For the first time, Losan Pharma can now pack effervescent tablets individually in strips on a flexible effervescent line. The integrated robotic systems allow strip packaging in a variety of formats to be processed – something that was previously impossible without extensive modifications to the packaging lines.
Martin Grau
Effervescent tablets that dissolve in water are easy to swallow and generally act fast. Numerous painkilling drugs, vitamin preparations and dietary supplements are therefore available as effervescent applic-ations. The development and manufacture of effervescent formulations is one of the core competencies of Losan Pharma, a German pharmaceutical company headquartered in Neuenburg / Rhine, only a few miles from both the, French and the Swiss, borders. “Our customers acquire a made-to-measure solution for pharmaceutical development, production and marketing based on our platform technologies for selected API classes“, explains Dr. Georg Kokkinis, Losan Pharma´s CEO. “Our API performance enhances the therapeutic effects of the active substance and optimises its absorption, stability and tolerance.“
Improved API performance, bioavailability and convenient application are at the focus of Losan Pharma´s development activities. Good stomach and intestinal tolerance, the ability to dissolve fast in small amounts of water and a pleasant taste are particularly important attributes of the formulations used for effervescent tablets. In order to make taking these tablets as convenient as possible, the design of the packaging moreover needs to be adapted to consumer habits. Compared to plastic tubes, strip packaging has the advantage that the tablets can be separated individually, while the pack fits inside any jacket pocket.
Packing effervescent tablets in a heat-sealing process is much more complicated than simply stacking them in tubes, however. Highly automated effervescent lines are required to seal an application in strip packaging. The traditional monosize method demanded a predefined strip length and specification. It was not possible to change the format on these lines without completely redesigning the system concept. Romaco Siebler has now come up with the first ever line configuration to support format, product and packaging changes. Responding to this technological innovation, Losan Pharma decided to broaden its portfolio: in future, the manufacturer will also offer effervescent prod-ucts in strip packaging.
Up to 70,000 tablets/h
The ability to use the effervescent line in the flexible production segment was a precondition of investing in the new technology. Since small-to-medium batch sizes account for a large proportion of the contract packaging sector, it is vital to utilise as much machine capacity as possible. “When choosing a machine concept for packing effervescent products in foil, we deliberately opted for one specifically designed for frequent product and format changes“, continues Dr. Joachim Arlt, Manager Plant & Supply Chain at Losan Pharma. “Romaco Siebler´s effervescence technology particularly impressed us with its very good OEE values. The system´s high availability is attributable to the fact that the line is amazingly simple to convert and clean.“
The Romaco Siebler HM 1/3E effervescent line boasts a maximum output of 70,000 tablets/h. With an overall length of 22.5 m (including the tablet press and feeder), the machine is precisely aligned to the dimensions of the production cell at the Neuenburg facility. To save space, the Karlsruhe-based plant manufacturer made short distances between the individual line components and a vertical arrangement of the heat-sealing machine´s functional units (sealing, perforation and cutting) its number one priorities. Several integrated suction stations ensure that the effervescent tablets, which are fragile and generate a lot of dust, are always conveyed safely.
Losan Pharma can now handle all standard effervescent tablet sizes on one line. Product changes can be carried out quickly, easily and efficiently because the complete sealing module is exchanged as a single unit.
Format changes made easy
After the effervescent tablets have been processed in the six-lane sealing machine, the product layer is perforated and cut into the required strip formats. The finished strips are supplied to the Romaco FlexTrans robot transfer station, which conveys the product directly to the bucket chain of a Promatic P 91 horizontal intermittent motion cartoner. With up to 200 picks per minute, the robot’s vacuum grippers are capable of handling tablets of any size without having to change the format. The robot is controlled by the central software of the heat-sealing machine, which tells the grippers exactly where the effervescent tablets are located on the belt. The strips are then transported to the stacking trays of the transfer station by the robot´s suction arms. The width of the trays can be adjusted to accommodate different strip formats.
The Romaco transfer station takes the place of the complete stacking station in a monosize effervescent line with a large number of belts, drives and tools. The robots are flexible, which means individual packs can be removed selectively rather than having to separate a complete cutting cycle as is normally the case when effervescent prod-ucts are manufactured. Positive separation of individual packs significantly reduces the amount of waste on the robot lines. The transfer system costs about as much to purchase as a complex stacking unit and is virtually maintenance-free. If the capacity of the line needs to be increased, several robots can be connected in series. The manifold advances over the last few years in servo technology have decisively simplified the integration of the robotic systems. In the meantime, more than 20 servo drives are installed on a Siebler effervescent line.
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