On September 20, 2024, a landmark event titled “Empowering the Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry with Digital Intelligence” took place in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province. This seminar and factory open day, jointly hosted by industry leaders BOBST, Yiyao Printing, LUSTER, Kingjun, and hhs, showcased the latest advancements in intelligent pharmaceutical packaging solutions.

Expert Insights

• Industry Trends: Prof. Cao Guorong, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Packaging Federation and Professor at Beijing Institute of Printing, delivered a speech titled“Outlook on Folding Carton Standardization and Sustainable Development.”She thoroughly analyzed the current status and development trends of the packaging industry from various dimensions, including industry data, standard development, and technological innovation. Professor Cao emphasized that innovation is the driving force for corporate development, standardization is the guarantee of innovation, and green and sustainable development is the future trend.

• Smart Factory Solutions: Mr. Li Qiang from LUSTER gave a keynote speech on“Smart Pharmaceutical Packaging Factory Solutions.” He shared that LUSTER and Yiyao Printing have been collaborating since 2023 and successfully completed the construction and commissioning of a new factory in less than a year. This new factory, with quality management as its core, has achieved digital and intelligent production processes by deeply integrating the GMQM quality detection system, data acquisition system, ERP, MES, WMS, and other information systems, effectively improving product quality and production efficiency. 

• BOBST, Yiyao Printing, Kingjun, and hhs also delivered excellent speeches.

Yiyao Printing's Intelligent Factory Tour

In the afternoon, participants visited Yiyao Printing's office environment, intelligent warehouse, and fully automated production workshop.  They learned about the comprehensive concept architecture and implementation plan developed by LUSTER. This plan outlines how advanced technologies and systems are integrated to create a truly intelligent factory environment.

Production Operation Command Center:

The tour highlighted Yiyao printing's production operation command center, a bespoke solution by LUSTER, featuring a large digital screen displaying real-time data from various systems. The screen consists of two parts: 1) Reproducing on-site equipment in 1:1 scale using DIGITAL TWIN technology to present real-time equipment operation status and location of goods; 2) Integrating data from ERP, MES, WMS, AGVS, PLC, SCADA, and sensors for centralized management and comprehensive analysis.

Automated Carton Production Line:

Participants witnessed the seamless automation of end-of-line carton production, including tasks like carton opening, labeling, sealing, and palletizing. This automation significantly reduces labor requirements and ensures consistent quality.

Three-Dimensional Warehouse Customized by LUSTER:

The tour concluded with a visit to the customized three-dimensional warehouse, featuring advanced technologies like four-way shuttle cars and elevators. This warehouse optimizes storage space, improves efficiency, and reduces labor requirements, making it a key component of Yiyao Printing's intelligent factory.

• BOBST: Demonstrated their SP 106 AER die-cutting machine and MEILONG 4.0 folder gluers, showcasing their commitment to precision and efficiency in pharmaceutical packaging.

• Kingjun Technology: Presented their SF7800 high-speed inkjet printer, highlighting their expertise in digital printing solutions for the industry.

The successful event highlighted the transformative potential of intelligent manufacturing in the pharmaceutical packaging industry. By embracing digital transformation and leveraging advanced technologies, companies like Yiyao Printing are setting new standards for efficiency, quality, and sustainability. We look forward to continued collaboration in shaping the future of pharmaceutical packaging.