Abstract
PurposeThis paper aims to describe the advances made by a particular pharmaceutical packaging machinery manufacturer for dealing with short product runs.Design/methodology/approachThe company and its blister packaging machinery products are described, with special attention to the modular servo‐driven range. The centralised control console and the capabilities of its software are reviewed. A collaborative investigation of a late‐stage customisation approach is reported.FindingsSmall lot‐size is an acute problem in Europe because of the variations in language, carton format and dimensions, and can make set‐up time dominate running time. Functional separation within the machinery and central set‐up control ameliorate this problem, and the use of a logistical storage unit greatly improves overall through‐put.Practical implicationsWhen lot sizes are small, the productivity of a manufacturing line is decided not by the maximum production rate of each machine, but by the logistics of job scheduling.Originality/valuePresents practical developments that improve productivity in pharmaceutical packaging.
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