Arburg to highlight in-mould labelling for medtech
Arburg will be present at Fakuma 2023 with nine exhibits on Stand 3101 in Hall A3, plus ten additional machines on partner stands.
While in-mould labelling (IML) is standard for packaging products, this process is still rarely used in the medical industry. Using centrifuge tubes with labels as an example, Arburg will be unveiling an IML application with added value for the pharmaceutical industry and medical technology.
Renowned partners KEBO (tooling), MCC/Verstraete (label), Beck (automation) and Intravis (camera inspection) are involved in the innovative joint IML project centred around an electric Allrounder 520 A in cleanroom design.
Functional integration using an IML label
IML labels enable functional integration in a single step with no need for printing associated with rejects, for example, or further downstream work steps; making the production process fast, space-saving, cost-efficient and without any additional hygiene risk. The intelligent linking of data is essential for smooth digital communication between patients and doctors or home care applications. Individual codes can be used to track data on processes, quality, and patients, for example, with 100% traceability for each individual part. The monitoring of temperature profiles or information on recycling and warehouse management can also be implemented with these labels.
High-performance electric machines for medical technology
The exhibit, an electric Allrounder 520 A "Ultimate" with 1,500 kN clamping force, is designed for fast and demanding processes such as thin-wall applications. The high-performance machine in clean room design meets the requirements of class ISO 7. An 8-cavity mould from KEBO is used to produce 15 millilitre tubes from PP. A label applicator head from Beck is used to apply the labels, while optical control is carried out via a camera system from Intravis. The servo-electric drives of the injection moulding machine ensure precise and reproducible mould positioning. With the exhibit, attention was also paid to a low carbon footprint, energy efficiency and a compact production cell.