With its secondary and tertiary packaging solutions, Romaco Promatic provides the pharmaceutical industry with a user-friendly platform for manufacturing tamper-evident packaging.

The Promatic technologies are flexibly configurable and meet all the requirements of EU Regulation 2016/161 on anti-tampering devices for medicines, which came into force on February 9. In this same connection, Promatic has also prepared its semi-automatic case packers for aggregating serialised cartons.

Romaco will show the Promatic PTT 250 track & trace machine at Pharmintech together with an upstream Promatic PCI 915 cartoner and a downstream Promatic PAK 130 case packer. This highly automated packaging line from Romaco Promatic is ideal for tamper-evident identification and aggregation of pharmaceutical packaging.

Promatic PCI 915 intermittent motion cartoner

A mere 3.5 m long, the Promatic PCI 915 intermittent motion cartoner convinces with its compact design and very small footprint. The strictly ergonomic system concept simplifies operation as well as format and product changes. The poka-yoke design of the format parts, for instance, prevents incorrect assembly.

The cGMP compliant balcony architecture ensures good access to all components and speeds up safe line clearance. For one thing, the operator has an excellent view of all processes and for another, numerous camera systems permit seamless monitoring of the various steps.

Furthermore, reproducible parameters guarantee a highly reliable process. All in all, the Promatic has a maximum output of 160 cartons a minute.

Promatic PTT 250 Track & Trace system

The Promatic PTT technology offers a platform for mass serialization of pharmaceutical secondary packaging units. If required, it can be equipped with selected printers and labellers to apply the prescribed security features. Camera based inspection systems allow precise identification and verification of the tamper-evident features.

The PTT is additionally suitable for integrating serialisation solutions. Users are free to decide themselves which suppliers they eventually purchase their seamless track & trace systems from.

Romaco Promatic then designs the modular machine according to each customer’s individual requirements. The Promatic PTT 250 achieves a maximum output of 250 cartons per minute. As a stand-alone machine, the Promatic PTT can be linked up to any standard cartoner. Configurations with a monobloc design are likewise possible in line with the Promatic PCI 915 intermittent motion cartoner.

Promatic PAK 130 semi-automatic case packer

The Promatic PAK 130 case packer downstream of the Promatic PTT provides secure aggregation of the serialised cartons. These semi-automatic machines in the PAK product family are thus in conformity with the rigorous standards for the manufacture of tamper-evident pharmaceutical packaging.

On the Promatic PAK 130 both the grouping, aggregation and stacking steps and the insertion of the cartons into the cases are fully automated. The only manual steps with the semi-automatic machines are case erection and placement into the hopper by the operator. The filled cases are generally removed by hand.

The Promatic PAK 130 currently achieves a maximum output of up to five cases per minute. A system for closing the carton flap with adhesive tape can be installed as an option. The case packer has a compact, ergonomic design with a very small footprint and is easy to clean and quick to retool.

Romaco Innojet VENTILUS^® V 5 processing machine

The Innojet VENTILUS V 5 processing machine, too, will be part of the Romaco exhibit at Pharmintech. The laboratory-scale version of the technology is used for granulating, drying and coating particle sizes from 10 µm to 2 mm. Due to its special design and enhanced processing efficiency, the VENTILUS V 5 allows up to 25% shorter batch times.

The homogeneous flow conditions inside the cylindrical product container enable extremely gentle intermixing of the batch. The process air is controlled by the ORBITER booster, an ingenious container bottom consisting of overlapping circular plates. Together with the ROTOJET, the central bottom spray nozzle, the ORBITER booster forms an innovative functional unit that meets all the requirements for linear scale-ups.

The air flow bed technology ensures accurate control of the product movement and equally precise application of the spray liquids. The resulting formulations can achieve the required release profile with between 10 and 15% less spray liquid.

Romaco Promatic will take advantage of the upcoming exhibition at Pharmintech in Bologna (Italy) from April 10 to 12, 2019 (BolognaFiere Exhibition Centre, Hall 21, Stand A37-B38) to demonstrate its line competence when it comes to track & trace solutions including secondary packaging, identification and aggregation. Romaco Innojet processing technologies will likewise be on show.

(Picture 1: Romaco Innojet VENTILUS V 5 processing machine; Picture 2: Romaco Promatic PCI 915 intermittent motion cartoner; Picture 3: Romaco Promatic end-of-line packaging solution for seamless track & trace featuring the PTT 250 and the PAK 130)