Blister packaging machines are electromechanical equipment, consisting of stationary and moving parts which help to seal products in preformed cavities.

Through various mechanical movements, a blister packaging machine forms cavities on formable web material, fills the cavities and covers them with an appropriate material.

By the end of the process, you will have something like this:

Tablets and capsules after blister packaging

To achieve this, you need a high quality capsule or tablet blister packaging machine.

Later in this guide, you will know the features of blister packing equipment that increase productivity. You will get to learn about that in chapter 7.

In the meantime, below is an example of blister packaging machine:

BP Series SaintyCo Blister Packaging Machine

For now, I know this may seem so complicated a machine. Don’t worry, I will break everything down for you to understand in chapter 3.

In that chapter, you will learn about all the critical parts of blister packaging equipment…keep reading.

But, even before I proceed, most probably you could be wondering why blister packaging is common most industrial set ups.

Let me explain:

According to the GBI Research, blister packing forms about 17% of the pharmaceutical packaging in the global market. This is due to the numerous advantages it guarantees over other pharmaceutical packaging materials.

You can see this in the pie chart below.

Picture Courtesy: GBI Research

Now, here are some of the reasons why you need blister packaging machine:

Blister Packaging Maintain Product Integrity

The packaging material protects products from adverse weather conditions that may reduce their shelf life.

For a fact, it provides the ultimate protection and safety that meet the highest quality standards. That is, the cold-formed or thermo-formed plastic isolates tablets or capsules from the external environment.

Therefore, your products will be free from moisture/humidity, light, oxygen, etc. depending on the type of packaging material.  Basically, there is virtually no chance of product contamination.

Blister packaging of capsules and tablets

Furthermore, the writings on blister packaging will remain intact for a long time. This may include manufacturing date, expiry date, content of the blister packaging, instructions, etc.

Tamper Proof

Blister packaging protects capsules, tablets or other products from any interference or contamination before use. That is, each product is in its cavity and you can only access it after breaking or tearing off the package.

Pharmaceutical products in a blister package

This implies that you will know whether someone has interfered with the product or not.

Blister Packaging is Cheaper than Plastic Packaging

Unlike plastic packaging, with blister packaging you do not have to alter many variables for it to hold different products.

Plastic bottle packaging

Vs.

Blister packaging

With blister packaging, you can still get high ROI, even when packaging complex products. The process is simple and straightforward.

It is Easier to Maintain Dose Accuracy

With individual tablets or capsules in different cavities, it is easier to maintain dose accuracy. This reduces any possible instances of accidental overdose of drugs.

Tablets in their unique blister package cavity

Besides, it also helps patients keep track of how they take drugs by simply looking at the blister package. This is not the case for bottles where you’ll have to empty and count the drugs (it can result in contamination).

Clearly, blister packaging plays an important role in most industries.

Now that you’ve seen why you need blister packaging equipment, let’s dive deeper and explore other fundamental aspects of this machine.

Can you remember what I said in chapter 1?

Here is a quick reminder:

A blister packing machine is an assembly of parts and components.

Honestly, this machine has hundreds of parts and components. However, for the scope of this guide, I will focus on the main parts.

You need to take the information you’re going to learn here seriously. This is because it’s only through a proper understanding of this section, that you will comprehend the working principle of blister packing machine.

Well, that will be in chapter 4.

Moreover, with this knowledge, you can easily choose the right spare parts for blister packing machines.

Now, let’s have an overview of the following parts:

SaintyCo BP 120 Blister Packing Machine

The table below shows the part number and name:

Still, you should note that these are not the only parts of blister packing machines. The exact location of parts, number of parts and configuration will depend on the machine model and type.

I’ll come back to that later in chapters 6 and 11 of this blister packing equipment guide.

For now, let’s break each of these parts down by reviewing their main functions in blister packing equipment.

Touchscreen Operator Interface

It is a critical part of blister packing machine. The design and configuration will depend on the type of control and automation system.

In most cases, this panel features a touchscreen human machine interface (HMI).

Basically, a reliable touchscreen HMI allows for an intuitive and easy management of various processes. Depending on the design of HMI panel, you can do the following:

• Monitor production status and statistics
• Troubleshoot the machine by accessing spare parts for blister packing machine changeover instructions
• Configure the operation by keying in production requirements and parameters

In short, you can manage all production needs and requirements through this panel.

HMI Control system for blister packing machine

Its central location allows you to control various parameters of the machine without interfering with the normal operations.

Blister Pack Tooling

This is a critical component of blister pack equipment. The blister pack tooling comes in a wide range of configurations and designs for:

• Thermoforming
• Cold forming
• Intermittent or continuous production

Basically, this is the primary tool that will determine the shape of a blister packing. Depending on your production needs, you can order for a range of blister packing machine change parts.

Section of blister packing machine

Whether you need blister pack machine change parts for thermoforming or cold forming, you will get a perfect choice for your production needs.

PVC or Al Feeding Roller

As you will learn later in chapters 4 and 5, you will fill all products (tablets, capsules, syringes, etc.) in a preformed material.

This can either be an aluminum foil or PVC…I’ll also explain this further in chapter 6. Where, you will learn about various types of blister packing machines.

Now, back to the feeding roller:

It is the PVC or AL feeder roller that pushes the material to the first state of the blister packaging process. This is roller is always in a continuous motion, which is synchronized with the movement of other mechanisms.

To achieve this motion, the machine uses a motor mechanism that ensures:

• Fully automated system that you can control from the HMI touchscreen panel
• Continuous feeding mechanism
• Easy to integrate with other systems for efficient blister packaging needs
• Numerous material feeding needs

Feeding mechanism

Remember, this material should reach the first section of the machine when it is tight. You can see this in the image above.

Electric Motor

Even before I explain this, I want you to watch this blister packing machine video:

As you can see, we have three different types of motions in these mechanical systems:

• Oscillating motion; parts tend to swing from one side to another
• Linear motion; section of the machine moves in a line
• Rotary motion; parts moving in a circular manner
• Reciprocating motion; sections moving forward and backwards

Of course, by precisely controlling these motions using the control system, blister packing manufacturers aim to optimize the production process.

But, how can you achieve all these?

You need an electric motor.

In most cases, the manufacturer fully encloses them in at the bottom section of the machine. From here, they can transmit this motion via shafts, belts or gears.

Where, it can reduce the speed to achieve blister sealing requirements.

For instance, from the motors, you can achieve the following:

• Heating station
• Blister forming station
• Heat sealing station
• Batch number printing
• Plate blanking
• Pressing rip wire, etc.

You will learn more about these parts shortly…keep reading.

Turning Rollers

It is these rollers that help to feed material in the machine. They exert a reasonable amount of tension on the material from the feeding roller.

Position of the turning rollers

Together with the feeding roller, they form the material feeding system. Below is a complete sketch:

Material feeding mechanism

Basically, all these parts ensure the material enters the blister packing machine when positioned properly. These parts include:

Please note that the design of these blister machine parts may vary from one machine to another.

Heating Box of Blister Packing Machine

This is the first section that receives the material from the feeding system. Below is a sketch of this section:

Heating system

Now, here are the main parts:

It heats the material to the right temperature ready for forming in the next stage. Even when you’ll be looking for spare parts for blister packing machine for this section, the focus will be on these 9.

Material Forming (Cavity Forming)

At this stage the blister packing equipment forms cavities where you will load the material. Again, I have a sketch for this section:

Forming section of blister packing machine

Here, we have 18 different parts and they include:

Basically, these parts coordinate to produce a suitable cavity shape on the material ready for filling.

The reason I am doing this is to help you comprehend critical change parts for blister packaging machines.

With appropriate tools, you can adjust all these parts to suit your specific blister packaging needs.

Guide Rail

From the forming mechanism, there is the guide rail. Here, the formed cavities will move to the next stage of the process.

This is how the guide rail looks like:

Guide rain system

Below are the key sections of the guide rail:

Material or Products Feeding

At this point, the blister feeding machine will fill the cavities with appropriate materials. This can be capsules, tablets, syringes, drug bottles, etc.

This section is along the guide rail as you can see in the technical drawing below:

Products feeding

Normally, the rate at which your machine will feed the cavities with appropriate material will depend on the rate at which the machine forms the material.

Immediately after the feeding system of the blister packing machine, there is the empty detection equipment.

Quite a number of blister packing machines feature photoelectric empty detection equipment. It ensures that the machine does not seal empty cavities.

Heat Sealing Mechanism

It prepares the sealing material ready for the next stage – sealing the filled cavities in blister packaging.

Heat sealing mechanism

Like other parts, this section has numerous components and come in as many configurations as you can see in the image below:

Parts of the sealing mechanism

Below is a table showing part number and part name:

Sealing Material Feeder

It holds the material you’ll use to cover the cavities with the product. Once the process begins, it will begin to rotate slowly, allowing the sealing material to move to the guide rail.

The speed at which the sealing material feeder rotates will depend on the following:

• Speeds of rotation of the forming material feeder
• Rate of forming mechanism
• Product filling in cavities
• Empty cavity inspection, etc.

An arrow showing how sealing material moves to the guide rail system

Pressing Mechanism

With the sealing material and form material at a slightly elevated temperature, it presses the two together, forming a permanent seal.

Pressing mechanism

Waste Material Winder

This part winds the waste material from both the sealing material and forming material.

Waste material winder

Tow Mechanism

It helps to move the fully sealed blister package to the next stage. It gently pulls the blister packages in predetermined stages, allowing for efficient sealing.

Towing mechanism

Blanking Mechanism

It cuts the fully processed blister package from the main material. Normally, the size depends on the number of cavities you want each set to have.

Blanking mechanism

Remember, you can also integrate an indentation mechanism. This helps to print the batch number of the manufacturing process.

Product Chute

Once the machine cuts blister packs from the main material, the final product leaves the machines through this section.

Products leaving the blister packing machine

Lubrication Systems

Blister packing machine has quite a number of moving systems. It is for this reason that modern machines feature automatic lubrication system.

A section of the lubrication system

As you can see, blister packing machine parts come in various designs and configurations. In this section, my main focus was on the critical parts.

That is, those that makes it possible for the machine to:

• Feed material for thermoforming
• Heat material ready for forming
• Form cavities and fill with appropriate products
• Feed the sealing material
• Cover cavities
• Cut blister packs from main material, etc.

Always remember to refer to the blister pack equipment, technical manual to know every component of the machine.

Remember, there is a lot more you need to learn about blister packing equipment such the packing process and types of machines.

But for now, let me show you how a blister packing machine works. That is, the way these parts coordinate to produce the final products such as this:

Capsules and tablets in a blister pack

Here’s what you should know:

As you’ve have seen in chapter 3, blister packing machines have many parts and components.

The question is:

How do they coordinate to form a blister package?

Well, that is exactly what you are going to learn here.

Even before I go right into the main subject of this chapter, it is important to note that:

Whether you choose Alu Alu blister packaging machine or PVC blister packing machine, most of the processes still remain the same.

For the scope of this chapter, you will learn a general working principle of blister packaging machine. However, later in chapter 6, I will go further to focus on the different types of blister packaging machines.

Now, how can you put products from either tablet press or capsule filling machine in this kind of package?

End products of blister packaging machine

Let’s go straight into the blister packaging machine mechanism.

Switch on the Blister Packing Machine (Unwinding Stations Start Moving)

First, switching on the machine will set the unwinding stations in motion. I hope you can locate the unwinding stations of the blister packaging equipment:

Parts of blister packing equipment

Of course, this will also set other parts in motion.

But, before we continue, let me explain two important aspects. In the above blister packaging equipment, we have:

• Station 1: It supplies the forming material, i.e. one which will form the base of the blister back.
• Station 2: Supplies the lidding material, i.e. on that covers the content of the cavity.

Sections of blister packaging – Photo Credits: PRODUCAOINDUSTRIALBLOG

Normally, the two stations supply material at a corresponding speed.

Again, the positions of the two stations will depend on a design the blister packaging machine manufacturers will opt for.

At this point, the forming film will then move to the first stage of processing:

Heating Station (Temperature will Depend on the Type of Material)

Even before we continue, let me categorical here:

Cold form blister machines do not have this stage. That is the machines that use aluminum/aluminum blister packs.

So, this blister packaging machine mechanism is only for thermoforming blister packaging machines.

Now, this is what happens here:

During the preheating stage, the blister packaging equipment heats the form film until it becomes pliable (easy to form). It uses both the lower and upper plates for a uniform and consistent heating.

You will set the heater temperature depending on the type of material. For instance, you can set the machine to:

• 120 to 140°C in case the forming film material in polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• 140 to 150°C for a polypropylene (PP) as a forming film

Heating section

After reaching the correct temperature, it will then move to the next stage of blister packaging machine process.

Forming Cavities/Pockets on the Film

Again, here, the working principle of blister packaging machine for plastic material is slightly different from that of aluminum.

Still, the truth of the matter is that, by the end of this process, you should have a suitable cavity.

Anyway, let’s see what happens in each case:

In thermoforming, the blister packing machine manufacturers use either die plates or compressed air to form suitable cavities. Once you have these cavities, the machine will then cool the film to form a rigid plastic cavity.

On the other hand, in cold forming, they use stamping mechanism or punching pins to form cavities.  Here, there is no need for cooling since you didn’t heat the aluminum film.

You can watch this video – it illustrates how the machine forms cavities on the form film:

Once you have suitable cavities, the next stage in the working principle of blister packaging machine is:

Filling & Checking Empty Cavities

Depending on the design of the blister packaging equipment, it will manually or automatically fill the cavities with product.

At the same time, the machine will also check whether the cavities are empty or not. This is a critical stage, especially when you’re using Alu Alu blister packaging machine.

Material filling station

Remember, aluminum is an opaque material so, you may not see through the film. I will explain more about this in chapter 6.

So, once everything is set, you will move to the next stage.

Blister Seal Station

Now, this is yet another critical stage in the blister packing machine working principle.

Why?

This is because there must be a proper coordination and timing between the two stations. That is, by the time the forming film reaches this point, there should be lidding material already in place.

At this point, the lidding material will cover the forming film (with products). It will cover the entire surface before it moves to the sealing station heating system.

Blister packaging

The blister packaging machine mechanism at this stage is such that, as the equipment increases sealing temperature, it exerts reasonable force. This ensures tight sealing of the product.

Remember, the heat here MUST not interfere with the integrity of the final product.

Printing & Trimming the Blister Packed Products

First, the blister package will move to the printing station. Here, the machine will engrave all the necessary information such as:

• Expiry date
• Manufacturing date
• Batch number, etc.

Expiry date engraved on blister packaging – Photo Credits: CP24

Then, it will push the blister packs into the trimming station.

Here, the machine will trim blister packed products into individual units, which will leave the machine.

At the same time the machine will have an option of rejecting blister packs that are not sealed properly.

On the other hand, the scrap collector will roll the remaining forming film and lidding material.

A scrap collector rolls the used material

In short, the blister packaging machine working principle is very simple. Once you have the right model of the blister packing equipment, operating it does not require much training.

Remember, as stated in chapter 3, you can control all operations using the touchscreen HMI.

Now, let me summarize all these stages of blister packaging machine working principle in one simple diagram as:

Blister packaging process

You can refer to the process details below:

Since you know how a blister packaging machine works, now let’s go further to explore another critical aspect of the blister packaging process.

With the knowledge in chapter 4, I believe you have a rough idea of blister packing process.

Truth be told, blister packing process is a simple and straightforward process. It involves four main stages:

• Forming material
• Filling cavities with the right products
• Sealing cavities
• Finishing procedures

But again, I will not lie to you:

There are a few things you must pay attention to ensure the process runs seamlessly without any interruptions.

I will discuss everything you need to know here.

But first, let’s get one point clear:

Basic Configuration of Blister Packing

Well, this is the very first thing you must know even before choosing any type of blister packing machine.

Reason:

It is the only sure way to getting high quality and reliable blister packing equipment. Remember, the design of a blister packing machine will change depending on the form and sealing material.

On the other hand, the design of a blister will depend on the shape of the product you intend to package.

For example, the capsules blister packaging machine has a different tooling design when you compare it to ampoule/vial blister packing machine.

Ampoule/vial blister pack

Tablet and capsule blister pack

Still, irrespective of this variation in design, the basic configuration of blister packaging will still remain the same.

By the end of the process, you will have a structure like this:

Structure of blister packaging – Photo Credit: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

So, what’s the bottom line?

You must choose suitable forming material (that will form the blister/cavity) and lidding material (one that covers the cavity).

Now, let’s go further and find out which materials should you choose as the lidding and forming materials.

Here’s all you need to know:

Forming Film for Blister Packaging

With blister process in the pharmaceutical industry or other applications, the forming material is nearly 83% of the package.

Why?

It forms the main cavity that holds the product – it can be tablet, ampoule, syringe, capsule or any other consumer product.

Different products that can fit a blister pack

Therefore, to ensure a successful blister packaging process, you must choose an appropriate forming film. Thus, you must know the material property, grade and thickness.

Of course, the choice of a specific form film will depend on other vital aspects such as:

• Dimension of the product – length, width, height, diameter and weight.
• Cost of the film
• Physical and chemical properties of the film – can the film with stand wear, impact or heat?
• Compatibility with the product you intend to package
• Packaging parameters; can the material withstand the forming force or heat?

With all these in mind, you may opt for the following forming materials:

Poly vinyl chloride (PVC)

PVC is an easy to form and low cost material. However, it has poor oxygen ingress and doesn’t provide superior barrier against moisture absorption.

Photo Credits: PSLC

In most cases, the thickness of PVC film for blister packing process ranges from 200µ to 300µ. Depending on the nature of the application, you may coat the film with Polyvinylidene chloride.

Alternatively, they can be laminated with Cyclic olefin copolymers or Polychlorotrifluoroethylene.

Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE)

As I had mentioned earlier, you may use it to laminate the PVC thereby producing a surface with high moisture barrier.

Photo Credits: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Depending on the application at hand, you may have different structures such as:

• PVC/PCTFE
• PVC/PE/PCTFE

The above basically refers to the manner in which the materials are arranged in a single structure of the film material.

Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC)

At times, you can also coat PVC with PVDC, where you will have between 40 to 90 g for every m². In mainly improves the thermoforming properties of the material.

Photo Credits:  PSLC

Polystyrene (PS)

Although it has good thermoforming properties, it has a poor water vapor barrier. Therefore, it is not suitable for pharmaceutical blister packaging.

Photo Credits: WIKIMEDIA

Cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COC)

It forms moisture barrier blisters with good thermoforming properties even for deeper cavities. It is for this reason that you can use it in multi later combinations.

Photo Credits: WIKIMEDIA

Notably, this material does not contain halogens in its structure, which is in the case with PVC.

Note: You can use all the three materials as thermoforming films. That is, you preheat, then use an appropriate mechanism to form cavities (blisters) on the material.

Aluminum Foil

Aluminum is suitable for cold forming in blister packing process. It acts as a perfect moisture and oxygen barrier.

Photo Credits: WIKIMEDIA

It is for this reason that you should use it for moisture or light sensitive products.

Look, I want you to get this right.

Well, these are not the only materials you can use for blister packaging process. You may opt for other materials as long as they will safely protect the product.

But, this is not all…you must choose an appropriate lidding material too.

Here’s exactly what you should know:

Lidding Material for Blister Packaging Process

As I had mentioned, this is the material that covers the cavity (blister). Again here, you should choose the lidding material after considering shape, size and weight of the product.

Furthermore, you should consider the blister packaging process, more so when it comes to sealing. That is:

• Ability to add clay coating to improve printing
• Lidding material must be compatible with the forming material
• Ability to withstand the heat sealing process

In most cases you will opt for aluminum as the lid material.

Photo Credits: PHARMPRO

In most cases the aluminum lidding material may vary from 18µ to 25µ.

Depending on the blister sealing process, you can opt for:

• Peelable; you can peel it to access the product in the blister cavity.
• Child resistant; it adds an extra protection, thereby preventing kids from accessing the blister content. In most cases, if features a polyester layer with an adhesive.
• Push-through; it features an inner aluminum foil and paper on the outer surface.

Depending on whether you are handling consumer products or pharmaceutical blister packing process, you may choose any material. Again, remember, these are not the only options.

Now, let’s go back to the critical question here:

How is blister packaging made?

Before, I explain any of the processes, please review the image below:

Blister packing process

But that alone is not enough, I also have a video on blister packing process:

Now, with that, let’s dive right into blister packing process step by step illustration.

Form the Film Material

Well this is the very first stage in the actual blister packaging process.

Basically, this process involves making cavities on the film material. As I had stated in chapter 4, the process will depend on the type of material you intend to use in blister forming processes.

The truth of the matter is that you can choose any of the following:

Thermoforming Blister Packaging Process

Thermoforming blister packing process involves three main stages:

• Pre-heating; increasing the temperature of plastic to a pliable state ready for forming. Depending on the design of the blister packing machine, you can use either infra-red or contact heaters.
• Thermoforming; this is where the machine forms cavities on the plastic material. Here, you can use mechanical forming where you’ll use male and female moulds.

Alternatively, you can use negative pressure or vacuum. Normally, the machine draws plastic material into the mould.

• Cooling; the blister packing machine uses chilled water or air to cool the thermoformed plastic film.

Ampoule in blister cavity

So as the thermoformed plastic cavities leave the forming chamber, they are strong enough to withstand the weight of the product.

Cold Forming Blister Packing Process

In the cold forming process, you will insert the aluminum foil in the machine system. The machine will then form cavities on the material through the action of punching pins.

Note: Here you’ll use only an aluminum foil.

It is important to note that you don’t have to preheat the aluminum foil. However, all other processes after this stage still remain the same.

Now, once you have the cavities, it is now time to proceed to the next stage blister packaging process.

Loading the Blister (Cavities)

Next, the machine will automatically load the blister cavities with appropriate material. Depending on the blister pack design, it may adopt various material feeding mechanisms.

For example,

Syringe blister packing machines use robotic systems. On the other hand, tablet blister packing machines use vibratory systems to fill material.

Syrange blister packing machine

By the end of this stage, the machine will automatically inspect the empty blister cavities.

Sealing Blister Cavities

The blister packing machine will use pressure and temperature to ensure proper sealing of the cavity.

Depending on the type of blister packing machine you’re using, it can preprint the lid material. Alternatively, it can print it online.

You can see how the sealing process takes place in this video:

In case you are dealing with pre-printed sealing material, it should have a print registration system. This will control the position of the sealing material with respect to the blister cavity.

Finishing Stage

At this stage, you will have all products sealed in the cavity. However, you have to do the following:

• There could be a need for embossing the blister packages. That is, you may include lot number, manufacturing and expiry dates. So, you need a print station.
• Cutting individual blisters; this will take place in the trimming station

In addition to these, at times you may need to perforate the blisters.

At this stage, you should have blisters that you can load to the cartoning machine.

Capsules and tablets in blister packs

Today, most machines come with the fully integrated cartoning machine.

As you can see, the blister packaging process is simple and straight forward. All you need is a high quality and suitable machine for every blister packing stage.

Now, which type of blister packing machine should you buy?

Below are the available options.

With all that I discussed in chapters 4 and 5…blister packing process still depends on choosing the right type of machine.

You must consider the machines’ features, as you will learn shortly in chapter 7.

Additionally, you must know the technical specifications as you’ll also see in chapter 10.

Without the right type of blister packing machine, all your efforts will be futile.

So, what’s the bottom line?

It is important to know the various types of blister packing equipment available in the market.

For the scope of this section, the classification criteria will be based on these key pillars:

• Type of blister
• Blister packing process
• Production speed
• Structural design

Now, let’s go straight to the point:

Type of Blister Packaging Depending on Type of Material

In chapter 5, I did discuss the need for choosing the right type of film forming and lidding material.

Furthermore, another aspect that was quite evident is the different forming procedures in both cases.

Here is the truth:

The type of material forms an integral aspect of classifying various types of blister sealer machines.

I am aware that manufacturers may use a range of materials for different types of packing for tablets and capsules, or any other product. However, for the scope of this section, the main focus will be on:

• PVC/Alu
• Alu/Alu
• Alu/PVC/Alu (Tropical Blister Packing Machine)

So, how exactly do the types of material affect the machine design and structure?

PVC/Al Blister Packing Machine

Also called the plastic – aluminum blister pack, this machine uses the PVC as forming film and aluminum as the lidding material.

Photo Credits: WHO

This therefore implies that the machine depends on thermoforming techniques to make cavities in the plastic film material.

Depending on the heating mechanism, this is how it works:

• Machine heats plastic material (PVC)
• Forms film material to a suitable shape
• Cools material to ensure plastic becomes rigid again
• Fills cavities with appropriate material
• Seals the cavities with aluminum foil

Going for these types of blister sealer machines guarantee the following key benefits:

• A low cost thermoforming process
• Easy to make complex blister cavities depending on the tooling design
• Easy to examine products through the transparent PVC/plastic hence, you can easily reject damaged products
• Most machines use universal feeders such as circular brushes and planetary agitators. It does not require special designs.

On the other hand, adopting the PVC blister packaging machines has the following disadvantages:

• PVC does not offer a perfect barrier to oxygen and moisture
• Due to its transparent nature, it is not suitable for light sensitive products

Alu/Alu Blister Packing Machine

Unlike the PVC blister packing machines, Alu Alu blister packing machines use cold forming technique. This implies that the design of the machine is slightly different as I had mentioned earlier.

It uses the stamping mechanism to form cavities on aluminum laminate. At the filling station, it uses an aluminum foil as a lidding material.

Of course, for the case of Al Al, you don’t have to preheat the aluminum film.

Photo Credits: WHO

Normally, you can opt for Al/Al blister sealer machines where you want:

• Offer 100% barrier against moisture and light
• Extend product shelf life

On the other hand, you have to deal with a number of challenges when using Al Al blister packing machines. These include:

• Unlike the PVC blister packing machines, the production speed of Al Al blister packing machines is slow
• Inspecting products require advanced machines due to the opaque nature of aluminum hence, it can be costly.
• Aluminum blister packing is more expensive than PVC
• Operational cost and difficulty is high due to the large blister cavity

Alu/PVC/Alu Blister Packing Machines

You can also refer to this equipment as a tropical blister packing machine. The machine is unique for an extra aluminum forming and sealing station.

Here, once the machine thermoforms PVC Alu blister package, it seals it again with a tropical aluminum.

Due to their unique design, you can also call it a Thermo-cold forming.

Photo Credits: WHO

The main advantages of the tropical blister packing machine include:

• Ease and low cost of operation since the machine can adopt a universal feeder system.
• Transparent PVC/Al makes it easy to inspect products
• Offers complete barrier to light, oxygen and water
• Guarantees added protection to the products

On the other hand, here are the main disadvantages of these machines:

• High cost of production due to an extra aluminum film
• An extra forming and sealing station increases the size of the blister packing machine

Closely related to these classification criteria is the working mechanism – blister packing process.

Types of Blister Packing Machines Based on the Process

So far, it is quite clear that we have three main types blister sealing machines depending on the principle of operation. They include:

• Thermoforming for PVC/Alu
• Cold forming for Alu/Alu
• Thermoforming + Cold forming for Alu/PVC/Alu

From the chapters 4, 5 an even in this section, I am sure you can distinguish between thermoforming and cold forming.

Anyway, let me make you brainstorm a little:

• What is the difference between thermoforming and cold forming?
• Which materials can you use in thermoforming and cold forming?
• Can you list the main design features of thermoforming and cold forming machines?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of cold forming and thermoforming?

Well, if you can answer these 4 questions successfully, then we can proceed to the next section. Otherwise, refer to chapters 4, 5 and 6.

That aside:

In this chapter, I did share some information on thermoforming + cold forming for Alu/PVC/Alu or tropical blister packing machine.

Tropical blister packaging end product – Photo Credits: JORNEN

So here, I will simply go through a quick overview of how a tropical blister packing machine works. In fact, most of these processes I had discussed earlier.

Therefore, I will only list the order in which they take place:

• Forming the blister cavity; the machine preheats the forming film, thermoforms (shapes) it to a desired shape then finally cools it. By the end of this process, you will have blister cavities.
• Loading cavities with appropriate material
• Introduce aluminum leading material then seal-heat it to form a package.
• Install an aluminum foil, cold form it to a blister pouch insert the blisters you had made in (iii) above then seal it.
• Cut the blister into required shapes/sizes

Let me be clear:

This process combines both thermoforming and cold forming techniques, hence the name.

But this not everything you need to know about the various types of blister packing machines.

Another important classification criterion

Types of Blister Packing Machines Based on Speed

Well, this is quite straight forward.

Reason:

You only have to review the machines datasheet or technical specification to know whether it is a high, medium or low speed blister packing machines.

This is what I mean here:

Technical data for SaintyCo BP 120 Blister Packing Machine

A good example of low speed blister packing machine is the SaintyCo BP 120 Blister Packing Machine. At times, you may refer to these machines as small blister packing machines.

These machines are known for low production capacity hence, suitable for research or clinical trials.

On the other hand, high speed machines are known for their high production. Most of these machines are large in size and you can use them in industrial setups.

At times, you can also refer to them as pharmaceutical blister packing machines. Examples of such machines include CAM’s nMax series and SaintyCo BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine.

But this is not all.

You can classify these machines depending on their structural designs.

Types of Blister Packing Machines depending on Structural Design

Quite a number of automatic blister packing machines have almost the same structure. However, most of them are horizontal in design.

Again, their length depends on the functionality.

Syringe blister packing machine feeding section

For instance, a tropical blister packing machine is longer than the thermoforming blister packing equipment.

Remember, other factors such as model design will depend on the unique specifications of the blister packing machine manufacturer.

However, it will be unfair to end this section without mentioning this:

You can also classify blister packing machine as:

Plate Type Blister Packing Machine

Like the name suggests, its blister forming mould and heat sealing systems are plate shaped. It is a perfect choice for small blister packing machines or for packing products with special shapes.

Remember, you can elongate the depth of blister to 35mm, hence a perfect choice for such applications.

Therefore, you can use plate type blister packing machine for ampoules, batteries, syringes, syrup bottle, vials, etc.

Feeding vials in blister packing equipment

Also, it guarantees a better sealing mechanism due to its large heat consumption.

However, you cannot operate this type of blister packing machine at high speed. This is because it takes time to attain the right pressure and temperature for effective sealing.

In short, for small batch production and packaging of special shapes, you can opt for plate type blister packing machine.

Roller Type Blister Packing Machine

Here, both the heat sealing mould and blister forming mould have a cylindrical shape. This makes it a perfect choice for high production in pharmaceutical blister packaging machines.

With the cylindrical shape of this type of blister packing machine, you’re always guaranteed of:

• Instant and good sealing effect
• Linear power
• Cost saving due to low power consumption
• Simple machine structure that is easy to operate and maintain

Feeding tablets in blister packing machine

However, you cannot use it for special blister packing due to its uneven wall of the blister cavity. It is suitable for capsules and tablets

Roller-plate Type Blister Packing Machine

It combines the advantages of roller type blister sealing machine and plate type blister packing machine. Here, the heat sealing mould is cylindrical while the blister forming mould is plate shaped.

Feeding section of the machine

This implies that, the roller plate blister packing machine guarantees optimal packaging solution all the times.

Ideally, this machine produces blister cavity with uniform wall thickness. You can easily adapt such blisters machines to a range of packaging solutions.

Furthermore, this design ensures continuous heat sealing for a superior blister packaging effect. Of course, this is also due to a linear contact between the blister cavity material (PVC) and lidding material (aluminum foil).

The best part:

It saves materials since there are no instances of blanking while ensuring high quality blisters.

For a fact, roller plate blister packing machine is suitable for mass production. This is because it can operate at high speeds hence a good example of pharmaceutical blister packing machine.

In short:

You need to know the exact type of blister packing machine you need for any application.

And once you know the type of machine you need, it is now time to focus on features that can improve productivity.

Take for instance there are both manual and automatic blister packing machines. Interestingly, most people opt for the automatic designs.

Reason:

I am going to illustrate all that in chapter 7.

Look:

Knowing the specific type of blister packing machine you want to buy is great.

However, choosing a machine with the right features will guarantee success in any blister packing process.

In this chapter, you’re going to learn about the main features of blister packing machines that can increase productivity.

But remember, later in chapter 8, you will know how these features determine blister packing machine price.

For now, let’s dive right into the main subject of this section.

Design Features for Blister Packing Machine

Whether you need a tablet, syringe or tablet blister packaging machine, the design features should enhance productivity.

First, the machine should allow for flexibility in the production process. Through this, you can have blister pack sealing machine that guarantees:

• Simple and easy operation
• Easy part changeover depending on the production needs
• Robust structure that ensures low maintenance
• Modular design

In most cases, a blister packing machine that gives you a range of manufacturing flexibilities can allow for both thermoforming and cold forming. That is, you can use it for PVC/Alu and Alu/Alu without making many changes in the production system.

I am sure that’s what you’re craving to have.

Tooling section of blister packing machine

The bottom line:

Blister packing machine manufacturers should have a clear explanation why they use specific machine design.

That must be nothing other than optimizing blister packing process.

But, this is not all.

Another critical feature of blister packing machines is the:

Automation System of Blister Backing Machine

For large scale production, you need a fully automatic blister packing machine. It should feed material, form blister cavities, fill, seal, print, etc.

Furthermore, you should be able to monitor and control these operations from a central place – touchscreen HMI.

Touchscreen HMI system for blister packing machine

For instance, quite a number of fully automatic blister packaging machines feature a PLC control system.

Moreover the ampoule blister packing machine may have an ABB robot feeder system or YAMAHA robot feeder system.

Of course, this ensures a seamless blister packaging process.

Robot feeding system for blister packing machine

In addition to these, the machines may also have different types of sensors for seamless production process.  Remember, sensors also form part of the automation process.

Take for instance, a blister packing machine may have:

• Camera detection system
• Empty blister cavity detection sensor
• Temperature sensors
• Motion detectors and many more.

The bottom line:

The machine should have a robust control system that can ensure production efficiency and consistency.

Drive System

The truth is that drive system plays a critical role in blister pack sealing machines. As you can see from this video, most parts move to ensure quality blister sealing process.

It is for this reason that you must evaluate the kind of drive system or mechanism the machine comes with.

Quite a number of blister packing machine suppliers have adopted variable frequency stepless speed regulation. Besides, the machines feature servo traction.

All these allow for precise adjustment of speed and system synchronization. Remember, a machine than operates smoothly will definitely guarantee optimal production at all times.

You remember in chapter 6 I did discuss different types of blister packing machines depending on an array of factors.

Most of those aspects depend on the drive system of the machine.

Drive mechanism enhances motion here

Depending on your production needs, you must choose a machine that optimizes every blister packaging process. Be it blister forming, product filling or feeder system.

Features that Reduce Cost of Operating a Blister Packing Machine

So, how can you remain competitive in the blister packing process?

The answer is simple and straightforward:

Choose a machine that reduces the cost of blister packing process.

Take a look at this:

• Automation reduces human intervention that is prone to most errors that can add expenses to the production process.
• Reducing heat loss and optimizing heating, especially during preheating (just before thermoforming) and sealing reduces the cost of operating blister packing machines

Fully automatic blister packing machine with a standalone control panel

This is what I will recommend:

Ask the blister packing machine manufacturer to state how their machines reduce the cost of operation. This way, you will be safe.

CE and cGMP Compliant Design

When it comes to pharmaceutical blister packing machines, the cGMP compliant design is a must.

Why?

This is because you cannot sell a pharmaceutical blister packaging machine that does not conform to the safety standards by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on quality manufacturing process.

Machine design must be cGMP compliant

It is for this reason that every blister packing machine must have a cGMP compliant design. In most cases, these machines feature a stainless steel structure.

Features that Ensure Safety

The safety of technicians and machine is critical.

Therefore, the machine should have safety interlock doors. This protects technicians from accessing material processing area.

Doors marked with a red arrow

Besides, all motor mechanisms must have a door locking mechanism. It aims to eliminate possible injuries that may occur during the blister packaging process.

In addition to these, the machine must have an alarm system with an easy to access stop button.

Apart from all these, the machine should also allow for integrating the carton packing system

BP-260 is a blister packing machine while CM-100 is a cartoning line

This will make the blister packing process easy and simple.

So, here’s the deal:

As you strive to choose a particular type of machine, it is important that you also focus on features that will increase productivity.

More importantly, a robust drive and automation system is critical to the modern manufacturing process.

But, wait a minute?

What exactly determines the blister packing machine price?

Everything I have mentioned above will definitely determine the ultimate cost of blister packing machine.

But, here’s more you need to know:

Honestly, there are quite a number of factors that determine the blister packing machine price.

So far, I have discussed quite a number in this guide.

For the scope of this section, I will make a quick summary on what you should expect from blister packing machine manufacturers.

Let’s dive right in:

Design of the Machine

You can have a quick look at these two machines:

Blister packing machine

VS.

Blister packing machine

Clearly, the two machines have different designs.

For instance, the first one is a tablet or capsule filling machine. On the other hand, the second machine is a syringe blister packing machine.

So, with this alone, you don’t expect the two machines to have the same price tag.

Closely related to this is the type of application.

As I had indicated in chapter 7, syringe or ampoule blister packing machines feature robust robotic systems. This is not the case for tablets and capsules blister packing machines that have a universal feeding system.

Again, here, the type of application will also determine the overall design of the blister packing machine.

In short, the price tag for any blister packing machine for sale will vary depending on the design and type of application.

Technical Specifications

Apart from design and application, I want to take further into another key aspect that determines the blister packing machine cost.

This is the technical specification.

But, why is it such a critical aspect?

It is the technical specifications that determine the capability of blister packing machine. It is from this that you will know whether a machine is of a high or low capacity.

Look at these two:

SaintyCo BP-120 Small Blister Packing Machine

Vs.

SaintyCo BP-260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine

From the datasheets above, you can see the difference between these two machines.

Basically, the blister packing machine price will depend on the technical specifications.

Type of Blister Packing Machine

This refers to the blister packing mechanism. I did discuss this in chapter 6.

Just a quick reminder:

There are three main types of blister packing machines and they include:

• PVC/Alu blister packing machine
• Alu/Alu blister packing machine
• Alu/PVC/Alu blister packing machines or tropical blister packing machines

All these machines have different designs and construction.

SaintyCo CBC Capsule and Tablet Blister Cartoning Line

Therefore, the blister packing machine price for each will be different.

Apart from these three key variables, others include:

• Brand of the blister packing machine; some blister packing machine manufacturers sell their products at a high price. Of course, this will also depend on the reputation of the manufacturer in the market.
• Demand and supply; although the blister packing machine price may vary with supply and demand, it does not affect it all the time.

Now, what should you do?

Well, to get competitive prices for blister packing machines, you need to buy the machine from the manufacturer.

By doing so, you not only get the best market prices, but also ability to customize the machine to your production needs.

But wait a minute:

Here is one fundamental factor you must not forget.

Where you’ll source for the blister packing machine also plays a critical role.

From experience, I will prefer sourcing for blister packing machine from China. You will definitely get value for your money…you’re always guaranteed of competitive prices.

Later in chapter 11, I have a few samples of blister packing machines – you can evaluate them to see if they meet your production needs.

Keep reading…

So, to get accurate prices of blister packing machines, please contact the manufacturer.

Anyway, let’s have a quick overview of various blister packing machine manufacturers in the global market.

I know you’re probably wondering where to get high quality blister packing machines.

Well, I must admit that there are many manufacturers of blister packing machines. Besides, not all companies that purport to design and manufacture these machines are genuine.

Some of those machines are neither cGMP compliant nor guarantee consistent and perfect blister sealing.

In this chapter, I will introduce you to top 9 main manufacturers of blister packing machines in the global market.

Let’s jump right in:

1. IMA

Since 1961, IMA Group has been designing and selling a range of pharmaceutical machines for a range of pharmaceutical applications. Whether you need a machine for processing or packaging, IMA Group offers a perfect solution.

At the moment, the company has expanded to over 80 countries that form its main product distribution channels. Besides, it has over 41 production plants globally.

IMA Group is one of the leading blister sealing machine suppliers with 19 different designs of blister packaging equipment. These include 13 primary packaging and 6 secondary packaging machines.

IMA homepage

Among the many IMA blister packing machines include the C96-A96, C80HS, GIANT, EXPRESS N, etc. They come as standalone blister packing machines or with a fully integrated carton packing systems.

Although, there are standard designs, the IMA Group supplies custom designs blister packing machines too.

2. Cam

Cam is yet another blister packing machine manufacturer known for its MC, Nmx and MK series of machines. With both standard and custom designs available, Cam blister packing machines can form many materials such as PVC, ACLAR, ALU, PVC+PVDC, ACLAR, TRIPLEX, etc.

Most of Cam blister packing machines come in both standard and custom designs, depending on your specific needs.

Furthermore, they have easy to change tooling system, thus, you can pack a range of products. For instance, you may pack tablets, capsules, syringes, among other products.

CAM homepage

Depending on your unique production needs, you can choose a low or high speed blister packing machine. Besides, every machine features a plate sealing with a fully automated system.

3. Hoonga

Hoonga designs and manufactures a range of packaging equipment for pharmaceutical and consumer products industries. This is a South Korean blister sealing machine supplier whose main area of specialization includes tablet and capsule blister packing machines.

Furthermore, the company produces cartoning machines that you can easily integrate with the blister packing equipment.

Hoonga blister packing machines also come in both standard and custom designs depending on your specific requirements.

Hoonga blister packing machine

Over the years, Hoonga strives to have an efficient mechanism through which its blister packing machines can reach their global customers.

For instance, in North America, it is the Key International Inc. that distributes Hoonga blister packing machines.

4. SaintyCo

SaintyCo is one of the leading blister packing machine manufacturers in China. It designs and manufactures various tablet, capsules, syringes and ampoules/vials.

The blister packaging machines feature a robust control system with PLC software and touchscreen HMI. With the modular design for easy part changeover, you can configure SaintyCo blister packing equipment for nearly all packaging needs.

So far, SaintyCo has seven different types of blister packing machines available as the BP, ABC, CBC and SBC machines. These are all cGMP compliant machines, which you can also integrate with the cartoning system.

SaintyCo homepage

For over 15 years now, SaintyCo has invested in R&D, to produce small blister packing machines to large pharmaceutical blister packing machines. The company leverages on the affordable production and assembly in China.

Besides, SaintyCo integrates its own patented technologies with both the American and European technologies, thereby producing robust, sturdy and advanced blister sealing machines.

Click here for a quick overview of SaintyCo blister packing machines.

5. Rohrer AG

For blister packaging solutions in consumer products, you can count on Rohrer AG. Known for the R and RS series of blister packing equipment, Rohrer AG designs and manufactures both standard and custom machines.

With its R560, you can produce blister packaged products as samples before adopting the actual production process with the R960.

Ideally, Rohrer AG strives to provide its clients with turnkey solutions for their unique packaging needs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the pharmaceutical, food processing or setups that require blister packaging.

Rohrer AG homepage

6. Romaco

Popular for its Noack and Promatic equipment, Romaco remains to be a global leader in blister packaging machine design and fabrication. Their machines range from low to high production, featuring Ramaco’s new technologies and innovations.

They come with an easy to QuickFeed interchange tool units, with a QuickAdmin HMI, QuickTransfer servo-drive and QuickAdjust control station.

Ramco homepage

Romaco blister packing machines come in different layouts, which is space saving and study.

The ease for line integration, operate and maintain makes Romaco blister packing equipment a perfect solution for most of your needs.

Currently, Romaco offers tons of packaging solutions in the pharmaceutical industry.

7. Uhlmann

For blister machines, cartoners and blister lines, Uhlmann offers many options at your disposal. Of interest are the B, UPS and BLU blister machines.

They range from low to high capacity blister packing equipment. That is, from 250 blister/minute to 1,300 blisters/minute.

Made to conform to the cGMP standards, easy to clean with aluminum structure, Uhlmann strives to be a global leader in blister packing equipment.

Uhlmann blister packing machine

With a servo –regulated drives, lightweight and space saving design, Uhlmann blister machines enhance production capacity by reducing costs and improving productivity.

8. Mediseal

Mediseal is also one of the leading blister packing machine manufacturers in the global market. From small blister packing machine for clinical trials, to high production capacity, Mediseal tailors every machine for your specific needs.

At the moment, Mediseal has the CP200, CP400, CP600 and CP1200 blister packaging equipment.

Over the years, Mediseal’s main focus remains to be efficiency and flexibility that allows for easy part changeover.

Mediseal homepage

Their compact and stable base, with virtually quiet operation makes the Mediseal blister packing machine a perfect choice for most dynamic needs in the industry.

9. ACG Pam

When it comes to blister packing and cartoning machines, you can count on ACG Pam. ACG Pam has quite a number of blister packing machines ranging from the B, BP, CARTOBLIS, B MAX, BQS, TROPAC and MINIBLIS series.

Thou they come in standard designs, ACG Pam can customize every machine for your specific production needs.

ACG Pam blister packing machine

Furthermore, ACG Pam is among the blister packaging machine manufacturers with a fully integrated product packing system. This not only adds value, but increases efficiency and consistency of the blister packaging process.

Like I stated at the beginning of this chapter, these are not the only blister packing machine manufacturers. There are quite a number of manufacturers out there.

However, a fundamental question that will always remain is:

Do you trust the blister packing machine manufacturer?

Now, I want to quickly take you through another important subject here – the key applications of blister packing machines.

Can you remember what I said in chapter 2?

In that chapter, I did explain the reason why a blister packaging machine plays a fundamental role in various industries.

That is, different types of blister packing machines offer:

• Better product sealing
• Tamper resistant packaging solution
• Superior protection from various environmental factors that can interfere with product quality, just to mention a few.

Again, throughout various sections of this guide, I have also mentioned various applications of most blistering processes.

Anyway, let’s have a quick review of the main applications blister packaging machines…just a quick summary:

Application of Blister Packing Machines in Pharmaceutical Industry

Over the recent past, blister packing machine manufacturers have shifted their attention to the pharmaceutical industry.

Reason:

In the pharmaceutical industry, there are fragile and delicate substances that need ultimate protection. Furthermore, hygiene and quality is a priority.

Remember, with the blister packaging process, it is easier to maintain quality and integrity of components.

Below are some of the main areas where you can use different types of blister packaging machines:

Packing Tablets

Tablets are made from numerous ingredients some of which are either moisture or light sensitive. As a result, you need to adopt safe and reliable packaging mechanism.

This is exactly what makes tablet blister packing machines a perfect choice for this task.

Tablets in blister packs

In short, tablet blister packing machines play a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity and reliability of drug excipients.

Blister Packaging of Capsules

Look:

Like in tablet packaging, capsule blister packing machines play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry. For a fact, even though all contents are enclosed in either soft gelatin or hard gelatin shells, they still require a good protection.

Capsules in blister packs

With a capsule blister packing machine, all your capsules and tablet will remain safe.

Blister Packing of other Pharmaceutical Products

You can also configure pharmaceutical blister packing machines for other products such as syringes and bottles. Under such circumstances, you need to have a special tooling system with specific automation procedures.

For instance, you may have blister packing machine for syringes:

Syringes on a blister pack

Apart from syringes, there is also the ampoules and vials blister packaging machine. This is also another critical aspect of pharmaceutical blister packaging process.

Ampoules and vials Blister

You can easily achieve this using a blister packaging line for packaging of ampoule & vial.

As you can recall in chapters 3, I did mention that you can change the tooling system for various types of blister packing machines. With this, you can definitely configure the blister packing equipment to your specific needs.

In addition to these, you can configure the blister packing equipment with carton machines. This makes the entire packing process simple and easy.

Blister packing of products in a box

So, what’s the bottom line here?

With a pharmaceutical blister packaging machine, you can easily ensure product safety and integrity. All you need is to adopt a suitable tooling mechanism.

Blister Packaging for Consumer Products

Like in the pharmaceutical industry, blister packing equipment plays an integral role in the consumer products industry.  Take for instance, at some time, you will need to pack:

• Dry cell battery in a blister pack:

Eveready batteries in a blister pack

• Toys

Toys in a blister pack

Here is the point:

You can use blister packaging for most consumer products in the market. From toys, craft supplies, beauty products or gaming accessories, they will all fit in a blister packing machine.

In the recent past, it has become a popular packaging due to:

• Cost effectives
• Suitability for displaying products
• High degree of flexibility since you can pack small and large products
• Tamper evident features
• Possibility of packing multiple products in one package

Remember, you can only achieve this by buying high quality blister packing equipment. The design must meet your packing needs and requirements.

Having said that, let me sample a few pharmaceutical blister packing machines you may consider for packaging applications.

Let’s have a quick overview of various machines from SaintyCo, a leading blister packing machine manufacturer from China.

Clearly, from chapters 4 and 6, you can see that there are many types of blister packing machines available in the market.

I hope you can see this too in chapter 10.

Anyway, what am I trying to say here?

Blister packaging machine manufacturers’ design machines depending on the specific production needs.

For instance, company “A” could be packaging syringes, while “B” drug bottles. The two will fit in two different cavities…so obviously, there’s a need for different tooling systems.

Now, when it comes to SaintyCo, a premier Chinese blister packing machine manufacturer, the situation is the same.  This is why I want to introduce you to the various SaintyCo blister packaging machines.

Broadly these are the 7 blister packaging equipment from SaintyCo:

BP 120 Small Blister Packaging Machine

SaintyCo BP 120 Small Blister Packing Machine is a cGMP compliant, highly flexible machine that fits small batch productions. This may include clinical trials and R&D.

SaintyCo BP 120 Small Blister Packaging Machine

It has a space saving feature, with a fully automated PLC system, which comes with a touchscreen HMI. The mechanical drive and blister forming tooling system are robust to withstand the dynamic needs in small scale productions.

Depending on your needs, you can use it as pharmacy blister packaging machine.

Below are the SaintyCo BP 120 Small Blister Packaging Machine technical specifications:

Technical specifications

As you can see from the technical specifications, you can easily adjust the machine specifications to your unique packaging needs.

BP 150 Alu Alu Blister Packing Machine

Do you remember my classification criteria in chapter 6?

Well, the SaintyCo BP 150 Alu Alu Blister Packing Machine is a good example of an Alu/Alu machine.

SaintyCo BP 150 Alu Alu Blister Packing Machine

A simple, easy to maintain and cGMP compliant design makes it a perfect choice for cold forming. It is also suitable for small scale blister packaging however, its production speed is higher than the BP 120.

Again, like the SaintyCo BP 120 Small Blister Packaging Machine, this machine features a fully automatic system with PLC and touchscreen HMI.

Technical specifications

So, in case you want a small size machine with a lightly higher production capacity, then SaintyCo BP-150 Alu-Alu Blister Packing Machine is a perfect alternative.

BP 180 Automatic Blister Packing Machine

At a reasonably small size, SaintyCo BP 180 Automatic Blister Packing Machines guarantee a high rate of blister sealing. It features a fully automatic system, efficient and accurate blister forming and sealing.

With its registering matching heating system, it optimizes the heating process while reducing possible heat loss.

Though the design of SaintyCo BP 180 Automatic Packing Machine resembles the BP 120 and B150, it is slightly larger in size.

BP 180 Automatic Blister Packing Machine

Here is the machine’s technical information:

BP 180 Automatic Blister Packing Machine Technical Specification

BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine

SaintyCo BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine is a robust and fully automatic blister forming machine. Unlike the other pharmacy blister packing machines, the BP 260 is slightly bigger.

BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine

It features a robust automatic control system with photoelectric indexing control, besides the easy to change tooling system.

A fully enclosed heating, forming and sealing chambers ensure safety, while the visual sensors make it easier to monitor the packaging process.

Below is a technical data for SaintyCo BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine:

Technical data

Now, here is the deal:

From the BP series of SaintyCo blister packing series machines, I want you to note the following:

• Machines can produce blister cavities of different shapes depending on the machine’s tooling system
• SaintyCo BP series of blister packing machine are cGMP compliant
• Production capacity increases with machines series, i.e. from BP 120 to 260.
• Overall design of the machines is nearly the same except for the changes in size and functionality.

Apart from these four, the SaintyCo blister packing equipment also come as:

ABC Blister Cartoning Line

Unlike the BP series, SaintyCo ABC Blister Cartoning Line is a huge and robust machine that packs liquid fills and Lyophilized glass vials with ampoules. They come as ABC-300 and ABC-400 Blister Cartoning Line.

Different products

It is a fully automatic machine with a standalone HMI control panel.

Comparing the SaintyCo ABC Blister Cartoning Line with the BP series, this machine is relatively large. However, it is still easy to operate and troubleshoot, thus guarantees minimal downtime.

Here is the machine:

SaintyCo ABC Blister Cartoning Line

Also, you can review its technical data:

Technical information

Remember, the ABC Blister Cartoning Line is fully integrated with carton line. This makes the entire blister packaging system simple and fast.

Apart from this, another machine that SaintyCo offers is the:

CBC Capsule and Tablet Blister Cartoning Line

SaintyCo CBC Capsule and Table Blister Cartoning Line allows for seamless integration with other accessories such as carton packer, weighing machine and strapping machine, among others.

It is a fully automatic capsule and tablet blister packing machine with PLC systems and servo motor drive system.

SaintyCo CBC Capsule and Tablet Blister Cartoning Line can produce up to 100 cartons per minute. As you can see, this is basically an integration of the SaintyCo BP 260 Tablet and Capsule Blister Packing Machine and cartooning equipment.

CBC Capsule and Tablet Blister Cartoning Line

Below are the technical specifications of CBC 100

Technical specification

Another fascinating technology in the in SaintyCo product line is:

SBC Syringe Blister Cartoning Line

For syringe and vials mixed blister packing, SaintyCo SBC Syringe Blister Cartoning Line offers unmatched performance. It is a fully automatic machine that features ABB robot feeders for seamless blister packaging.

Blister packaging of pharmaceutical products

Actually, this is how SaintyCo SBC Syringe Blister Cartoning Line looks like:

SaintyCo SBC Syringe Blister Cartoning Line

While the technical specification is:

Technical data

You can go for the SBC 100 or SBC 200, depending on your pharmaceutical blister packaging needs.

Clearly, SaintyCo offers a one stop and turnkey solution in blister packing machine and packing production line. Of course, all these blister packing machines come in both standard and custom designs.

The truth is:

Blister packing machines come in many designs and options. They range from different working principles, design configurations, production capacities, features, etc.

But I believe with this guide, you can certainly choose a perfect machine for your blister packing applications.

Now, it’s your turn to make a move:

Which of the above blister packing machines fit your packaging needs?

Or, are you facing any challenges with the blister packing machines?

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More resources:

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