Everyone is talking about the complexity of the supply chain for the COVID-19 vaccine. To ensure continuous access to the vaccine, numerous companies need to get involved with the procurement, production, safe filling and packaging of the vaccine doses. Global projects were initiated at an impressive rate, marked by stable and efficient cooperation within the pharmaceutical industry worldwide.
To live up to the major time pressure and required production quantity, the early detection of packaging defects is essential. Inline inspection is used to detect defective containers at an early stage and initiate the necessary process adjustments to keep future waste levels low. Defective containers are immediately removed from the production process so that subsequent machine resources are solely used to continue processing flawless containers. At this initial stage of the vaccination process roll-out, the early inline inspection enables the provision of the greatest possible number of flawlessly packaged and therefore usable vaccine doses. “Ultimately, 100% inspection using machine vision systems has helped create a basic trust in the safe provision of medical supplies, including vaccines”, states Florian Krickl, product manager at VITRONIC.
The optical inspection is performed at the place where defects occur, straight after the sealing process: all crimp-cap-related defects and faults are detected. For example, if the crimp depth is too low, the inspection technology indicates a high stopper position, thereby preventively eliminating potentially leaky containers. The combination of high-performance sensors and intelligent machine vision algorithms enables reliable error detection.
VITRONIC’s inspection solution is characterized by a very compact design with 360° inspection. The low space requirement in the machine is of benefit with regard to both the simple retrofitting of existing systems and the limited availability of clean room space. With a filling speed of 36,000 vials per hour and complete automation, VINSPEC HEALTHCARE offers sufficient performance to meet the cycle requirements of modern systems in the field of vaccine filling while also complying with the latest regulatory requirements on quality.
VITRONIC is grateful for the opportunity to help provide quality assurance during vaccine production. It works with a global network of subsidiaries and partners to enable all manufacturers to offer a fast and efficient service. In close cooperation with its partners, VITRONIC continues to work actively to ensure and further develop the efficient quality inspection of primary packaging for vaccines using innovative solutions.