Originally Published EMDM October 2005
Equipment News
Four-side-seal packaging machines wrap devices of varying sizes
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A pair of four-side-seal flexible pouching machines are able to wrap a variety of items. Offered by All-Wrap Packaging Machinery (Moissy-Cramayel, France), the rotary packaging machines can package single-use medical devices of various sizes. The peel-apart pouches in paper or film media can be sterilized.
The RCN 160 wraps flat disposables, such as surgical gloves, gauze, wound dressings, or catheters, in pouches up to 160 mm wide. The RCN 270 comes in stainless steel and can create pouches up to 270 mm wide. The machines are operated using a colour touch screen. For high-volume production needs, the RCN 270 is capable of handling double or triple lanes, increasing the assembly speed to a maximum of 150 pouches per minute.
Compensating head reduces waste
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A full island-dressing line includes a compensating head to reduce ladder waste on island components. Doyen Medipharm (Barton, Cambs, UK) designed the machine to cut and assemble foam island pads onto a breathable film. The machine then automatically applies release layers prior to final cut. According to the company, the compensating head of the island unit eliminates foam island pad waste by as much as 60% when compared with conventional dressing converting systems.
A parallel buffer festoon is integrated into the machine’s design. The festoon disengages the unit, which allows easy threading and yet provides more than 20 m of buffer capacity. The high capacity allows operators to change the foam island pad reels without stopping the machine.
Tension control is maintained throughout the assembly operation. Differential servo-controlled motors ensure dressing tension, even in emergency stop conditions. Quality is checked throughout the machine’s operation and any suspect products are automatically removed from the system. System defect is applied to ensure any single fault within the machine will be automatically detected.
The machine produces a range of round-corner dressing sizes from 50 to 250 sq mm, with cassette tooling to allow quick changeover. Production speeds attain 120 dressings per minute.
Tray sealer’s thermal vision system senses heat platen temperature.
A manufacturer of medical tray sealers has added features to its line of equipment. Atlas Vac Machine (Cincinnati, OH, USA) provides an infrared thermal vision system as standard equipment on its medical tray sealers. The system directly senses the actual surface temperature of the heat platen.
Traditional embedded thermocouples track the temperature inside the heat platen. The platen’s external surface temperature is controlled via a calculated temperature offset value derived during the validation or calibration protocol. Offset values are determined by using a handheld thermal probe placed against the heat platen surface in a predetermined geometric pattern.
The infrared vision system temperature sensors provide actual platen surface temperatures at any time on the PLC operator screen. With this feature, engineers can check the surface temperature without using calibration instrumentation.
Vented packaging processed on thermoform-fill-seal system can be EtO sterilized.
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A line of vented packaging is suitable for products requiring EtO sterilization. Multivac (Wolfertschwenden, Germany) offers its SterileVent line for use with surgical kits, tubing, catheters, dialysis aids, or implants. Up to 80% of traditional breathable material costs, along with trim waste, can be eliminated by using the packaging, according to the company.
Suppliers using SterileVent packaging can reduce the amount of breathable material needed while extending proper ventilation and sterility. The breathable material can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be applied to either flexible or rigid films.
Packages are processed in-line on an automated R240 or R530 thermoform-fill-seal rollstock system. Validated paper or films are used as a microbial barrier within each package. Customization of the thermoform-fill-seal machines starts with a flexible bottom web and two sealing webs. The first web is used to cover the majority of the bag, while the smaller web seals the vent material anywhere on the package.
R530 or R240 rollstock system customers have the option to choose the firm’s validation process.
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