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Indexing systems

Indexing sealing systems for trays, syringe packages and cards

The 1830 Indexing Sealer carries tool nests through the sealing station on a servo-driven conveyor. The loading stations upstream are configured for manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic loading, to suit each package and production plan.

Discuss your application Loading configurations
Heat sealing area
Up to 18″ × 30″
45.7 × 76.2 cm
Cycle rate
Up to 18 / min
Depending on the package
Tooling plates
18–38
By number of stations
Conveyor
Servo-driven
Indexing tool nests

Photo to follow

Configured 1830 Indexing Sealer

A photograph of an installed indexing system will be placed here.

Operating concept

How an indexing system is configured

The sealing station is the core of every system. The stations before and after it are chosen for the package: how trays, product and lids are loaded, how each nest is checked, and how sealed packages leave the line.

  1. Optional

    Tray feed

    Thermoformed trays fed and placed in the tool nests

  2. Optional

    Product feed

    Product placed, with count and orientation verification

  3. Optional

    Lid or card feed

    Precut, preprinted card lid stock placed on each tray

  4. Core

    Sealing station

    Heat seal up to 18″ × 30″, with pressure up to 10,000 lb at 100 PSI

  5. Optional

    Discharge

    Oriented discharge for downstream operations, or automatic bulk packaging

Explanatory diagram. Stations are selected for each application.

  1. Manual loading

    Operators place trays, product and lids in the nests at the loading stations, and the conveyor indexes each nest through the sealing station.

  2. Semi-automatic loading

    Selected feeding attachments, such as tray or lid feed, work alongside operator loading at the remaining stations.

  3. Fully automatic loading

    Tray, product and lid feed attachments load every nest, with count and orientation verification and oriented discharge.

Applications

  • Prefilled syringe trays

    A specialty, with align and load systems upstream of the sealer.

  • Pharmaceutical wallet cards

    Two-piece cards, with set-up testing on the 1830 Indexing Sealer.

  • Trays and blisters

    Sealed in tool nests carried on quick-change lift-off receivers.

Capacity

Capacity depends on the package

Cycle rate is set by the sealing time and characteristics of each package, and the footprint by the loading stations it needs. Atlas Vac confirms both for each application.

  • Up to 18 cycles / min Depending on the sealing characteristics of the package
  • ≈ 11 cycles / min At a 3.5-second sealing time
  • 18–38 tooling plates Depending on the number of stations
  • 36″ width Plus guarding; length set by the loading stations
  • Cycles per minute are sealing-station cycles, not trays per minute.
  • Machine length and weight depend on the loading stations selected.

Specification

Standard specification

Values describe the standard 1830 Indexing Sealer. Loading stations, attachments and electrical supply are specified for each system.

Sealing

Indexing
Heat sealing area Up to 18″ × 30″ (45.7 × 76.2 cm)
Sealing pressure Up to 10,000 lb at 100 PSI
Heat plate Flat 1″ plate with internal heaters, 220/240 V or 480 V
Seal platen Precision-machined aluminum, DuPont Teflon Silverstone coating included

Indexing and machine

Indexing
Conveyor Servo-drive indexing conveyor for precise location of tool nests
Tooling receivers Quick-change lift-off receivers on a stainless steel chain
Tooling plates 18 to 38, depending on the number of stations
Controls cabinet Remote floor-mounted, NEMA 12
Frame Welded 3/16″ steel tube, white powder coat
Mounting Levelling pads with height adjustment
Floor space 36″ wide plus guarding; length set by the loading stations
Weight Depends on machine length

Utilities

Indexing
Electrical 220/240 V or 480 V, three phase
Air supply 100 PSI on a ¾″ minimum line; ¾″ NPT air filter included
Air reservoir 4.7 gallon ASME rated, with pressure relief safety valve
Air usage To be confirmed
Exhaust Single port with muffler-filter, or room discharge connection
Vacuum Pump and manifolds for the optional card and blister feeders

Safety

Indexing
Light curtains Keyence, at the feeder attachments, sealing station and discharge
Safety controller Banner, integrated with the light curtains and all motion functions
Emergency stops Multiple locations
Air dump valve OSHA-approved safety valve
Overtemperature Redundant automatic heater cutoff, Factory Mutual approved controller

Supplied with every system

Owner’s manual with operation and maintenance information, recommended spares list, schematics, the Atlas Vac calibration document and PLC programs on CD-ROM. Ready for operation on connection to air and electric power.

Tooling nests are quoted separately. Factory acceptance testing and additional documents are quoted by scope.

Standard controls

One control system for the sealer and its stations

Recipes, alarms and calibration are managed from the operator touchscreen, with password-protected settings and redundant overtemperature protection.

  1. Platform

    • Mitsubishi PLC with Beijer color touchscreen
    • Allen-Bradley CompactLogix PLC with PanelView 700 Plus, as an option

  2. Process

    • Digital timer, temperature and speed control
    • Temperature and air pressure fail-safe alarms on recipe settings, password protected
    • Manual pressure regulation with liquid-filled precision gauge

  3. Calibration

    • Four dual-lead thermocouples with individual calibration connectors
    • On-screen calibration of each thermocouple and of the pressure circuit
    • Pressure validation port and timer calibration connector

  4. Operator

    • Eye-level controls, including the PLC screen and resets
    • Alarm screen with history and warning LEDs
    • Tri-color warning light
    • English or metric readouts, specified at order

Process control, seal-parameter documentation and network packages are configured for each system.

To be confirmed Records and data

Modular attachments

Attachments and options

Each system is assembled from the attachments its package needs, from tray feeding through to oriented discharge.

  • Feeding

    • Automatic thermoformed tray feed and placement
    • Automatic product feed and placement, with count and orientation verification
    • Automatic precut, preprinted card lid feed and placement
    • Pick-and-place robotics

  • Inspection and marking

    • Barcode inspection systems
    • Barcode reader and integration
    • Auxiliary labelling systems
    • Lot code embossing

  • Discharge

    • Automatic discharge with product orientation for downstream operations
    • Automatic bulk packaging from discharge

  • Build and documentation

    • Stainless steel framework and controls cabinet
    • Tri-color stacklight of your choice
    • Translated PLC screens and manuals
    • CE rating

Service

Calibration services, IQ and OQ

Service and calibration

Demonstrations

Indexing systems in operation

Three demonstration videos are available to registered users of the Atlas Vac website. Contact Atlas Vac to request an account.

Request access

  1. Syringe align and load system

    Upstream systems that align and load syringes ahead of the 1830 Indexing Sealer.

    Registered access

  2. Indexing sealer for syringe trays

    An 1830 Indexing Sealer sealing syringe trays in production.

    Registered access

  3. Pharmaceutical wallet card set-up

    Set-up testing for two-piece pharmaceutical wallet cards. Product blister not shown.

    Registered access

Development quantities

For prototype and pre-production trays and blisters, formed from pre-production molds before the final design is released, Atlas Vac offers the R12 benchtop thermoformer.

R12 Thermoformer

Project enquiries

Discuss your indexing application

Our engineers will review your package, loading and downstream requirements and recommend the indexing configuration and tooling for your process.

Useful if you have it

Package type and drawing · Sealing time from your process development · Target loading level · Downstream handling requirements

Request a consultation +1 (513) 407-3513
Address
Atlas Vac Machine, LLC
9150 Reading Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45215, USA
Phone and email
(513) 407-3513
sales@atlasvac.com
Hours
Mon–Fri 08:00 am – 05:30 pm
Saturday by appointment
Sunday closed