Ways That Lasers Are Improving Pill Manufacturing

One of the industries where lasers and laser-marking equipment have had a substantial impact is pharmaceutical manufacturing. Below, we’ll explore some of the ways lasers have improved pill manufacturing, from precise pill marking to enhanced quality control.

Pill Marking

Perhaps lasers’ biggest contribution to pharmaceutical manufacturing is precise, permanent, and fast laser marking. Laser marking is integral to traceability and security in marking pills and packaging.

Only with pharmaceutical laser marking equipment can manufacturers mark pills with unique identification numbers for accountability without slowing down the production speed. Previously, the only methods for marking pills were slow and cumbersome—like printing or using molds. Laser marking equipment provides greater precision and faster production than any other process.

Automated Inspection

Another way that lasers improve pill manufacturing is their use for quality assurance. In conjunction with machine vision cameras, laser marking helps manufacturing lines analyze the shape and color of the pill quickly and precisely with automatic inspections using the marks from lasers.

And for other applications, like bicolor pills, cameras and lasers work in tandem to identify the color and mark the correct side with lasers. With precise laser pill markings, any pills that don’t meet quality inspection standards can be immediately traced to their batch numbers to locate and remedy the source of the issue.

Production Increase & Cost Reduction

These reasons and others combine to make the pill manufacturing process much more streamlined, less expensive, and quicker for pill manufacturers. With laser marking, automatic inspections are easier, so fewer bad products get through, and laser marking is much faster than other ink jetting or etching methods.

Laser marking in pill manufacturing means a higher-quality product and more production—a win-win for manufacturers. Plus, laser marking is more environmentally friendly as it doesn’t produce waste or require consumables like chemical etching or ink printing methods.

Conclusion

We hope our brief guide on laser marking and pill manufacturing has been informative. If you’re interested in learning more or considering utilizing laser marking equipment for pharmaceutical manufacturing, contact our helpful staff at Tri-Star Technologies today!