Bottled Up - The Integrated Bottle Center 120 is a pharmaceutical-compliant integrated packaging line for tablets and capsules in bottles: A guided motion bottle transport system prevents micro-stops, product congestion and jammed bottles. Uhlmann has integrated all the necessary stations for the packaging process in a monoblock architecture that complies with good manufacturing practice. This system is now being supplemented by the specialist for packaging lines to include the Labeler L 250.

"The system is the ideal solution for the changing requirements in the medium output range," said Joachim Noe, head of Bottle Packaging Systems and New Applications. The Integrated Bottle Center 120 with the Labeler L 250 is being presented in June at Achema 2012 in Frankfurt (Hall 3.0, Stand F25).

An Option for the Medium Output Range

The Integrated Bottle Center 120 with the Labeler L 250 supplements the Uhlmann portfolio with packaging for the medium output range. The bottle filler for solid dose products may be converted for other bottle diameters in just six minutes. The reason for this lies in the small number of format parts and the absence of cleaning-intensive conveyor belts for bottle transport. Synchronized transport is taken care of by a format-free rake, thus opening up numerous possibilities for the packaging of medicines for differing markets and target groups. The Integrated Bottle Center 120 processes bottles 45 to 200 millimeters in height with a diameter of 25 to 125 millimeters. These may be round, square or oval. Within this format range the Integrated Bottle Center 120 can fill as many as 150 bottles or 24,000 tablets/capsules per minute.

Even at its maximum speed of 250 bottles per minute, the Labeler L 250 applies partial or full wrap-around labels with complete accuracy. It handles cylindrical plastic or glass containers between 25 and 125 millimeters in diameter and is available with hot stamping or thermal transfer, inkjet or laser printers. Monitoring systems with cameras, scanners, sensors, code readers or equipment for print and label integrity inspection are available. The Labeler L 250 has just one format part. Operators require one minute for a tool-free changeover. It figures that the Labeler L 250 ideally complements the efficient Integrated Bottle Center 120.

All the machine's functions may be controlled using an operator panel with touchscreen. Thanks to its graphical user interface, operation is intuitive, with all the format data stored in the control unit. Uhlmann can integrate other machines and components into this user interface - and if necessary even units from other manufacturers - networking these to form an efficient overall system.
In terms of its technology and process security, the bottle filler for solid dose products sets high standards. The tablets are first fed into the infrared counter via separation channels.

Once the correct number of tablets has been reached, the Integrated Bottle Center 120 controls various memory flaps in the tablet counter. Here the drive system of the separation channels and memory flaps guarantees a continuous product flow, while infrared technology ensures 100% accurate counting. Tapered hoppers prevent bridging of the solid dose products, and the machine is fully enclosed to protect operators and products. A further option is the conditioning of the product area, e.g., with dry air or a partial vacuum. A master shift register recognizes the position of every bottle in the machine, thus guaranteeing integrated process control. The 100% Good Packaging Philosophy ensures that only saleable bottles in the bottle discharge are forwarded to downstream processes. The frequency of the in-process control may be freely selected.

Customizing Possible

Although the Integrated Bottle Center 120 already offers many possibilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers often adapt the machine in line with their needs. Depending on whether the production focus is on the counting capacity, bottle output or both, they may expand the tablet counter to have up to four counting modules and the capping unit to have as many as three capping heads. In this respect the Integrated Bottle Center 120 has been planned down to the finest detail: The servo-controlled capping unit handles all common types of caps and also offers torque control.

Security And Service

For added process reliability, users may also equip the line with Track & Trace by Uhlmann. This system marks all packaging units with consecutive 2D codes and facilitates the documentation of pharmaceutical supply chains, something that is being prescribed in an ever-increasing number of countries. The 2D codes contain all the quality-relevant process data for the packaging unit on which they are printed. In the Integrated Bottle Center 120, for example, Track & Trace by Uhlmann marks the base of the bottles and the labels. Cameras read in the codes and store the respective information in the Uhlmann Tracking database. This data may be accessed here at any time and linked to the code data from the next largest packaging unit. Track & Trace can be installed ex works in the individual machines or retrofitted.

Coordinated Overall Concept

With the Integrated Bottle Center 120 in conjunction with the Labeler L 250 and Track & Trace, pharmaceutical manufacturers can avail a coordinated solution for the cost-efficient packaging of batches. It may be expanded with other components from third-party manufacturers or Uhlmann to create a consistent, integrated system. To this end there is an extensive range of suitable cartoners and end-of-line packaging machines available. In this respect the Uhlmann experts integrate those units into a line that is tailored to the requirements of the pharmaceutical company. Or as Joachim Noe sums it up: "Our objective is to ensure the customer always receives the best possible system for his requirements."