Innovative medical markers capped to perfection

TorqSense transducers are playing a vital role in packing leading edge medical test kits at Axis-Shield in Dundee, which develops new diagnostic compounds that help with the early identification & management of critical illnesses.

Axis-Shield is a world leader in inventing new markers for identifying cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, vitamin deficiencies and diabetes.

Spotting early signs of such conditions during routine medical check-ups means treatment can be started in a timely manner, which leads to improved patient management, either curing or managing the problem.

Some compounds later move into high volume production, but it is in the very nature of medical advancement that in other cases Axis-Shield will keep on improving the formulations and developing new products fairly quickly. Thus Axis-Shield has a need for highly efficient medium volume packaging solutions that guarantee accurate and consistent adherence to performance parameters.

This led the company to commission a bespoke packaging line that could handle multiple products in a variety of different packaging formats at a rate of around 500-2500 units per hour. The line fills bottles or other forms of container with the compounds, caps them, labels them, groups them into multi-packs, applies outer wrappers and overprints key data such as production date, use-by date, storage, handling and usage instructions, etc.
“Capping the bottles is a critical part of the process,” explains Dean Harper of the company. “Our line can work with two sizes of cap and each one must be tightened to just the right level of torque to within pretty tight tolerances.”

A cap that is too loose may lead to spillage of the marker, which is usually very expensive, during transit or handling. A cap that is fitted too tightly may cause upset to the patient or medical staff, who are both likely to feel stressed if smooth medical procedures are upset. Equally, forcing open an overly tight cap could result in spillage.
“Our packaging line has four capping stations and each one is fitted with a TorqSense transducer,” explains Dean. “These work in conjunction with a computer to ensure the correct level of tightness and record the data for traceability records.”

For Axis-Shield, the software was required to do two things: run the torque up to a set level within tolerances & record the actual value achieved. This secures the cap to the bottle at a level of tightness that will ensure security and sterility, yet is at a level that can be opened relatively easily by an adult.
Dean explains: “Diagnostic fluids are distributed widely, often globally, so they may be stored for months before use. Tracing each bottle’s origin would be practically impossible without full records being automatically produced and saved to a central location. TorqSense provided a solution to this complex but critical problem using an out of the box technology.”