To achieve high efficiency and product quality on a new inhaler packaging line, Sanofi called
in ITS when it required an automated inspection and supervisory solution.
The new facility was installed at the Holmes Chapel site, to package metered dose inhalers,
manufactured by Sanofi for the treatment of asthma.
ITS was awarded the project to implement seven vision systems and six Cognex code readers to
carry out a number of inspections, including pharmacodes and overprinted text, at different
stages of the production process. As well as automated inspection, Sanofi also required a central
station for batch data entry and a simple user interface, to minimise the risk of manual data
entry errors, increase operational efficiency and maximise uptime.
ITS recommended and installed its ProVisor central supervisory system. Based on standard SCADA
technology, the system enables operators to enter the batch data into one central station and it
automatically downloads the data to the cameras, scanners, printers and other devices. ProVisor
ensures that the correct label formats are selected and the camera and scanners are configured to
inspect the required features. Entering the data at one central station saves Sanofi’s operators
considerable time and with the second signature functionality, manual data entry errors are
eliminated.
Graham Ives, Projects Director of ITS explains, “We knew ProVisor was the ideal solution
through our extensive knowledge of similar pharmaceutical industry installations, coupled with
invaluable experience of working on previous projects for Sanofi.”
ITS implemented seven Cognex In-Sight Micro 1403 vision systems on the inhaler line to carry
out the following inspections:-
- Overprint and pharmacode on can label
- Presence and position of label once applied to can
- Presence and position of labels (top and bottom) once applied to the actuator
breastplate
- Presence and position of label applied to the rear of the actuator
- Overprint and pharmacode printed on the foil at the flow wrapper station
- Overprint and 2D code on the carton
- The presence or match string value of the vignette label pharmacode
ITS recommended the Cognex In-Sight Micro Series not only because of their excellent
performance, but also to capitalise on their size (30mm x 30mm x 60mm), which make them ideal for
mounting in very tight spaces. In addition to their small size, the In-Sight Micro units also
provided flexible mounting capability with a unique non-linear calibration tool that enabled ITS’
engineers to mount them at angles of up to 45-degrees for hard-to-reach applications.
Six Cognex DataMan 200 code readers were installed to verify the pre-printed pharmacodes on
the following items:
- Actuator breastplate upper label
- Actuator breastplate lower label
- Actuator breastplate rear label
- Carton tuck flap
- Patient leaflet
- Casepacker label
The Cognex DataMan 200 fixed mount ID readers were selected for the application because of
their compact size, Ethernet connectivity and performance. Ethernet connectivity offers the
advantage of real-time data and image transfer, and easier integration with plant controllers and
information networks.
Four VisionView™ operator interface panels were connected to the vision systems and ID
readers, making it easier for Sanofi operators to monitor their production processes. The
interface panels enable Sanofi’s operators to view the images from both the DataMan ID readers
and In-Sight cameras, and display the pass and fail counts from the In-Sight vision systems.
VisionView automatically detects any Cognex vision system on the network and simultaneously
displays information from up to nine vision systems in a tiled view, allowing VisionView to be
easily added to any configuration or existing application - without requiring a PC.
For Sanofi the major gains from the project have been guaranteed product quality through 100%
automated production inspection, and a significant reduction in the risk of manual data entry
errors because of ProVisor’s second signature feature.
The ProVisor system allows the operator to view reject images, so they can quickly identify
the reasons for failure and rectify the problems, thereby reducing waste and maximising
uptime.
Manpower requirements and costs are minimal as the operators are able to setup and initialise
batch data using the central data entry station and simple operator user interface, rather than
setting up each individual device.
The ProVisor solution records user activity and offers full audit trail and 21 CFR Part 11
compliance capabilities. The networked nature of the solution also means that OEE data can be
automatically collated and stored, for further analysis and efficiency improvements.
