Printing and Labeling Use Cases for Sanitizer and COVID-19 Tests

As Managing Partner Cesar Garcia, explained, they’re operating two Alpha single-dose packaging machines from V-Shapes, a supplier of convenient, hygienic single-dose form/fill/seal packaging machines.

When they were on their way to the second machine, it became clear that they could do on-site printing rather than outsourcing it by implementing a VS dflex printer (also from V-Shapes).

The VS dflex is a nearline reel-to-reel printer that features Memjet DuraFlex inkjet printing technology. It makes it easy to print flexible packaging on-site. This eliminates the need to outsource printing or to tie up other printing equipment in the plant, especially for shorter runs of customized sachets.

For Health Supply US, the acquisitions really transformed the design and approval process for single-dose products, making it easier to meet tight customer delivery deadlines and setting the company apart from their competition.

In the recent PACK EXPO Innovations report, Garcia explained he was looking for a way to show clients what their packaging would look like right away—and avoid the labor-intensive process of

-putting a file together, sending it to an outside printer, having them print a massive run, and then coming back and putting it on their Alpha for filling.

Using both the Alpha packaging system and the VS dflex printer, Garcia is able to do everything on site and on demand; and he says that saves him about 2.5 weeks minimum for each project. This offers a big improvement in cycle time: he can go see a client in the morning, and in the afternoon he’s printing out sample sachets to be able to show them the very next day.

Now, specialized film from SIHL allows the inks to absorb instantaneously without the need for UV treatment or drying, and the dflex runs at speeds of up to 24.7 m/min, meaning it can be used for full production runs, not just samples.

The combination of the V-Shapes Alpha and the VS dflex is opening new doors for Health Supply US. Originally their interest was in packaging sanitizer, but now they’re looking into producing other various creams and lotions in sachets—convenient and hygienic medical gels, high end cosmetics samples, and more.

Up next, Korea-based biotech company Bioneer is meeting COVID-19 test kit needs with applicators that apply 300mm-long top labels for product identification and tamper evidence.

They sought a labeling provider for their extensive test kit production operations at their Daejeon, South Korea, facility. Challenges of the project included a short timeline (given the urgency of supplying test kits) as well as a particularly tight labeling window that needed a highly accurate labeling system.

Bioneer chose HERMA GmbH’s HERMA Basic applicators for nine packaging lines. They apply 300mm-long top labels for product identification and tamper evidence, as well as a label on the side of the kit’s box.

In an expedited timeframe, the applicators were integrated into product handling systems designed and installed by Hanshin Labeling, HERMA’s sales partner in the Republic of Korea.

The HERMA Basic applicator was developed as a cost-effective system to meet precision labeling requirements. It’s manufactured on the same production lines as the company's HERMA 500 high-performance applicators, while offering simple integration and operation to get up and running quickly.

At 300 mm (nearly 12 inches), the test kit’s label length was challenging. Herma explains that the label has a dual marking/tamper evidence functionality that seals the box lid’s front and back.

The systems offer precision and repeatability to ensure the lengthy labels are applied without creases or wrinkles–and without any offsetting.

The company is labeling and sealing 40 boxes/min on each of their nine lines, for a combined output of over 350 kits/min. With COVID-19 surging at the start of the year, it’s great news that new machines are delivering for public health needs.

That’s all for today.