Pharmaceutical Packaging Inspection: Combining AVI, Leak Detection, and Labeling in One System

Bonfiglioli Engineering has a 50-year history of designing and manufacturing reliable, high-quality inspection solutions for the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, metal can, aerosol, chemical, and personal care industries.

But one of our greatest strengths isn’t listed in our product catalog.

Collaborating with our customers is critical to our success–and one of our greatest strengths. We work with you to truly understand your operations and develop an integrity testing solution that is unique to your business and adds value to your product.

We have a wide variety of inspection machines that can be customized depending upon what materials and what type of containers you are producing and what type of integrity test you need to perform.

Read on to learn how we collaborated with a customer and harnessed our creativity to design the 3-in-1 combination inspection machine, a single piece of equipment that performs automatic visual inspection, leak detection, and labeling.

High-Impact Customized Inspection and Labeling Solution

A Brazilian pharmaceutical company contacted Bonfiglioli Engineering through the website with an oil-based product that could not be tested by most USP 1207 listed methods. The pressure decay method for oil-based products is critical and difficult, requiring rotary machinery capable of withstanding the force generated by pressure decay. Designing such machinery requires deep experience.

Bonfiglioli Engineering presented a feasibility study showing how our technology is capable of conducting pressure decay testing to detect a 10-micron hole within the specified testing time on a 36-station rotary machine processing 24,000 containers per hour.

Satisfied by the feasibility study, the customer provided a layout of the room where the machine would be installed. Our technical sales team typically visits customers’ facilities at this point in the collaboration, taking detailed measurements of the space where the equipment is to be installed and working to understand the breadth of the operation, what requirements exist, and what space is available for machinery and operators.

Here were some of the takeaways from the on-site visit:

Our team noticed that this customer’s site offered very little space, especially considering the customer wanted to include labeling equipment in the same room.
Because Bonfiglioli Engineering has a relationship with Etipack, a leader in labeling technology, we proposed our combined solution with a labeling unit on board.
The customer’s Quality team then asked about adding the capability to inspect the ampoule tip, so our engineers incorporated an automatic visual inspection (AVI) unit.

Bonfiglioli Engineering was the only company able to provide a monobloc machine that fit within the available space and could perform all three required operations: automatic visual inspection of the ampoule tip, leak detection with a pressure decay method, and an on-board labeling unit.

In the end, the production output was greater than originally designed and expected:

Normally, working at 24,000 ampoules per hour would require three (3) machines and six (6) operators, creating a big impact on engineering costs and space requirements.
Bonfiglioli Engineering’s 3-in-1 combination inspection machine performs the same functions with two (2) operators, at a lower cost, in less space, all controlled by a single HMI.

The customer was highly impressed with the quality of our equipment and the immediate and continuous technical support from Bonfiglioli Engineering. They appreciated the dedicated local technician who supported the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and who will continue to provide support throughout the life of the equipment.

Calling the equipment “modern, robust, and high-performance,” they have since worked to improve their production processes to meet the quality requirements anticipated by the 3-in-1 Machine. This experience has led the customer to work with us to design additional inspection equipment for their operations.

The 3-in-1 Inspection System offers three functions in one monobloc machine:

Automatic visual inspection of the ampoule tip.
Leak detection with a special pressure decay method.
An on-board labeling unit with inspection of labels’ accurate application and pharma code verification.

How Does the 3-in-1 Inspection Machine Work?

Specialized Handling for Safety and Efficiency

To reach the speed of 24,000 CPH, the handling system must be safe, reliable, and capable of handling products without damaging them.

The infeed starwheel is designed to facilitate careful, reliable handling of ISO 9187 standard ampoules from 1 ml to 20 ml at high speed.
Ampoules are loaded onto a tray by the operator and automatically driven inside the machine via the infeed tray system.
Ampoules are then driven by conveyor into the inlet starwheel.
The safety device activates when an ampoule is not properly loaded on the starwheel, avoiding the breakage of glass containers inside the machine.

Automatic Vision Inspection

Ampoules pass an automatic vision inspection (AVI) station focused on the tip of the ampoule, detecting malformation, burning, fusion defects, or a discolored or missing ring.
Nonconforming ampoules are automatically loaded into a dedicated rejection tray. Conforming ampoules are driven to the leak inspection station.

Leak Inspection

Leak inspection by pressure decay is performed on a 36-station rotary leak tester capable of detecting a 10-micron hole in ampoules containing oil-based products at a speed of 24,000 ampoules per hour.
The 3-in-1 system is equipped with our Automatic Head Exclusion (AHE) capability, which avoids loading an ampoule into a specific testing chamber that might not operate properly to mitigate false rejection.
Nonconforming ampoules are automatically loaded into a dedicated rejection tray. Conforming ampoules are driven to the labeling station.

Labeling

Ampoules are automatically loaded into a labeling station where they are rotated and wrapped with a self-adhesive label.
The labeling unit is equipped with a printer that prints the product details and QR code (Pharma code). Each printed label is inspected by cameras.
If the label is incorrectly applied or the variable data are incorrect or illegible, the ampoule is driven into a dedicated rejection tray.
Conforming products are loaded into a high-speed double tray loading system capable of handling 24,000 ampoules per hour. Loading automatically flows into the available tray as an operator unloads the filled tray.

Key Features of the 3-in-1 Inspection Machine

Designed with efficiency, reliability, and operator usability in mind, the 3-in-1 system offers a range of features that make it an ideal solution for high-precision pharmaceutical packaging environments.

Our experience handling such delicate products allows us to design a reliable system that minimizes ampoule breakages, reducing downtime caused by clean-up following breakage and avoiding potential machine damage.
Our partnership with Etipack, a leader in labeling systems, enables us to deliver a reliable labeling station as part of this complete solution.
Onboard electrical cabinet for fast installation instead of time-consuming wire-by-wire connections: simply connect power and compressed air.
Visibility and accessibility of pressure regulators and vacuum generators for operator’s checks and easy access by operators for maintenance or troubleshooting.
Space-saving design: performs the functions of three machines in the footprint of one.

Bonfiglioli Engineering’s Mission Makes the Difference

Our team has deep expertise in engineering and an extensive track record of designing and manufacturing inspection solutions to the exacting standards of pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and personal care industries. Beyond our technical expertise, we are driven to be your trusted partner for packaging integrity testing and analysis.

This case study showcases the way we collaborate with our customers not only during initial inquiries but perhaps more so during the technical design phase, as we learn more about the customer’s operations and facilities, their challenges, and their needs.

Our drive to understand and our deep experience and expertise enable us to use our engineering expertise creatively. We design elegant solutions that combine multiple inspection and production solutions in one efficient piece of equipment, often exceeding our customers’ expectations and helping them take their businesses to new levels.

What is the right combination of capabilities for your business?

Whatever combination of CCIT (leak detection) you need – HGA (Headspace Gas Analysis), Automated Visual Inspection, or labeling– Bonfiglioli Engineering’s team has the experience, expertise, and creativity to design a solution that will help you do more while confirming the integrity of your products.

Reach out to Bonfiglioli Engineering and find out what a customized inspection solution can do for you.

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