Rotzinger PharmaPack is launching a new filling and capping platform for over-the-counter (OTC) products such as non-aseptic pharmaceuticals as well as solid and liquid products from the cosmetics, personal care, and nutraceutical industries. VarioFill combines the advantages of previously large lines on a compact and modular platform, “Where manufacturers and contract fillers previously needed new machines for different products and closures, VarioFill now enables them to process everything on a single platform – from non-aseptic pharmaceutical liquids such as eye drops and cough syrup to cosmetics such as creams and face serums to solid dosage forms such as tablets and capsules. Added to this are different packaging materials and shapes as well as various closure types in highly variable output quantities,” explains Michael Gensheimer, product manager at Rotzinger PharmaPack.
More than 50 percent space savings thanks to modular design
Among the many advantages of the VarioFill platform is its small footprint. “In fact, VarioFill is currently the most space-saving solution of its kind on the market,” Gensheimer underlines. Thanks to a high degree of automation and exchangeable modules, space savings even exceed 50 percent. “With VarioFill, modularity is much more than just a buzzword; it’s a daily reality.” This is particularly beneficial in the case of frequent product changes. The machine base, which is identical for all variants, allows new stations and modules to be installed. “All you need to do is reconfigure the platform with the appropriate modules, and the line is ready for new requirements at low investment costs,” says Gensheimer.
Gentle transport and 100 percent IPC
Before filling, the containers are fed into the transport system. Different solutions can be integrated and combined as required. Standing objects such as glass bottles are fed via a belt system, while the pickFeeder developed by Rotzinger sorts plastic bottles and transfers via delta robots. Since the magnetically driven universal grippers can handle almost any shape, there is no need for pucks or other guiding format parts, which makes transport particularly gentle.
After the cleaning station, the containers are weighed empty using 100% in-process control (IPK). Following filling via sealless rotary piston pumps or tablet or capsule counters, another IPC is performed. The containers are fitted with snap-on, screw, pump, or crimp closures at several freely configurable closure stations. A cleaning-in-place (CIP) system ensures fully automatic cleaning of product contact parts in the filling area by automatically moving them to the cleaning position, cleaning them thoroughly, and then returning them to the production position.
First customers already convinced
The very positive customer feedback shows that Rotzinger PharmaPack’s innovative solution meets the needs of manufacturers and contract fillers in all relevant industries, “The response from the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and nutraceutical industries has been overwhelming. Even before the official market launch, we sold two VarioFill lines, the first of which will go into production at a customer’s site shortly – and more are set to follow,” says Gensheimer. Customers are particularly impressed by the modular design. “This shows that we have successfully implemented our motto ‘configure instead of construct’. Since the VarioFill platform’s design is modular from the outset, our customers can put together their individual solution to suit their production requirements – and modify or expand it flexibly at any time,” Gensheimer summarizes.
