Conveying & accumulation

Engineering software quickens product launch

Mary Kay Inc., the Dallas-based global direct-selling manufacturer of skin care and beauty products, is implementing Design-Expert® mathematical software from Stat-Ease (Minneapolis, MN) to help avoid product launch delays and unnecessary rework costs.

December 31, 2000

Machinery: Page 939

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Switch to PET brings icy look

United Distillers & Vintners recently replaced glass with polyethylene terephthalate for 200-mL (6.76-oz) bottles of its TGI Friday’s® On the Rocks line of ready-to-drink cocktails. The custom bottles are injection/stretch blow molded by Schmalbach-Lubeca.

December 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Kraft-y bottle wins accolades

Kraft Food Services, Glenview, IL, was honored in October with the Package of the Year award from the Atlanta-based Assn. of Dressings and Sauces. Kraft’s patented wide-mouth, high-density polyethylene 1-gal jug includes a handle featuring a thumbprint and finger-grip for easy gripping, along with a screw cap and a pouring-friendly design.

December 31, 2000

Conveying & accumulation

Integrator specs laser sensor for aerosol can line

Systems integrator adapts special laser to sense defects in cases of aerosol cans for cleaning products maker. Error detection improves to 99%.

December 31, 2000

Labels

Over-the-top effort solves TE challenges

Arm & Hammer’s p-s TE label for its new HDPE shaker bottle of baking soda uses two types of adhesives. The duo performs tamper-evidence while it meets regulatory requirements for foods.

December 31, 2000

Conveying & accumulation

Efficiency gained, paper costs cut

A UK producer of chemicals used in the leather industry successfully integrated an automated packaging line and cut the cost of multiwall paper bags in the process.

December 31, 2000

Controls & machine components

OMAC meeting: more than motion control

End users and machine builders alike are beginning to see OMAC (Open Modular Architecture Controls) as a way to standardize on several packaging machine control technologies beyond just motion.

December 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Effervescent tablets go 'Airborne' in tubes

Knight-McDowell Labs’ quest for an alternative to foil packaging for its effervescent tablets led to a rigid, polypropylene injection-molded container.

December 31, 2000

Secondary Packaging

Redesign puts twist into 'hip' trays

Smith & Nephew’s redesigned packaging for hip stems puts a product-securing twist to PETG trays, while foam inserts also keep the metal product secure.

December 31, 2000

Coding, Printing & Labeling

VA hospital tests 'talking' label

Visually impaired patients at a veterans hospital are participating in a pilot program involving a radio-frequency identification labeling system that can read aloud prescription information and instructions for a medicine.

December 31, 2000

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Foreign drugs to require U.S. packaging

Congress allows “reimportation” of cut-rate pharmaceuticals, but labeling and packaging rules for U.S. consumption remain an open question.

December 31, 2000

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Open up and say 'Ah' (sidebar)

FDA sticks its nose into antihistamines

December 31, 2000

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Open up and say 'Ah'

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking into requiring child-resistant packaging for all over-the-counter cold and cough products.

December 31, 2000