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Send to KindleLamination solves a pair of problems
Unwanted complication
This introduced another step in the otherwise simple process of using Colilert. Idexx couldn't accept that because simplicity of use is one of Colilert's main advantages over competitive products.
So operations manager Melanie Meyer and a group from Quality Control searched for a new blister film that wouldn't yellow and would provide moisture protection equal to or better than the PVDC coating in the three-layer lamination. "We don't change packaging lightly here because it directly affects our product" she says. "We tried different materials different thicknesses of lamination and still the film occasionally turned yellow."
For help Idexx turned to Klockner Pentaplast who suggested trying Pentapharm ACLAR 190/02. It consists of a 10-mil layer of polyvinyl chloride adhesive laminated to a 0.9-mil layer of ACLAR fluoropolymer supplied to Klockner by AlliedSignal (Morristown NJ). Melanie's group began rigorously testing it in October 1994 and was so pleased with the results that they put it into production two months later.
"When we looked at the test results we saw such a dramatic improvement in barrier performance compared to the other materials we'd tested the decision was obvious" she says. The test that all the other films had failed was subjecting the package for several weeks to elevated temperature and humidity conditions.
"The Klockner Pentapharm ACLAR is rock solid after even more than that time under those conditions" says Andy Meyer. And on top of superior water vapor barrier characteristics that are critical with such a hygroscopic product the material doesn't turn yellow.
"Now we have a light-weight package with the best moisture protection possible and no discoloration of the vinyl to cast any doubt on the quality of our product" says Andy. According to Klockner the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) for the flat sheet used by Idexx is .014g/100 sq"/24 hr at 38°C and relative humidity of 90%.
The Klockner film is not only being used for the regular 24-hour Colilert product but also for a new 18-hour version plus a new product called Enterolert. Introduced in March '95 it detects the presence of enteroccocus bacteria.
Idexx produces blister packs of all three products on a thermoform/fill/seal machine that forms blisters four-up from rollstock. A volumetric powder filler feeds the product to a preset weight between 2 and 4 g. Speeds are in the range of 55 to 85 four-blister units/min depending on which product is running.
Lidding material a lamination of paper and 1-mil foil with heat-seal coating is supplied by Hueck Foils (Manasquan NJ). As it unwinds from its roll it's imprinted with product and company identification as well as lot number and 12-month expiration date. The foil is then heat sealed to the forming web and after a series of perforation tools and a punch station the 4-blister unit emerges. Randomly selected packages are subjected every half hour to a vacuum seal test to verify seal integrity and absence of pinholes. Finally 50 packs are loaded manually into a chipboard carton.
Melanie acknowledges that the Pentapharm ACLAR material carries an upcharge over the former material but she declines to quantify it. "It's worth it" she says simply.
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