Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations (MHI), the U.S. subsidiary of Maruho Co. Ltd, has introduced the EAGLE-Omni blister machine. For packaging development, materials testing and production, the versatile unit performs forming, sealing and punching operations at sequential stations.
Measuring just over two meters in length and 1.6 meters tall, the compact EAGLE-Omni offers a format area of 150x95 mm, and a forming depth of 30 mm (3cm), with an upgrade available to 40 mm.
The machine handles a range of forming materials—including PVC, PVDC, ACLAR, PP, PET and ALU—and all typical lidding substrates including ALU, paper, PVC, PET and laminates. The EAGLE-Omni can produce up to 20 blisters/min, and is suitable for packaging solids, powders, liquids or devices.
Designed to be cost-effective, the deep-draw EAGLE-Omni is capable of everything from manual prototyping to fully automated operation. The option of a 40-mm forming depth makes it ideal for nutritional products larger than traditional tablets or capsules, such as gummies, devices and other delivery formats. The machine allows seamless development and production combined with rapid, low-cost prototyping, and features recipe-driven format change, easy changeover, and various feeding options.
The EAGLE-Omni combined with MHK’s new prototype tooling, said to be available for a fraction of the cost of a traditional tool set, and turnaround time measured in days, allows new packages to be tested for barrier, stability, and durability while having approved packages available for consumer marketing evaluation. The company says lead times were previously measured in weeks, with expensive prototyping.
