How to choose the right blister machine in 2023

When a company seeks to dominate its market, its customer focus must be top-notch. One way to ensure this is by offering good packaging for your products. Blister machines are used to package products in the pharmaceutical, food processing, and chemical industries. They are known to provide good protection due to their excellent sealing capabilities. They also allow visibility of packaged products and are a good option for products that need to remain immobilized after packaging. ELITER Packaging Machinery at www.eliter-packaging.com suggests know how to calculate the payback period on packaging machine to define which is the best packaging machine for your business.

Therefore, a blister machine could help companies deliver quality packaging to their consumers. This comprehensive guide describes how to select a suitable blister machine.

Blister machines: market share and demand

The global market value of blister machines in 2021 was 801.1 million dollars. There is a demand for innovative and modified packaging in the blister machine industry. This has led manufacturers to develop blister machines that keep all drugs and medicines free from adverse factors that could alter their properties. For example, bioplastics are being deployed more than traditional raw materials like glass and aluminum.

In addition, new technologies and methodologies are being implemented that allow ease of use by patients. Additionally, industries are developing child-resistant, tamper-evident and anti-counterfeit drug packaging as the healthcare sector continues to demand it.

The World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration are also implementing strict measures that are expected to increase the growth of blister machines.

Factors to take into account when choosing a blister machineSpeed

It refers to the number of blister packs packed per unit of time. Automatic blister machines will have a higher speed than manual blister machines. Automatic blister machines have a rate of 35 cycles per minute for cold forming and 40 cycles per minute for thermoforming packaging. Manual blister machines will produce between 8 – 15 cycles per minute. According to the needs of a company, they can choose a machine with a suitable speed.

Dimensions

These are the physical parameters of the machine. The length, width and height of the machine can be determined based on the space that the company has allocated for its machine. The weight will depend on the materials used to build it. A typical blister machine will weigh between 2100kg and 5000kg and have dimensions of 2500 1500 * * 2400mm.

travel range

Travel is the distance products travel while being packaged. A longer travel range means more packing than a shorter travel range. The travel range can be determined according to company specifications. However, some standard measurements include 40 - 160mm, 30 - 100mm or 100 - 250mm.

Power and air pressure requirements

Air pressure requirements will determine the force required to hermetically seal the materials. The force required will determine the amount of power the blister machine will need to perform different functions. Using an air tube made of nylon with an inner diameter of 10mm and an outer diameter of 14mm is recommended. The air pressure should be kept within 0.4 - 0.6 MPa. An air compressor with a capacity greater than0.38m3 / min will provide sufficient pressurized air.

automation level

Fully automated blister machines will be more efficient to operate. They are capable of producing 18 cycles per minute. Fully automatic blister machines can feed blister packs, blister cards and discharge finished packs when the right tools are available. However, they are more expensive and could cost up to $10,000.

Manual and automated blister machines will require physical labor to feed the blister packs into the machine. They cost between $4,000 and $7,000.

material specifications

There are different materials that can be used for packaging in blister machines. They are blister cards, PVC blisters, blister trays, blister foil, blister and aluminum boxes. Companies must select machines that allow the materials used for packaging to be changed based on production requirements.

Maximum formation depth

The depth of formation is the amount of space that the material will contain. It is determined by the size of the materials being packaged. Forming depth is not fixed as some materials require 12mm, while others require 25mm or 30mm depth. Depending on the material that the company will be baling, they must select a machine with a depth that suits them.

Types of blister machinesRoller Blister Packaging MachinesRoller blister packaging machines have a cylinder-shaped blistering mold and a heat sealing mold.

Features:

• It has uneven ampoule wall thickness due to vacuum pumping.
• It has high production efficiency.
• It has instant sealing and linear contact.

Pros:

• It is easy to operate and maintain.
• It is suitable for the packaging of tablets and capsules.

• Flat forming blister packaging machines
• Flat forming blister packaging machines have a plate-shaped blistering mold and a heat sealing mold.

• Features:

  • It has a tool-less change.
  • It has clean and quiet operation.
  • It has a user interface for all components.

  Pros:

  • It is operator friendly.
  • It is fast and very efficient.

  Contras:

  • It is expensive to acquire and maintain.
  The target market for blister machines

  The blister machine market size is expected to be $1.14 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.17%. The Asia Pacific region dominated the market with a 30% revenue share and is expected to continue its dominance. China had the highest revenue in the region with 30%. The main factor contributing to this dominance was the availability of raw materials such as PVC and aluminum. India is expected to have the fastest growth between 2021 – 2028, with a growth rate of 7.9%. This is due to increased government support for the pharmaceutical industry in the country and the increasing burden of chronic diseases.

• Final Thoughts on Blister Packing Machines

  This article outlines the key factors to consider when purchasing a blister machine. Blister machines will improve the quality of the product that a company sells. In addition to purchasing the machine, companies must also ensure that proper maintenance is carried out to extend its useful life.

Zixin Yuan - Digital Marketing Coordinator at ÉLITER Packaging Machinery Website: https://www.eliter-packaging.com