Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Automated kitting is pharma company’s dream come true

Whether you’re assembling products or packaging finished goods, the kitting line—which is used to organize separate components into kit boxes—can be a labor-intensive part of the manufacturing process that’s all too prone to error. Enter automation, which promises to improve the kitting process through the use of sensors, vision systems and robotics.

Pw 50862 Renee Pic

Whether you’re assembling products or packaging finished goods, the kitting line—which is used to organize separate components into kit boxes—can be a labor-intensive part of the manufacturing process that’s all too prone to error. Enter automation, which promises to improve the kitting process through the use of sensors, vision systems and robotics.

Automated kitting was on the minds of some attendees at the Automate Show in Chicago last month, and vendors like Mitsubishi Electric Automation and others were happy to discuss their robotic solutions. But does it make sense to invest in automation for a kitting process that makes as few as 100 to 300 kits? Swiss pharmaceutical maker Hoffmann-La Roche AG thinks so. The company has automated the assembly of patient kits for clinical drug trials.

In an article in the January issue of Healthcare Packaging (click here, also published by Automation World’s parent, Summit Media Group Inc.), the head of clinical packaging and labeling at Hoffmann-La Roche (www.rocheusa.com) says, “For 10 years, we have had a vision of packaging the patient kits for our clinical studies using an automated process. This dream is now being fulfilled.”  The article explains how Hoffman-La Roche uses a top-loading machine (TLM) packaging line made by German machine manufacturer Gerhard Schubert GmbH (www.gerhard-schubert.com). The line is reportedly so flexible it can be used to produce batch sizes of one.

Essential data management
The TLM line installed at Hoffman-La Roche—which is comprised of seven sub-machines—allots medication and placebos to individual patients and groups in predetermined quantities, and bundles them together into multipacks to form a personalized patient kit.  The line handles blister packs, vials, syringes and more, and rail-based transport robots called “transmodules” enable the single-unit batch concept.  But data management is actually the key, and that was much more challenging than designing and integrating the hardware.

Pharmaceutical Innovations Report
Discover the latest breakthrough packaging technologies shaping the pharmaceutical sector. This report dives into cutting-edge innovations, from smart containers that enhance patient safety to eco-friendly materials poised to transform the industry’s sustainability practices. All from PACK EXPO. Learn how forward-thinking strategies are driving efficiency and redefining what’s possible in pharma packaging.
Learn More
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms
Looking for engineering services? Our curated list features 100+ companies specializing in civil, process, structural, and electrical engineering. Many also offer construction, design, and architecture services. Download to access company names, markets served, key services, contact information, and more!
Download Now
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms