Deblistering Machine: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

1. What is Deblistering Machine?

A deblistering machine is a device that you can use to remove Softgel, tablets, and capsules from their blister packages.

2. What Causes Blister Pack Rejection?

You can reject blister packages because of the following reasons:

• Incorrect products inside the blister packages.
• Changes in inventory in the blister packages.
• Defective or empty products in the blister packages.
• An incorrect batch of the blister packages.
• Improper printing on the blister packages.

3. What are the Features of Deblistering Machine?

When looking for a deblistering machine, you should consider the features that meet your application needs.

Some of the features that you need to consider include:

Deblistering machine

· Compliance of the Machine with the Regulatory Standards

All deblistering machines should meet required safety and contamination standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

The machine should comply tocGMP, CE, CCC, and RoHS quality and safety standards among others.

· Design and Construction of Deblistering Machine

The machine should have an ergonomic design with food grade material parts in direct contact with capsules or tablets.

The best materials for use in this case is stainless steel as it is easy to adjust, clean, and have proper structure maintenance.

Additionally, the structure and construction design of the deblistering machine should be stable and rugged.

·  Easy to Handle and Operate

You should go for a machine that is simple to understand and grasp the concept of operation.

It should have a compatible user interface with a touch screen interface, buttons, and operation systems easily accessible.

· High Rates of Recovery

You should go for a machine that will guarantee you 100% recovery rate of the capsules and tablets.

4. Output

The output of the machine should meet your application requirements.

Most deblistering machine have diverse output levels with the most common one being at 1200 pieces in an hour.

· Technical Advancements

You should consider a deblistering machine with the latest form of technical advancements in the industry.

For instance, the machine should have a PLC system with a touchscreen HMI to assist in monitoring the deblistering operations.

5. How does Manual and Semi-automatic Deblistering Machine Compare?

Semi-automatic deblistering equipment operate with partial assistance of human labor.

It consists of a tray made of long lasting materials that assists in the recovery of waste materials.

It has a strong casing system which facilitate faster recovery of waste materials and products without damage and contamination.

The device has a rotating blade that can efficiently and effectively cut through the aluminum casing for proper product ejection.

What’s more the semi-automatic deblistering machines have electronic counting systems to count all the capsules and tablets.

On the other hand, most of the operations of the manual deblistering machines depend on human labor.

You have to feed the machine with blisters you intend to recover products from and force the machine to remove.

You will have to recover the materials and the waste materials after the deblistering process.

It is a tiresome and slow machine that you can use for small scale production thus cheaper to purchase and install.

6. What are Components of Deblistering Machine?

Deblistering machines consist of different parts and components that assist in the deblistering process.

The min parts of the deblistering machine include:

Section of deblistering machine

· Set of Rollers

The rollers assist in the movement of the blister packages from one station to the next.

With the help of electric drive and motors, the rollers move the packs at the set speed.

· Set of Chute

The machine has two sets of the chute where one chute receives the waste material and the other receives the products.

· Metal Rollers and Rubber Wheel

The metal rollers and rubber wheels work in conjunction with one another to remove products from the blister packages.

It allows for proper adjustments for the removal of products from the blisters without causing any damages to the products.

· Collection Box

All the products that the deblistering machine removes from the blister packages fall in the collection box.

You will be able to pick all of them from the collection box for further processing.

· Touchscreen HMI Panel

You will be able to make different operation adjustments on the machine from the touchscreen HMI.

This includes the spacing between the rubber wheels and rollers and the deblistering speed.

Apart from that, you can monitor most of the deblistering operations from the touchscreen HMI panel.

· Structural Component

This is the part that hosts the whole machine component thus maintaining proper stability.

Despite the complexity of the deblistering machine, there are components that it must have such as:

i. Blister receiving section

ii. Holding components section

iii. System for getting rid of the blister packs.

iv. Collection system for the products and blister packs

7. What are the Benefits of Deblistering Machine?

Whenever you are using the deblistering machine, you will experience the following benefits:

• Saves on time by ejecting the capsules and tablets faster.
• Reduce the cost of operation by ensuring the products are safe.
• Easy operations that allows you quickly adopt the operation system.
• The machines comply with various quality rules, regulations and standards.
• It has a quick changeover for the different types of blister packages.
• It optimizes the performance of the whole packaging and deblistering processes.

8. What is Automatic Deblistering Machine?

An automatic deblistering machine operates with minimal to no human intervention in the deblistering process.

You may have to set the deblistering requirements on the touchscreen and allow it to operate while doing the monitoring.

You do not have the obligation of changing the parts to fit the different blister packages you intend to deblister.

Implying that you can use the automatic deblistering machine to remove products on a wide range of blister packages.

It consists of two chutes which will collect the products and the waste materials separately.

What’s more, most operations of the automatic deblistering machine are safe and do not cause damage on the products.

9. How does Pharmaceutical Deblistering Work?

The pharmaceutical deblistering machine is straight forward and simple.

The machine goes through the following steps:

Step One: Loading Process

You will load the blister packages through the product feeding system into the blister magazine.

In an automatic deblistering machine, the system will automatically pick up and feed the blister packs.

Step Two: Positioning of Blister Packs

The automatic deblistering machine can push products from one side thus positioning the blisters in the most convenient manner.

Implying that the machine will rotate and clamp the packs in a cut along edge using different tooling systems.

This will prevent damages and contamination on the products during the deblistering process.

Step Three: Removal of Products from Blister Packages

At this stage, the machine will press the products out of the pack gently releasing them into a collection bin.

At the same time, the empty blister packs will fall into a different collection bin.

You will then collect the products from the collection bin for further processing.

You should note that every machine has special tooling that will fit various deblistering requirements.

10. Which Industries use Deblistering Machine?

You can use the deblistering machine in different industries such as:

• Hospitals

Deblistering machines assist medical practitioners and doctors in the dispensation of drugs from the blisters.

It increases the efficiency of drug delivery and proper patient treatments.

• Pharmacies

It provides a safe, highly modern, and efficient mode of removing capsules and tablets from the blister packages.

It ensures proper prescription and delivery of the drugs to the patients according to the requirements.

• Pharmaceutical Industry

You will need a deblistering machine in case of a problem with the product of the blister packaging.

It will come in handy when you want to remove the blister package from the products that have particular problems.

• Nutraceutical Industry

You will need a deblistering machine to assist in a number of operations in the nutraceutical industry.

This includes removal of different types of food from different blister packages.

11. SaintyCo Deblistering Machine come in How many Options?

SaintyCo offers three main options for the deblistering machine including:

• C&C 400B Deblistering Machine
• C&C400C Deblistering Machine

12. Why is CGMP Compliance Critical for Deblistering Machine?

CGMP compliance is a set of rules and standards that govern the current good manufacturing practices.

It allows you to have the best quality of machines from different manufacturers.

It protects you from the unscrupulous dealings of fraudster thus eliminating counterfeit deblistering machines.

13. What is the Best Material for Deblistering Machine?

You will realize that most of the deblistering machines have stainless steel as the main material.

It is actually the best material since it has high tensile strength, durable and corrosion resistant.

14. Can Deblistering Machine Remove Tablets and Capsules from PVC/Alu Blisters?

Yes, deblistering machines are capable of removing tablets and capsules from PVC/Alu blisters.

In that case, you will require the C&C400A Deblistering Machine which has special features for that purpose.

15. Is Automatic Deblister Machine different from Deblister for Capsules?

Automatic deblister machine is not different from deblister capsules.

An automatic deblister machine performs the same function as the deblister capsules.

The difference may be in the specialization.

Automatic deblister machine can remove both tablets and capsules from blister packages.

Deblister for capsules are responsible for removing capsules from the different blister packages.

16. What is Press Out Deblistering Machine?

This is a type of deblistering machine that you can use to remove tablets and capsules using sophisticated cutting technology.

You can use it to remove fragile, high value capsules and tablets from different types of blister packages without causing damages.

It is capable of handling large and medium batches of blister designs and formats such as:

• Push through blisters
• Child-resistant blister packages
• Linear formats
• Heavy Gauge Alu/Alu blister packages
• Multiproduct blister packages
• Paper-backed blister packages

17. What is Deblistering Machine Qualification?

Deblistering machine

Machine qualification is the process involving the evaluation of machine operations, outputs, inputs, and control systems.

This will determine the ability of the machine through specification of the product parts.

The qualification of the deblistering process goes through the following:

• Developing a qualification plan for commissioning qualification documentation
• Determining the proper user requirements of the deblistering machine
• Developing the commissioning test such as FAT and SAT for the machine including different sets of tooling.
• Developing qualification tests such as DQ and IQOQ for the machine and tooling system
• Developing a supporting lifecycle documentation for provision of lifecycle support throughout the life cycle of the system.
• Developing a proper management system of the machines throughout the deblistering process.

Proper machine qualification leads to the following benefits:

• Significant cost saving in relation to reducing wastage of drug products
• Availability of the machine for use at the right time thus increasing convenience.
• Identification of potential problems and their solution thus enabling smooth and more efficient operations.
• Consistent and high quality documentation to support equipment life cycle.

18. Does SaintyCo allow for Deblistering Machine Custom Tooling?

Yes, SaintyCo allows for deblistering machine custom tooling.

You will receive custom tooling for every different size of blister pack with fast delivery times.

19. How do you Specify Deblistering Machine?

You can specify the deblistering machine through the following technical specifications:

• Operation

You should often consider going for the automatic deblistering machine.

• Machine Construction

All the areas that are in contact with the products must be stainless steel 316, aluminum, and ABS food grade.

• Blister Layout

The deblisteringmachine should be capable of handling different blister layouts that you can automatically adjust.

• Blister Type

You should consider having a machine that is capable of handling different types of blisters.

The blister types include push through and child resistant or multi-product or peel able blisters.

• Maximum pack size

You have to determine proper sizing for the packages as you determine the maximum pack size.

For instance, most machines have a maximum pack size of 105 mm wide and 140 mm long.

• Operation Speed

The machine should be capable of 50 blister packs in a minute.

Despite that, it should have an adjustable operation speed.

• Power Supply

The power supply system should be single phase electricity 110/230V and the air supply system of 6 bars.

• Approximate Tooling Changeover

The approximate tooling changeover should be within 5 minutes or less.

• Machine Dimensions

The dimensions of the machine should be 640mm (W) by 980 mm (L) by 1530 mm (H).

• Weight of the Machine

The weight of the machine varies depending on the dimensions.

For the above dimensions the weight of the machine is at 230 kg

• Shipping Weight

The shipping weight is different from the weight of the machine due to the additional packages.

The total shipping weight can add up to 330kg.

20. How do You Maintain Deblistering Machine?

You have to maintain the deblistering machine for it to last longer and for proper productivity.

The maintenance of the deblistering machine involves:

• Having a proper installation and use environment

The environment should be at favorable room temperature.

The environment should not be acidic, alkaline, and humid for a long period.

• Using proper materials in the cleaning process

The cleansing liquid should have 70% alcohol which is capable of killing any form of contamination.

You should use a soft cloth in the cleaning process to avoid abrasion on the deblistering machine materials.

• Checking Status before Use

First, you need to check the connecting bolts and nuts for looseness

Confirm whether the switch of the control panel is at the right start position.

Check whether the power supply system including the power cords and cables is in perfect working condition.

Ensure that the machine is properly grounded.

• Arrange the work surface after completing every deblistering shift

You should continue with the maintenance procedure on a regular basis.

21. How do you Troubleshoot Deblistering Machine?

You should confirm that the machine is in proper working conditions at all times.

The confirmation process goes through a trouble shooting process to identify any trouble with the machine.

The most common problems that you might come across include:

• Dysfunctional Motor

The motor of the deblistering machine may have certain problems such as inability of the machine to run.

This may be as a result of:

i. Improper insertion of the plug which you can sort by properly disconnecting the plug and inserting it.

ii. Poor contact with the switch which you will sort by properly reconnecting the switch.

iii. Disconnection on the line phenomenon which requires proper refurbishing of the whole line.

iv. Damages on the switch which requires replacement of the switches.

v. Damaged Pills

This can be as a result of the following:

i. Unreasonable spacing of the wheels which you will sort by re-adjusting the wheel spacing.

ii. High deblistering speed which requires you to slow down the deblistering process.

iii. Unreasonable platen angles which will require proper adjustments.