Packaging
Fachpack: Serialization system points towards Industry 4.0
Monday 06. August 2018 - By February 2019 at the latest, things will be getting serious in the EU for pharmaceutical companies, CMOs and packaging service providers. They urgently need to be thinking about ways to embrace serialization without the expense and complexity of reconfiguring every single packaging line.
And how can the relevant coding technology be used to expedite late stage customization? Atlantic Zeiser is answering this and other questions by exhibiting a new version of the DIGILINE Versa at Fachpack 2018 (Hall 3A, Booth 435). The latest standalone model combines ease of use and integrated serialization software with pioneering and time-saving print technology. It enables users to make a quick and smooth transition to regular operation with minimum downtime. Given that the new DIGILINE Versa already satisfies Industry 4.0 requirements, it constitutes a future-proof investment.
Audit trail for enhanced security
Thanks to the integrated line manager, the DIGILINE Versa complies with all current serialization and coding requirements worldwide. It applies monochrome printing centrally, with a small footprint, to flat or glued cartons in a single pass ahead of the packaging process – an operation known as late stage customization. Users no longer need to invest in and maintain multiple track & trace modules for each individual line. The user-friendly touch screens and design software developed exclusively for the new system now offer outstanding efficiency. The software is configured specifically to generate print layouts easily, quickly, and reliably.
Based on the requirements associated with the emergence of Industry 4.0 and its digitized and interconnected production units, the new DIGILINE Versa produces a seamless audit trail. It logs all relevant changes – typically those concerning the layout or configuration, including the addition of another printer – and events, such as production errors. “On top of that,” says Frank Sablinski, Director Sales & Project Management Pharma & Packaging Solutions at Atlantic Zeiser, “electronic integration into the users production environment, namely a Level-3 site manager, is very simple. In consequence, this highly interconnected solution offers exceedingly high process and product security.”
Pioneering print technology
In the interests of optimizing print processes, quality and speed, the DIGILINE Versa is the first in the series to be equipped with new OMEGA Pro MC 54, a UV inkjet printer with drop-on-demand technology. Compatible with all colours, including white, the new OMEGA Pro MC 54 delivers exceptional print quality at a rate of up to 60 m/min and a resolution of 600 dpi. In future this monochrome printer, which is suitable for numerous surfaces, will offer a scalable print width from 54 mm. From the functional perspective of speed, print width variety, compactness and availability, it is thought to be currently without parallel worldwide. The OMEGA Pro uses innovative embedded RIP technology to facilitate inline ripping of the variable data components. The time saving is enormous because the transfer of unnecessarily large data volumes produced by pre-ripping entire documents is avoided. Fully automatic cleaning of the inkjets ensures consistently flawless print quality and the highest possible availability. Manual print head cleaning is therefore largely eliminated, so that the operator can turn his attention to other tasks while this maintenance routine is in progress. The contactless cleaning operation not only minimizes UV ink consumption, but also improves print head availability.
Depending on the individual users needs, the modular DIGILINE Versa can be fitted with an intermix camera, verification cameras, controlled ejection, a labeler and a delivery.