One of the highlights of the Multivac stand at the Compamed trade show in Düsseldorf (Hall 8a, Stand H 01) will be the inline labeling of packaging for sterile medical supplies. The process will be demon-strated by means of the Hapa 800 WebJet drop-on-demand (DoD) printing system, which is installed on the R 245 thermoformer.
The DOD printing system prints the substrate with a resolution of 360 dpi over a width of 410 millimeters. The latest development in the 800 series from the Swiss company Hapa, the world market leader in online printing technologies for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and health care industry, it is also ideal for late-stage customization. Here, by separating out some of the process components, country-specific and customerspecific labeling for example is only carried out once other processes, such as the primary packaging of large batches for more than one country, have been completed.
Always the correct data
As the system prints directly within the packaging line (inline), no externally printed film is used. This avoids the risk of using film with incorrect data, and the print motif can be changed over very quickly. This is ideal for processing the small batches that occur with late-stage customization, and it also increases process security.
The process is also extremely cost-efficient, as the technology can be used for creating full-surface print impressions as well as for printing with personalized data. Another benefit is that it avoids the need for creating masters and for storing printed materials.
UV light-cured special colors
The Hapa 800 WebJet can be used for printing virtually all the packaging materials used in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, including special medical paper, TyvekTM film, laminates, and aluminum. The printing module also includes state-of-the-art anti-aliasing technology. The special colors with which the entire CMYK spectrum can be mapped are cured by UV light and are exceptionally resistant to wear and smearing. This means that the system is also suitable for use in cleanrooms. Both graphics and variable data can be printed in a single step. The drop-on-demand printing system also has a device for the continuous generation of pack numbers.
The printing modules are designed to integrate with customer conveyor systems. They are suitable for packaging lines run continuously or in intermittent operation. During the printing process the material is fed by dancer rolls, special buffer elements which ensure that machine stops do not disrupt the printing process and reduce the print quality.
Track and trace
One example of the use of inline labeling is in product traceability (track and trace), using 2D codes and sequential numbering in packaging lines for medical and pharmaceutical products. In this day and age this is essential in order to be able to prove at any time that a product is genuine, for example. In addition, a packaging line laid out in this way needs a printing technology which combines excellent print quality with cleanroom compatibility and which can be flexibly integrated with the packaging machine.
Both the printing system and the packaging line as a whole meet the strict requirements for packaging sterile medical supplies and pharmaceutical products as defined for example by the FDA in 21 CFR Part 11.