Sections of the line are contained to OEB 3 to ensure maximum safety for the tablet filling process. Square and round plastic bottles are sorted, cleaned, filled, sealed and coded. Glove ports are used where the tablets are exposed around the filling station. Cotton insertion is now fully integrated into Monoblock machine allowing the Monoblock TVR to include all operations from air rinsing to re-torquing.  High levels of accuracy, verification and security are achieved across the line through a variety of measures, such as -

•  Tablets are counted into the bottles with broken tablets rejected. 
• Bottles are weighed before and after filling. 
• The quality of the seal is verified by a feedback loop from the induction sealer. 
•  Final retorque is also verified. 
• Coding and serialisation are seamlessly integrated through to the final aggregation including base code printing, label coding and case labelling 
• The Bottle Base Code printer prints a unique helper code onto the base of each bottle enabling them to be automatically scanned from below during aggregation. 
•  Validation

 Line Components: 

•  Unscrambler for Plastic Bottles - FS 1200 
•  Monoblock Tablet Counting, Filling, and Capping Machine -TVR 220 Containment to OEB 3 
•  Singulation, de-ionising and air rinsing 
• Desiccant Inserter for Barrel Type Desiccants 
• Twin tablet counter - counting up to 60 oblongs per bottle 
• Gross and Tare Check Weigher integrated into the machine to check weigh before and after filling. 
• Cotton inserter 
• Pre-capper 
• Induction Sealer 
• Re-torquer
• Bottle Base Printer - BBP 100 
• Prints unique (helper)code onto base of container 
• Labeller for Round and Square Bottles - DEM 100
  • 3-Sided label for Square Bottles 
  • Wrap around label for round 
  • Print and verify with Serialisation (links helper code to serialised code) 
•  Topserter DTS 100 - Leaflet applied to bottle lid 
•  Aggregation and Serialisation DCT 100 Build Layers for manual case loading
•  Printing of Case Label 

 Lead times for machine delivery are being affected by global supply chain issues. 

The project took place against a backdrop of supply chain challenges. Deckert were receiving weekly emails from suppliers pushing back parts delivery which in turn slowed the project build. Electronic components, affected by the Global semi-conductor shortage, were particularly hard to source with some components becoming unavailable for back order. Even standard parts that had previously been in stock at manufacturers were now unobtainable and alternatives had to be found. Due to inflationary pressures, quotes for parts, which were valid for three months, became valid for only one. Delays and costs like these are causing major headaches in every industry. 

Under these circumstances the supply contract did not include a penalty clause. Under more normal conditions the penalty clause is designed to ensure a timely delivery. However, in today’s uncertain environment it is almost impossible for machine builders to accept them. Keeping open lines of communication and managing expectations when supply pressures are ongoing is vital in these situations.