Understanding the Thermoforming Blister Packaging Process

The thermoforming blister packaging process is one of the most common and effective methods used by pharmaceutical companies—but how does it work?

The Blister Packaging Process

Blister packaging machines typically use a three-step process to manufacture packs:

Forming: A forming mold is used in either the thermoforming or cold forming process to create a tray with cavities or pockets that match specific product requirements.
Sealing: During the sealing process, your product is placed inside the cavities. Then, the trays are sealed with precut pieces of your choice of lidding material using knurled or flat heat-sealing plates.
Perforating and Cutting: Finally, the sealed trays are cut and perforated using a precision die cutter.

Different Forming Processes for Blister Packaging

The forming process for blister packs creates the packaging’s cavities or pockets where the tablets or capsules are placed. After the packs are designed, they’re ready to be formed using one of two methods—thermoforming or cold forming.

The Thermoforming Blister Packaging Process

Thanks to its simplicity and high volume production, thermoforming is the most common method used for blister packaging. Clear PVC sheets are heated with upper and lower heating plates before being inserted into the blister packaging machine. While the sheet is soft and pliable, it can shape to the selected mold with application pressure, sometimes with help from a mechanical stamp (if the design is complex).

The Difference Between Thermoforming and Cold Forming

On top of thermoforming blister packaging using heat while cold forming doesn’t, the former uses clear PVC materia and the latter uses aluminum-based film. Cold forming material and equipment costs tend to be higher since the method uses custom blister tooling. Thermoforming isn’t not suitable for light-sensitive drugs due to the clear PVC material. However, cold forming is commonly used for packaging products sensitive to moisture and light.

Thermoforming Blister Packaging Methods

There are two common thermoforming methods used to manufacture blister packs:

Vacuum Forming

In this process, after a plastic sheet is heated until malleable, it’s draped over the mold and sucked into shape by a vacuum. When it has cooled and hardened, the finished blister pack is ejected. In its more advanced forms, vacuum forming utilizes sophisticated pneumatic, hydraulic, and heat controls to enable faster production speeds and more intricate details in the final pack. This allows for the fabrication of more complicated designs in a shorter amount of time than with other forming methods. Vacuum forming also produces more durable, cost-effective packaging compared to other techniques.

Pressure Forming

When the desired shape is too difficult to form by air alone, pressure forming enables a plug-assist feature to push the films into the die for a more uniform wall thickness. Refrigerated plates then press the film into its new shape. After that, a die cutter trims the film to size. Efficient and cost effective, pressure forming requires minimal equipment and provides an effective way to create intricate shapes without compromising on quality or precision. Additionally, it can be used with a variety of materials such as PET, PVC, PP, and even paperboard.

Nutraceuticals include everything from vitamins and supplements to beauty products and herbal remedies—how do you know what type of nutraceutical packaging is right for your product?

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Blister Packaging Materials

Blister machines can work with a variety of forming and lidding materials, like PVC, PP, PVDC, COC, aclar, and aluminum-based foil.

Forming Materials

Each type of forming material has a different resistance that impacts your product’s shelf life and storage condition. Product sensitivity determines the packaging material’s grade level. Highly sensitive products requiring ultimate protection are required to be packaged using forming materials like aluminum or aclar. Forming film is often colorless and clear, but can be opaque if the product needs light protection.

Lidding Materials

Lidding materials are mostly made from high-quality aluminum equipped with printed primer on one side and coating material made for heat sealing on the other. Heat-sealing lacquer must comply with FDA standards and precisely match the respective forming films, meaning that the predetermined sealing parameter must be guaranteed under any climatic conditions.

Different types of lidding materials are available to meet your product needs, such as hard aluminum for push-through applications, soft aluminum for child-resistant needs, paper aluminum for peel-off applications, and paper PET aluminum for peel-off and child-resistant use.

Providing You With Cold Forming and Thermoforming Blister Packaging Machines

Ascend is here to provide a reliable, efficient, perfect solution for your blister packaging needs. Our range of blister packaging machinery is capable of performing both thermoforming and cold forming methods, so you can rest assured that your products will be securely packaged without compromising quality.

Sepha EZ Blister Packaging Machine

The Sepha EZ Blister packaging machine can perform both cold and thermoforming blister packaging. Available with an optional auto-feed, the EZ Blister also incorporates an auto-feed with a reel holder and a roller-based reel tension system to hold material in place and feed predetermined amounts through the machine for forming or sealing.

Sepha EZ MedPak Blister Machine

Designed for deep-draw products like large tablets and medical devices, the Sepha EZ MedPak Blister machine works on a three-stage operation that handles forming, sealing, perforating, and cutting. The EZ MedPak Blister machine can handle a wide range of forming materials, like PVC, PCTFE laminates, and PETG. Lidding options for the EZ MedPak include peelable aluminum or paper-backed foils and Tyvek.

Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of blister packaging machines and packaging solutions.