Six TLM machine frames are what it took to turn Solvay’s packaging brief into a TLM compact plant capable of packaging 330 ready-fill syringes a minute first into individual packs and then into cartons of ten packs each. The terms of reference for the job also included transfer of the 330 syringes arriving in unordered formation from the filling machine. Four TLM-F44 picker stations pick up the syringes from the continuously running product infeed belt and deposit them in transport carriers. The single packs are erected from flat blanks and glued, after which the syringes together with the package insert slips are inserted individually using the top loading method into the boxes. The boxes are closed by folding in the dust tongue and gluing the attached lid section along the longitudinal side of the pack. The cartons containing ten packs are also erected from flat blanks. A sorting insert is glued into the erected tray and after inserting the syringes and insert slip, the pack is closed by positioning a separate lid which is glued on four sides. At the end of the plant is a final packaging section in which the single packs and boxes of ten are packed after laser printing into cartons for shipping.

Packaging tablets in a wallet is not only a highly economical option in terms of packaging material consumption, but also offers optimum consumer convenience. There are two ways of producing a wallet pack. One is the clocked or cyclical method, which is used by TLM packaging machines. Alternatively, continuously running packaging machines can be used. The benefit of the clocked approach is that it permits simple format resetting, and particularly also trouble-free machine startup after the completed resetting process. The clocked version also allows different wallet designs to be processed on one and the same packaging machine. On this TLM wallet packaging machine the first machine section features a product buffer which is used for intermediate storage of the blisters entering the thermoforming and sealing machine. The intermediate store is capable of accommodating eight minutes worth of production, so guaranteeing that the upstream machine runs continuously and efficiently. Despite the use of a product buffer, the TLM can be accommodated in a space of just 2 x 9 metres: More impressive evidence of the miraculous space-saving properties of the TLM machine series. Two different pack sizes are currently being produced on the machine. The resetting time between sizes is around 20 minutes. The machine is designed for an output of 240 blister packs per minute.