KNAPP to showcase automation at The Pharmacy Show

KNAPP will present its range of solutions for the sector on its stand (F20) at The Pharmacy Show, which takes place on 12-13th October at the NEC in Birmingham.

A high-tech partner in the healthcare sector for over 70 years, KNAPP provides solutions from pallet to pill – that is, for the entire value chain, from production and wholesale to the patient.

The company will explain its key solutions to show visitors, including its Pack2Patient system for central dispensing automation, its D3 Daily Dose Dispenser for automated compliance pack production and its Central Belt System for automated picking.

Central dispensing automation

The Pack2Patient solution from KNAPP provides automation for central dispensing hubs, enabling them to process single items accurately, efficiently and with end-to-end traceability.

Medicines are placed on a conveyor belt that feeds the products automatically into the Pack2Patient system. Here, smart cameras scan each item to capture information from 1D and 2D matrix codes, shape, dimensions and several other attributes. KNAPP’s KiSoft Vision image-recognition technology enables comprehensive data to be captured for lot and serial number tracking. The system has been designed to meet all regulatory requirements, including the Falsified Medicines Directive. Pack2Patient automatically prints and applies labels to the articles on the fly as they pass through the system.

After article verification, products are automatically sorted into patient orders via diversion into one of a series of conveyor lanes. Following an order quality check, the items for a particular patient are automatically bagged and labelled for dispatch.

KNAPP has delivered its Pack2Patient system to pharmaceutical suppliers worldwide. Customers in the UK include PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution, which uses the system for repeat prescription assembly at its Runcorn facility, one of the UK’s largest automated pharmacies.

Monitored dosage system 

The D3 Daily Dose Dispenser from KNAPP provides automated production of compliance packs. The system transfers tablets from their original packaging directly into personalised medication blister cards that include patient-specific instructions. With a shortage of healthcare workers placing unprecedented demands on the sector, this automated solution provides valuable support for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.

While competitor solutions involve multiple manual processes, the D3 Daily Dose Dispenser has only one manual step. Each tablet remains in its original packaging until it is dispensed, which the system performs at high speed. The solution puts an end to labour-intensive deblistering, intermediate storage in containers, the need for visual inspection and manual sealing. Automation also avoids the risks of tablet abrasion and cross-contamination, while ensuring hygienically clean processes according to clean room class ISO 8. In addition, comprehensive tracking of lot numbers, expiry dates and charges ensures 100% quality control and traceability for every pill dispensed.

For pharmacists managing patients’ prescriptions and medication, the D3 Daily Dose Dispenser can significantly reduce the amount of stock held in pharmacies, with resealable cups on the blister card even meaning that medication changes are possible.

The system is capable of storing over 5000 different types of medication in its buffer. With two employees, 120 weekly blister cards can be produced per hour. This means that both pharmacies and care facilities can save valuable time.

The D3 Daily Dose Dispenser is an all-in-one solution encompassing software, service and ongoing support. The solution has been used successfully at a facility operated by the German pharmaceutical service provider, MicuraPharm. 

Automated picking system

Invented by KNAPP over 35 years ago, the Central Belt System (aka the A-frame autopicker) is an automated picking system for fast-moving pharmaceutical products.

With the Central Belt System, products required for each order are ejected automatically onto the central belt inside the A-frame. Each order is confined to a specific section of the belt, with products dropped into an order-specific tote at the end of the conveyor.

This modular and scalable system not only increases productivity, but also throughput and picking performance – and all in a relatively small footprint. The Central Belt System mitigates the impact of peak workloads, makes efficient use of off-peak periods and enables resources to be put to best use.

The system – which can also be used to pick the products required to fulfil orders with the Pack2Patient solution – is used by wholesalers around the world for efficient and accurate distribution of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.