Final Bulk Inspection Of Solid-Dose Pharmaceuticals: An Essential Step To Assuring Final Product Quality

Final bulk inspection of solid-dose OTC and regulated pharmaceuticals is of interest to brand owners, product manufacturers and contract packers looking to deliver consistently high product quality. Product quality is being scrutinized more closely than ever by customers and processes are increasingly coming under the review of regulatory agencies. Advanced technology is keeping pace to address these challenges – new automated continuous inspection systems are more effective and more commercially viable than ever before.

Until recently, automated inspection of solid dose pharmaceuticals was either crude (in the case of mechanical size graders) or expensive, slow and difficult to changeover (in the case of single-file optical inspection systems). Many pharmaceutical manufacturers and contract packers have historically relied on labor-intensive manual inspection. Now, advancing technology has ushered in a new class of bulk vision inspection systems that is prompting a new debate on what it means to be diligent in pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging operations.

In this white paper, we will explore the risks and consequences of using vulnerable inspection practices. We will also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the several different kinds of bulk inspection systems in use in the pharmaceutical industry today. We will discuss the process improvements that can be achieved with continuous high-volume optical inspection systems. Lastly, we will suggest criteria to consider when selecting the right bulk inspection system for your application.