Accessed through a simple smartphone app, vivid three-dimensional projections remain accessible well after the show.
the U.S. subsidiary of Maruho Co. Ltd, a Japanese healthcare company with subsidiaries in Europe and the U.S. with global sales of $800 million – is inviting visitors to this year’s WestPack to take its featured machines home with them. Virtually, that is.
The blister packaging equipment supplier will be showcasing two of its most popular machines, the EAGLE-Omni and EAGLE-Rx, at WestPack Booth #5358, April 12-14 in Anaheim, CA. In addition to live demonstrations of the physical machines, MHI will feature a special augmented reality station where attendees can view, interact with, and project each machine in full size.
In fact, the experience can last well beyond WestPack itself: The technology allows attendees to examine and interact with vivid, 3D projections of the machines at their individual facilities (or anywhere else), simply by accessing a smartphone app. A necessary invention developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the protracted virtual showcase is designed to lead to more comprehensive, informed pre-purchasing decision-making for potential customers.
Measuring just over two meters in length and 1.6 meters tall, the reasonably compact EAGLE-Omni offers a format area of 150x95 mm, and a forming depth of 30mm (3cm) with an upgrade available to 40mm. Performing forming, sealing and punching operations at sequential stations, the versatile machine handles a wide range of forming materials – including PVC, PVDC, ACLAR, PP, PET and ALU – and all typical lidding substrates including ALU, paper, PVC, PET, and laminates.
Ideal for packaging development, materials testing and production, the EAGLE-Omni can produce up to 20 blisters per minute, and is suitable for packaging solids, powders, liquids or devices. Notably, the option of a 40mm forming depth makes it ideal for nutritional products larger than traditional tablets or capsules, such as gummies, devices and other delivery formats.
Meanwhile, MHI’s Eagle-Rx is a high-performance blister packaging machine capable of producing up to 200 blisters per minute at a format area of 90x130mm. Featuring a compact balcony design, the unit can be operated by a single person with no formal training required. The Eagle-Rx offers toolless, recipe-driven changeovers, making it ideal for efficiently alternating between multiple products with varying batch sizes. Its servo technology ensures repeatability and minimizes mechanical adjustments.
For both machines, a key differentiating benefit is the ease and expediency with which prototypes can be produced, thanks to MHI’s groundbreaking 3D-printed blister tool prototyping capabilities.
About Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations
Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations (MHI), the U.S. subsidiary of Maruho Corp. Ltd., was created in 2014. MHI distributes the high quality medical packaging machinery produced by Maruho Hatsujyo Kogyo (MHK). With more than 220 employees, MHK has over 60 years of experience in the manufacturing sector, including the design of high-performance blister machinery and high-precision metal components. MHK is Japan’s second largest medical packaging machinery company.
