Electro-mec tablet feeder matches high-speed lines
An Electro-mec EMFC2, designed to operate with the latest generation of continuous motion blister packaging machines to provide a faster and more efficient alternative to existing feed systems, is currently filling approximately 240 packs per minute at German pharmaceutical packer Pencef Pharma of Berlin.
The machine operates on the same principles as Electro-mec's established EMF range for intermittent blister packaging machines, using individual feed tubes to dose a single tablet into each blister form per cycle. However, it features an additional moving slide that synchronises its speed with that of the web to enable the web to continue to move during filling, thus allowing higher speeds.
Key to the success of the EMFC is its servo motor, which controls the dispensing operation and is linked directly to an encoder installed within the machine's drive system. This direct communication means that the feeder always knows the exact status of the web and can adjust its speed immediately to keep pace with the packing and sealing operation.
At Pencef Pharma, the EMFC is operating in conjunction with a B Pack 300 blister machine, feeding six packs of eight caplets in a cold form blister format per feed cycle.
The EMFC2 model is able to handle a wide range of difficult products, such as awkwardly shaped tablets or those that are prone to chipping and shingling, thanks to the incorporation of an additional 'holding' gate at the base of the feed tubes.