Your source for news, trends and analysis of pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, and nutraceuticals.

* Pharmacarton Coding System II provides in-line, high-resolution digital printing of lot and expiration dates and bar codes for pharmaceutical and medical cartons

* design overcomes the challenge of printing high-density bar codes and 2D codes in-line by controlling the carton during the print and vision process

* turnkey system combines a precision conveyor with synchronized belts for horizontal or vertical printing, and is integrated with a Hewlett-Packard ink-jet printer and a customer-designated vision system

Nutec Systems, Inc.

# DataFlex Plus operates at print speeds up to 40"/second, and can code in excess of 425 packages/min, depending on ribbon width and application

Providing quality healthcare while holding the line on costs continues to be a priority throughout much of the life sciences industry. Watching expenses is a critical task at Group Health as well, where the company’s Seattle facility handles mail-order prescriptions and serves as a central fill location for its 26 pharmacies located in both Washington and Idaho. Since adding a Maverick Enterprises UPM B/T (Universal Packaging Machine with Bottle and Tote infeed), Group Health has reduced its labor needs, improved efficiency within its confined 7,000 sq’ area, and readied itself to handle growing sales volume. In turn, those benefits help to hold down Group Health member costs.

* PA1200fa prints and applies labels to the leading side of a product moving down a conveyor

* uses company's H-Series thermal/thermal-transfer printers with resolutions of 203 or 300 dpi

* works with labels as small as 2"x1" up to 4.4"x8"

Tharo Systems, Inc.

Qiagen adopts a laser imaging system to increase line speeds and improve the print quality of its blister packs. Key benefits also include performance improvements, reduced waste, and financial savings.

* Micromax/HCP (MMP/HP) print system includes traversing Hewlett-Packard ink-jet cartridge for high-quality (up to 600 dpi) printing in up to four colors

* Designed to be retrofitted to intermittent f/f/s machines, it prints both constant and variable information in a single pass

* Economical system is suited for medical device applications

Greydon Inc.

* BDSV family of off-line coders are available with either thermal-transfer or hot-foil printing technologies

* use a vacuum transport system rather than belt drives to handle various shapes of cartons, sleeves, blister packs, and leaflets

* handle carton blanks from 3.5" to 3.2" up to 12.4" x 12.4"

Norwood Marking Systems/Allen Coding Systems

* IP9000 controller can be paired with four different print heads and print up to four lines of text in an area up to 1.9" high

* new family of high-resolution print systems print on one or two sides of secondary packs such as cartons or trays

* the most economical unit uses the LC2 print head equipped with 224 ink nozzles in a daisy pattern that can print alphanumeric characters or graphics at speeds to 1,000'/min

Matthews Marking Products