outfitted to perform intake
feeding, conveying, gel or liquid filling, leaflet insertion, sealing, embossing,
printing, and finishing processes. Microprocessors and servomotors allow for
rapid changeover of package size and products, and a self-monitoring system
is available to provide automatic machine stop or alarm activation in the event
of a malfunction. Compliance Packaging Industries Inc., Little Falls,
NJ, USA.
Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer
