| Mackey, the school counselor at South Park | | | | After the container leaves the unscrambler it |
| Elementary would say, Drugs are bad, | | | | receives a serial number that the FDA requires |
| Mmkay. The FDA happens to agree with him, | | | | then it moves on to a larger labeling machine |
| which is why they recently updated the standards | | | | where it gets another number that syncs with |
| for securing the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain. | | | | the serial number. The larger label identifies what |
| They are requiring that pharmaceutical packaging | | | | the medication inside the bottle is for and how to |
| companies to serialize each individual bottle or | | | | take it. |
| container so it can be identified all the way | | | | These bottles may then go through a machine |
| through the supply chain. | | | | called the canister feeder. These machines may |
| Pharmaceutical packaging has very complex | | | | drop 1 to 3 canisters in a bottle at a time starting |
| procedures that require multiple steps before | | | | with 400cpm and decreasing depending on the |
| ending with a completed product. . It is important | | | | amount of drops dispensed. The standard |
| to serialize and label the individual bottles to ensure | | | | features in these machines consist of: |
| the codes sync with each other which guarantees | | | | Variable speed |
| that the customer is taking the correct amount | | | | Manual speed controls |
| of medication at the specified dosage. Medication | | | | Stainless steel frame construction |
| is a lucrative industry counteracted by law suits | | | | Clear guarding |
| filed everyday against suppliers along the supply | | | | Fully automatic |
| chain, the FDA hopes to stop that. | | | | Electrical / positive break safety interlocks |
| To reduce conflicts such as law suits, original | | | | Compact, mobile frame |
| equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are integrating | | | | Floor level desiccant hopper with elevator |
| some of the most advanced technology into their | | | | Quick changeover |
| machines. Servo technology controls the speed | | | | FDA-approved contact parts |
| and distance of products as they move and | | | | The last machine in the process is called a shrink |
| merge together on conveyors. If the machine | | | | bundler. This machine bundles the bottles in shrink |
| senses something is wrong it will attempt to fix | | | | wrap allowing them to be shipped in bulk. The |
| the problem and if it cannot it will get rid of the | | | | bundled containers also receive a label which |
| problem all together by discarding the container. | | | | identifies the individual bottles enclosed. The |
| The packaging system starts with sorting the | | | | standard features of these machines should be as |
| bottles on a conveyor as they are dumped in a | | | | follows: |
| hopper where it then organizes the bottles in a | | | | Variable speed |
| single file line. This machine is known as the bottle | | | | Manual speed controls |
| unscrambler, which can be simple to operate, | | | | Stainless steel frame construction |
| basically dump the containers into the hopper and | | | | Clear guarding |
| the machine will set the containers upright on the | | | | Fully automatic |
| conveyor ready to be labeled and filled. Below is a | | | | Electrical / positive break safety interlocks |
| brief description of each piece of equipment used | | | | Compact, mobile frame |
| to get the bottles ready to be shipped. | | | | Floor level desiccant hopper with elevator |
| An efficient bottle unscrambler should perform | | | | Quick changeover |
| the following tasks: | | | | FDA-approved contact parts |
| Built-in hopper with easy access | | | | As far as the pharmaceutical packaging industry is |
| Compact, mobile frame | | | | concerned, these machines will accomplish the |
| Simple operation | | | | required tasks to complete a safe and efficient |
| Tool-less changeover | | | | production line along with the standards paced by |
| Variable machine speeds | | | | the FDA. Not all machines are created equal so |
| Safety devices | | | | make sure to consult with an expert before |
| Clear machine guarding | | | | purchasing these machines. |