Printing Solutions for Medical Supplies

What are Syringes?

Syringes are made up of clear PP (Polypropylene) (clarified medical grade). PP a is plastic from the family of polyolefins with a surface tension of 30.9 MN/m. Clarified PP is the specialized Polypropylene which has glass-like clarity, excellent moisture barriers properties, making it ideal for syringe making. Disposable syringes are one-time usable medical consumable. Legislation Title 21, of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), governing the labeling and coding of syringes is an essential safeguard that protects the health of patients. Other than normal syringes, insulin syringes are the most widely used syringes in the medical industry. Insulin Syringes are manufactured with utmost care on totally automated printing, assembly, and packaging lines as per the requirements of the most stringent quality standards. Toxin-free printing on the syringes for markings reduces the risk of allergic reactions.

What is an Ampoule?

An ampoule is a small hermetically sealed drug delivery vial which is used to preserve medicinal fluids, medicinal capsules, and sterile solutions like an IV, IM, or subcutaneous, which needs to be delivered parenterally. Primary Blow-Fill-Seal single dose ampoule applications are IV  Fluids, parenteral drugs, and packaging of respiratory and ophthalmic treatment solutions while multi-dose ampoule applications include insulin deliveries. Polyethylene like HDPE or LDPE and polypropylene have become the materials of choice for Ampoule strips manufacturing as an alternative to glass due to various reasons. Plastic sealed ampoule strip contains aseptic multiple single doses to hold a solution for hypodermic injection to increases patient safety and convenience.

What are the Counter wheels?

Counter wheels are medical/ surgical devices used in the medical industry in many different equipments. Whether an inhaler or an insulin pen, Counter wheels is an essential part of these mechanisms for accurate dosing and keeping a track of the remaining medicine. Rotatable Counter wheels are very small in size due to which printing of numbers on it, is a challenge.  The printing needs to be very accurate, sharp, crisp, and clearly visible so that there is no mistake in drug administration. counter wheels are medical/ surgical devices used in the medical industry in many different types of equipment. Whether an inhaler or an insulin pen, Counter wheels is an essential part of these mechanisms for accurate dosing and keeping a track of the remaining medicine. Rotatable Counter wheels are very small in size due to which printing of numbers on it, is a challenge.  

Challenges in Printing on Medical Supplies? 

• Compliance with nontoxic norms like EuPIA Exclusion Policy, REACH regulation (SVHC), Swiss Ordinance (SR 817.023.21), Canadian Hazardous Products Act (R.S.,c.H-3,s.1.),USP Medical Class VI (exclusively for black), GADSL list, Compliant with the current European standard EN 71-3
• Ink should be free from heavy metals, formulated free from BPA, phthalate-free, fluorine-free,bromine-free.
• Must adhere to P.P. with or without pretreatment.
• Inks must be able to dry fast enough just to transfer on a syringe. If slow then it will get smudged and if too fast, then it will dry on the steel roller or the rubber roller.
• All the links must pass the two adhesion tests i.e., Tape test and Thumb rubbing test. In these tests, the printed surface of the substrate is scratched with thumb or tape to check if the ink chips off the substrate.
• Should not fade away when in contact with the drug.
• The printing needs to be very accurate, sharp, crisp, and clearly visible so that there is no mistake in drug administration.

How Spinks help you overcome these challenges? 

Printing ink Solutions From Spinks 

Fully certified, compliant, and approved medical grade inks for printing on counter wheels from our partner, RUCO, Germany. Visit www.rucoinks.com for more details.

T 200 (black) ink series is

1. Free from phthalates and BPA as well as cyclohexanone, butyl glycolate, aromatic solvents, barium, fluorine, and bromine
2. Suitable for printing onto the non-food contact side of the packaging
3. Good mechanical and chemical resistance Excellent adhesion properties
4. Machine speeds of up to 4,000 pieces/hour
5. Very high opacity through special pigmentation
6. High lightfastness and weather resistance

Corresponds to common industry standards:  

1.  EuPIA Exclusion Policy   
2.  REACH regulation (SVHC)   
3. Swiss Ordinance (SR 817.023.21)   
4. Canadian Hazardous Products Act (R.S., c.H-3, s.1.)   
5. USP Medical Class VI (exclusively for black)   
6. Meets the criteria of Michigan Testing Institute; can    therefore be used for components in the automotive sector
7. Compliant with the current European standard EN 71-3, Compliant with the current European standard EN 71-9  (exclusively for basic color shades, white and black)
8. Low PAH, category 1 according to AfPS GS 2014:01
9. RoHS compliant (2015/863/EU) // (2011/65/EU)
10. Compliant with the current Toy Safety Directive

RUCO, T-120 Halogen-free inks exhibit many other advantages besides all others listed for the T-200 ink series.

1. Excellent for pre-treated PE and PP.
2. Excellent ink transfer
3. Short drying time, speedy subsequent finishing processes, and very good bulk material resistance

There are also some other Inks that can be used for printing in medical Supplies (Such as T45 PP Ink, T25 PP Ink)

One-component pad printing ink, glossy, physically drying exhibit excellent mechanical and chemical resistance. Highly opaque, lightfastness, weather-resistant especially on non-pretreated polypropylene (PP) suited for disposable PP parts viz. syringes, centrifuge tubes, medical devices, medical parts, inhalers, counter rings, laboratory disposables, lancing devices, drug delivery devices, diagnostic products, pen systems, infusion sets, point of care tests and many more.

Printing Machines Solutions From Spinks  

We manufacture specially designed standalone/ pad printing automation  in India, for the cost-sensitive markets of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for rotary printing of counter wheels and counter tools. Pad printing enables printing on any shape, size, or even irregular surfaces of Medical supplies. Post-treatment after printing is instant and is incorporated into the printing automation. Spinks pad printing machine is a high tech automation  with monitoring cameras, fully automatic part ejection, checking of medicine filling height and leak testing,  and many other features.

Pad printing makes markings, scales, and decorations possible where other processes reach their limits.

Rotary Pad Printing:

Ink is applied on an engraved roller which is cleaned by a blade to trap the ink inside which is subsequently picked up by a rubber roller. This rubber roller comes in contact with the Product barrel to deliver the print. The printing line has been designed for printing on disposable syringes with different diameters. The output is 16.000 - 20.000 parts/hour, depending on the size of the Product.