PACKAGING RESOURCE CENTER
The Latest in New Products
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Remote-Head Camera
A machine vision system features a remote-head camera. The In-Sight 5400R vision sensor camera weighs less than 2.5 oz and is about the size of a C-cell battery. It can be mounted on the end of a robot arm, on a gantry, or on a positioning stage. It also has a separate camera and processor that can be mounted up to 15 m apart while connected by a cable. Software for automatic identification, gauging, inspection, and alignment is included with the vision sensor system. Cognex Corp., Natick, MA; 877/264-6391; www.cognex.com.
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Modified-Atmosphere Blister Package
A modified-atmosphere blister (MAB) is a transparent, thermoformed blister featuring the barrier properties of two- and three-layer PCTFE laminates. The Tekniflex MAB incorporates one or more of CSP Technologies’ Activ-Strips polyethylene desiccant strips into the rib design of the blister card to link every cavity with the desiccant. The product is designed to reduce headspace moisture content within cavities to extend the shelf life of products. The desiccant does not come into contact with the product. Tekni-Films, a Tekni-Plex company, Somerville, NJ; 908/722-4800; www.tekni-films.com.
Pass-Through Heat Sealer
A heat sealer features lateral pass-through capabilities for sealing a pouch at any depth. The CerTek P-Series Vacuum/Gas Flush Precision Pass-Thru heat sealer can be used for header bags that require a secondary seal below the header after sterilization. It also features a multiuse table-top bar sealer engineered for medical pouches and precision-sealing applications. It is available with top heat, process control and display through the LCD touch screen HMI, closed-loop heated seal die, and recipe storage and data acquisition. Sencorp Inc., Hyannis, MA; 508/771-9400; www.sencorp-inc.com.
RFID Tags and Inlays
A manufacturer of passive HF and UHF RFID products offers tags, wet inlays, dry inlays, and in-mold tags. The in-mold delivery format is designed for integration into plastic packages through injection- and blow-molding processes. The company’s UHF products include the Rafsec G2 MemoryStick short dipole designed to fit 4-in.-wide labels and featuring a 512-bit memory. Other Class 1 Gen 2 UHF tags offered by the company have a 96-bit memory. The Rafsec G2 Mini tag features a compact 1 × 1-in. design for tight fits on plastic bottles and cartons and has a 96-bit memory. Rafsec tags optimized for high-speed applications where multiple tags are overlapping are available in a range of sizes, including 45 × 76 mm (1.81 × 2.99 in.), 16 × 28 mm (0.63 × 1.10 in.), and a round model with a 25-mm (0.99 in.) diameter. UPM Raflatac, Tampere, Finland; +358 204 16141; www.upmraflatac.com.
ISO 11607 Compliance Testing
A medical device package-testing laboratory offers certification that a medical package is in compliance with the ISO 11607 standard, “Packaging for Terminally Sterilized Medical Devices.” PackReview is a certification granted to packages that have successfully endured rigorous package testing in order to demonstrate compliance with ISO 11607 and its clause 7, the final package validation. To achieve PackReview certification, companies must answer a questionnaire to determine which tests are appropriate, document a protocol with the help of a package engineer from the certification laboratory, and engage in rigorous package testing performed by the laboratory. DDL, Eden Prairie, MN; 952/941-9226; www.testedandproven.com.
PVdC-Coated Film Lidding
A producer of films for thermoform packaging offers films designed to provide excellent surface-slip characteristics with a low coefficient of friction as compared with standard PVdcC-coated films. The Pentapharm alfoil SG films are available in two-layer PVC/PVdC and three-layer PVC/PE-PVdC structures for medium to high moisture barrier. The films are designed to prevent blocking on preheat plates and offer more-consistent material flow during thermoforming. The films also have improved mold and blister-to-blister denest properties that allow for higher filling rates for gel caps and other pharmaceuticals. They are sealable to all standard vinyl-compatible lidstocks. Klöckner Pentaplast of America Inc., Gordonsville, VA; 540/832-1427; www.kpafilms.com.
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Filling-and-Stoppering Machine
A filling-and-stoppering machine for dosing and closing nested syringes and other nested containers can handle up to 2000 containers per hour. The compact system features a cleanroom robot fitted with one set of tooling that handles both vacuum filling and vacuum stopper insertion. The robot automatically positions the vacuum-filling and stopper-insertion tool for each container. Processed nests are then manually removed. The Type 535 machine is designed to eliminate product contact with air and reduce operator intervention to ensure the product is not contaminated. The Type 535’s guarding supports an optional top-mounted laminar-flow unit designed to improve sterility. It can fill containers from 50 µl to 100 ml. Changeover can be completed by one operator in less than 15 min. Basco Technologies Inc., Clinton, CT; 860/669-7380; www.bascotech.com.
Labels with Removable Parts
A label solution includes removable label parts for containers like ampules, syringes, and glass and plastic bottles. The Pharma-Comb labels feature integrated removable parts that can be used for documentation purposes, to mark syringes, or to label combined preparations. The manufacturer designs the labels based on the customer’s requirements and can customize type and size of containers, amount of text, number of removable parts, amount of colors, use of transparent windows, and integrated scale analysis. The removable parts can be quickly peeled off the container and adhered to documentation papers. They are designed to help simplify processing steps and avoid errors. Pharma-Comb IL and ILS are wraparound labels for small containers. Pharma-Comb SE is a label with up to five removable parts for a variety of uses. Pharma-Comb ILSC features an enlarged text area and two to five removable parts for extremely small containers. Pharma-Comb ILS HAPA is an endless band with removable parts for HAPA processing. Schreiner MediPharm, a div. of Schreiner GmbH & Co. KG, Oberschleissheim, Germany; +49 89 31584-400; www.schreiner-medipharm.com.
Dispensing Pump
A company offers peristaltic dispensing pumps that are designed to be consistently accurate and easy to use, and to provide validation simplification for a range of sterile-dispensing needs. The PF6 is a flexible liquid dispenser that can fill volumes from 0.5 ml to more than 250 ml. The peristaltic pump uses medically approved sterile silicone tubing and a stainless-steel filling needle. These are the only parts of the pump that come in direct contact with the liquid product and the only parts that need to be replaced for product changeover. The PF6 accommodates tubing from 0.5 to 8.0 mm diameter to handle a range of fill volumes. Flexicon America Inc., Burlington, VT; 802/657-3232; www.flexiconamerica.com.
Clear Packaging
A company manufactures transparent packaging that allows complete product visibility. Offerings now include thermoformed packaging. Its clamshells, blister packs, and trays are designed to secure products while also displaying them as part of the package. The company also offers clear tubing and boxes. Most of the company’s packages are made of PVC and PET. It also offers graphics and printing options to enhance package appeal and usefulness. Visipak, Arnold, MO; 636/282-6800; www.visipak.com.
