Furtwangen-based automation specialist IEF-Werner has optimised the optical inspection and packaging of insulin cartridges at Gerresheimer AG's Medical Systems division with a flexible palletising system. At the Bünde site, the palletising solution now ensures that fewer manual work steps are required in the packaging process.
With Cartridge syringes can be used for stable storage and safe and easy administration of medication. The term "cartridge" refers to a glass cylinder ampoule contained in the syringe.
The „Technical Competence Centre“ (TCC) of Gerresheimer in Wackersdorf was looking for a solution to minimise the Testing and packaging processes for insulin cartridges at the Bünde site. Two different cartridges were to be visually inspected and then quickly and gently inserted into PP boxes.
Previously, parts of this work were carried out by an employee at the company's headquarters in Bünde. The tested cartridges were placed in a special tray. From there, he then refilled them manually.
Flexible packaging concept convinces
The engineers at „Medical Systems“ now wanted to change this process. The idea was to create a fully automated solution. For the high-resolution cosmetic examination of the vitreous humour, the company's own G3 inspection system be integrated in the system. The desired Palletising system should also have a pallet buffer for full and empty trays.
The TCC cooperated with various partners in the realisation of the entire system. They were selected as part of a joint „supplier rating“. For the palletising solution, the IEF-Werner GmbH through. The company from the Black Forest scored highly with its flexible concept, which provides for the use of matrix trays as well as auxiliary containers to clamp the PP boxes.
Handling automation in the cleanroom
The entire system is located in an ISO class 8 clean room and consists of three components: the automatic removal of the cartridges from the belt oven, a Measuring section and the palletising system from IEF-Werner. The system picks up the freshly moulded cartridges after they have been removed from the belt oven. In the belt oven, the stressed and highly pressurised material had to be palletised after the Moulding process initially at 600 degrees Celsius.
Stefan Deck, Product Manager for Transfer and palletising systems responsible for the project at IEF-Werner, explains the further process sequence: „A product gripper picks up 30 carpules at the same time and places 15 of each on two measuring sections one after the other.“
Transport using the pilgrim step method
The transport of the cartridges on the two measuring sections is synchronised in the so-called Pilgrim step procedure. This ensures that the glass components are guaranteed not to touch each other by means of coordinated forward and backward movements during transport.
Finally, the visual inspection for cosmetic defects is carried out with one G3 camera system including lifter. One of these vision systems is integrated into each measuring section in order to achieve the required high performance. If a camera detects defects on the component, the gripper removes the faulty product and places it on a chute that takes it to a discharge chute.
The developers have also thought about testing the test system. Cartridges can be used as Test sample can be fed in and out to test the measuring system.
Palletising system enables two types of final packaging
Products that are not rejected are finally End-of-line packaging module transported. Stefan Deck describes this process as follows: „A gripper takes the components from the compactor rail and automatically places them in the corresponding container. On the opposite side, another gripper removes the full containers and places them on the compactor rail. Pallet buffer off.“ An employee has previously placed the empty containers in the correct position on the conveyor belt.
As a special feature of the system, IEF-Werner emphasises that two types of packaging can be used. On the one hand, the components can be sorted into matrix trays with a capacity of 22 x 15 cartridges. In addition, the packaging in Plastic auxiliary container possible. PP boxes are placed in the auxiliary containers. These each hold 380 cartridges. At the end, an employee removes the container, folds in the end flaps, places a lid on it and the finished pack can be removed from the auxiliary container.
