Sepha Article - Continuous vs. Intermittent Blister Packaging Equipment

What are the different types of blisterpacking lines?

There are 2 main types of blisterpacking machine - the continuously operating line and the intermittently operating line. Here we outline the characteristics of both types.

1) Continuously Operating lines

Advantage:	The advantage of continuously operating machines, which are equipped with sealing rollers, is that they can achieve higher output.
Disadvantage:	However, the heat-sealing process must be performed at higher temperatures; 200-300°C. This means that the packaging material is subjected to more stress and higher strains.

How Does it Operate?
With the following exceptions, the stations of the continuously operating machine function similarly to the stations of the intermittently operating machine:

		The unwinding station continuously supplies forming films and lidding materials.
		The stretching station follows the quality control station. With continuously operating machines, the eye-mark distances for the lidding material are sensed immediately after the unwinding station. Then the lidding material is stretched appropriately for the machine's speed.
		The sealing station on continuously operating machines is equipped with sealing rollers. The sealing temperatures range between 200 and 300°C.

In the course of this process, the lidding material is continuously sealed onto the forming film for the goods to be packaged.

2) Intermittently Operating Lines

Advantage:	The major advantage of intermittently operating systems is that they work with sealing plates, and the sealing temperature can be relatively low: 140-200°C. Sealing with plates permits the use of larger widths of forming films and lidding materials because a more constant sealing effect can be expected.
Disadvantage:	Intermittent processes tend to have slower operation, therefore slower output. Intermittent equipment also tends to require more maintenance because of the stop-and-start nature of the operation.

How Does it Operate?
The essential parts and functions of the intermittently operating packaging machine are outlined below:

		The unwinding station supplies the forming films and the lidding material at a rate corresponding to the speed of the packaging machine.
		The heating station raises the temperature of the plastic forming films to a level suitable for deep drawing. Forming films containing the PVC support material are heated to 120-140°C. PP forming films are heated to 140-150°C. Form films containing aluminium are not heated before the forming process.
		The forming station forms plastic films using either compressed air or die plates. Films containing aluminium are formed with mechanical forming tools only.
		The cooling station cools PP films after the forming process. There is no need to cool laminates containing PVC or aluminium.
		The feeding machine can be linked with the pockets, or the goods to be packaged can simply be swept into the pockets.
		The quality control station detects flaws that have occurred in the packaging process. After punching, these packages are rejected and scrapped.
		The sealing station heat seals the lidding material to the forming film that now contains the product.
		The cooling station is necessary with all forming films; PP forming films must be cooled longer than other types of film.
		The index station is a component only of machines that are controlled by a feeding mechanism. This device senses the eye-mark distances on the lidding material and thus governs the speed of the machine. This kind of control can operate satisfactorily only within very close eye-mark tolerances.
		The coding station marks the packages with a batch number.
		The perforating station makes a cross-shaped perforation along the sealing seams, which helps render the package child-proof.
		The punching station separates the packaging material into individual blisters.
		The cartoning station inserts the leaflet and the blister package into the surrounding carton or secondary package.
		The scales check the goods to be filled for the last time.
		The multi-packing machine packs the individual packages into bigger cartons.

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