Vision System Enables ePedigree Solution

California ePedigree legislation requires that 50% of pharmaceuticals shipped to the state starting in 2015 be tracked and traced down to the individual bottle level. This requirement is particularly challenging for relatively low-volume packaging operations that currently use automated filling and labeling systems with manual case packing and palletizing. ESS Technologies, a packaging line manufacturer, has partnered with Xyntek Inc., a serialization, track and trace, and machine vision solution provider, to provide a robotic case erector/loader with integrated track and trace capability. This system allows pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to automate the case packing process and provide unit-level serialization, traceability and authentication for all of the products being case-packed. Cognex In-Sight® vision systems are used to read the unique serial numbers on the labeled bottles and aggregate them to a synchronized dummy barcode on the bottom of the bottle, and later to read the dummy barcodes on 12 bottles simultaneously just before they are loaded into the case. This aggregation process enables 100% verification of the bottles as they are packaged into the case.