'Plug & play' robots require no safety guarding

Ed Mullen of Universal Robots demonstrates how the company's UR5 six-axis robot can be easily programmed via a touchscreen tablet or by simply grabbing the robot arm showing it the desired path of movement, for a pick-and-place application. Universal Robots' force control feature allows the robot to grip and handle objects of different dimensions and flexibility without crushing using variable force.

Anne MohanSenior Editor, Packaging World

Oct 3rd, 2013

Universal Robots

Healthcare products on shelves continue to reflect desires for stress relief and natural ingredients.

Annual Design Gallery Reflects ‘Natural’ and Calm Wishes

From our May/June issue: We take a look at what’s new in OTC design, plus news on the reshoring, traceability, and cannabis fronts.

GSK Cuts Advil Bottles’ Plastic by 20% with New Tech

GSK implemented a new resin technology that offers similar protection to existing bottles while using less plastic and remaining recyclable. Learn more in this Take Five with Healthcare Packaging video.

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Annual OTC Package Design Gallery: Part 3

Each year, Healthcare Packaging evaluates an array of over-the-counter product packaging designs, assessing the pros and cons from a user perspective.

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Annual OTC Package Design Gallery: Part 2

Each year, Healthcare Packaging evaluates an array of over-the-counter product packaging designs, assessing the pros and cons from a user perspective.

Kids Stress Relief

Annual OTC Package Design Gallery: Part 1

Each year, Healthcare Packaging evaluates an array of over-the-counter product packaging designs, assessing the pros and cons from a user perspective.

The company turned to BellatRx–a manufacturer of complete lines and packaging equipment for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Provident Nutraceutical Increases Production Through New Complete Bottling Line

Complete bottling line from BellatRx–from unscrambling to labeling–owes its success to outstanding customer care and augmented reality software.

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Is Your Supply Chain a Key Part of Your Brand Sustainability Plan?

According to speakers at Natural Products Expo West, one of the most powerful tools a company has to reduce their climate impact is to engage their supply chain.

The new lid has a snap feature that holds it tightly in place because a robotic arm grabs the tubs by the lid at the vaccine filling plant.

Rapid-Response Packaging Development Aids Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines and Test Kits

Trays, inserts, tubs, and lids were developed in mere days, compared to the traditional weeks or months. The companies had to navigate shortages in resin supply due to COVID-19 and Texas storms.

Mechanical Testing for Passive Thermal Coolers

Live from ISTA’s TempPack: Experts discuss damage and acceptance criteria guidance, payload selection, actual product versus placebo, testing multiple product configurations, and more on Take Five with Healthcare Packaging.

Beginning in June, Beiersdorf’s Nivea Naturally Good face care product range will be on the shelves in about 30 countries around the world in packaging made from this renewable polypropylene.

New Nivea Jars are Made from Bio-based Forestry Byproduct

Beiersdorf debuts polypropylene jars for its Nivea face cream that are made from tall oil—a byproduct of the forestry industry—to create petroleum-free, certified renewable plastic packaging.

Sharing life science traceability data is critical to meeting regulations and avoiding bottlenecks.

Quotables and Stats: Health System Cyber Attacks, Vaccine Lottery, and More

A shocking percentage of companies interviewed stated they had no idea where in their organization sensitive data was located and had no knowledge as to whether or not it was secure...

IoPP Announces Winners of the 2021 Packaging Education Scholarship Fund

Each year, the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) awards over $10,000 in scholarships to students studying packaging or a related field.

The Peach Body Care refill system comes in plastic-free, refillable body lotion and body balm stick formats that utilize clean and vegan formulas with 100% natural fragrances.

Plastic-Free Deodorant & Body Care Refill System Launched

A reusable aluminum case from Grove Collaborative is refilled with deodorant and body care balm sticks, also packaged in aluminum.

A material change allows for a 20% reduction in material usage for HDPE Advil bottles while maintaining all critical performance characteristics of the bottle.

GSK’s Head of Sustainability on Advil Bottles’ 20% Plastic Reduction

The new material will reduce the amount of plastic in the environment by nearly 500,000 pounds. Sarah McDonald: “It was about seven years of work behind the scenes together with our partners on the materials side and on the manufacturing molding side.”

Traceability comes with challenges including master data exchange.

Pharma Supply Chain: Master Data Exchange in 2021

The exchange of data needs to move from today’s manual processes to automated operations. Experts recap current progress, challenges, and what a “happy path” looks like.

Unilever will share the technology behind its recyclable toothpaste tube.

Unilever Will Launch Recyclable Toothpaste Tube

OEMs should keep cybersecurity top of mind in their business, carefully monitor their own products in the market to ensure their ongoing security, and strictly regulate the devices they use for external work.

OEMs Play Larger Role in Manufacturing Industry Cybersecurity

Since OEMs also serve manufacturing clients who are themselves vulnerable to cyberattack, there are a few extra considerations to be aware of with regard to cybersecurity.

Digital Transformation Breakdown at the 2021 PDA Annual Meeting

The benefits of data collection, management techniques, and practices took center stage in a number of sessions at the 2021 Parenteral Drug Administration Annual Meeting. Learn about the latest developments from PDA's meeting in this Take Five video.

Attracting and retaining a quality workforce in manufacturing is a systemic key business challenge.

Attract and Retain a Quality Workforce, Insights with Gardner Carrick at PMMI’s ELC

NAM and MI programs and research bring information into labor outreach efforts and retention of a diverse, quality workforce.

A new offering in the connected packaging space—RFID-embedded vial labels that manufacturers can implement without artwork changes.

Perspective: Inventory Management in the Hot Seat

RFID labels are changing the way hospitals track and dispense drugs—will the benefits cause a demand surge for connected packaging? In other sectors, tracking inventory is key to preventing production bottlenecks.

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To get better cybersecurity results, companies have started creating dedicated departments or teams within the IT department that are responsible for cybersecurity.

Personnel Training: A Critical Third Step in Cybersecurity

The best cybersecurity plan is only as good as the individuals tasked with carrying it out.

High Desert Pure's Full Spectrum CBD Lotion in an airless pump container (3.5 oz).

Smudge-Proof Cannabis Batch Labels Offer Colorful Compliance

High Desert Pure employs on-demand printing for up-to-the-minute compliance and traceability information for its nearly 30 SKUs.

Leading Food Companies to Receive Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

ProFood World is set to honor Conagra Brands, Smithfield Foods, B&G Foods, Liffey Meats, and Graphic Packaging International for outstanding sustainability achievements.

Degree Inclusive's pack design employs a hooked cap design and integral handle.

People with Limb, Vision Disabilities Gain Access with Inclusive Deodorant Pack Design

A revolutionary deodorant pack prototype from Unilever’s Degree brand, now in beta-testing in certain communities of people with disabilities, makes the deodorant application process much more accessible.

How B2B can pivot to B2C operations.

The Logistics of Pivoting from B2B to B2C

The pandemic has brought swift surges to e-commerce and D2C sales. How can a traditionally B2B company quickly pivot to the B2C market during these times?

PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO. Packaging. Processing. One Powerful Show.

Register for the Return of PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO

After more than a year without in-person trade shows, attendee registration is now underway for the only comprehensive packaging and processing trade show in the world in 2021.

Expedite Med Device Approval with FDA’s New Program

Medical device manufacturers can potentially speed review by testing to recognized standards performed at a list of FDA-accredited labs released in April 2021. Watch this Take Five video to learn more.

Check out the links to our coverage of the 2021 PDA Annual Meeting. While the live event has passed, the event site is full of on-demand content covering pharmaceutical filling, supply chain considerations, vaccine manufacturing, and more through May 16.

2021 PDA Annual Meeting: Trend Roundup

The Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) virtual conference offered plenty of new perspectives in aseptic filling, flexible facilities, and more.

The First Step to Increasing Cybersecurity is to Analyze Operational Vulnerabilities.

The First Step to Increasing Cybersecurity

There are a number of straightforward and understandable steps companies can take to protect their operations from cyberattacks. The first is to analyze operational vulnerabilities.

Enter AmeriStar Competition For Package Design: Deadline May 21

AmeriStar entries are accepted across 17 categories, and include three special top awards: Best of Show Award, Sustainable Packaging Award, and Design Excellence Award. Here's your chance to gain recognition for your innovative package design.

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A New Model for Digitizing Supply Chain Operations

Global supply chain leaders are collaborating to shape and transform next generation digital supply chain networks.

“The healthcare sector is both a significant contributor to the global planetary health crisis and uniquely burdened by it,” says Practice Greenhealth’s “Why Sustainability” page.

30 Sustainability Stories in Healthcare Packaging

In honor of Earth Month, we round up thirty stories of varying lengths and topics in life sciences and personal care packaging sustainability.