News

Medica Packaging has become the first UK company to install a Bobst AccuBraille machine, ahead of European legislation enforcing Braille on all pharmaceutical outer packaging by 2010.

The Crewe-based pharmaceutical carton manufacturer, part of the Benson Group, invested £450,000 on Bobst equipment, which was installed in April.

Braille has traditionally been embossed using a die-cutter at the time of cutting and creasing or on a separate line.

However, the AccuBraille moves the Braille embossing process further down the production line to the folder-gluers, with the aim of increasing consistency of Braille height.

Only one embossing tool is needed per job, and it can apply embossing closer than 5mm from a carton edge or crease, unlike a die-cutter.

Medica has fitted the AccuBraille system to its other purchase, a Bobst Alpina II 110 folder-gluer.

The Alpina can run at 500m per minute, folding and gluing straight line and crash-lock-bottom cartons in sizes up to 1,100x800mm, and down to 76x60mm.

Up to 98% of the AccuBraille line can remain on the Alpina when it changes to another job, which reduces make-ready time for a new Braille job.

Medica general manager Peter Brassington said the AccuBraille delivered "consistent quality" of Braille, but was also a "cost-effective solution".

The Benson Group asked Bobst to carry out an analysis of its folder-gluer department following its acquisition of Medica in late 2005.