Machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister magazines

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine (1) for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister (BL) magazines comprising: - feed means (100) of blisters (BL) of the type provided with pockets (A) each containing one dose of drug; - a three-dimensional scanner (2), adapted to detect the outline and the arrangement of the pockets (A) of one of said blisters (BL); - handling means, adapted to move said blisters (BL) from said feed means (100) toward said three-dimensional scanner (2), managing one blister (BL) at a time; - a shearing device (3) adapted to separate a pocket (A1) from said blister (BL); - a robotic arm (7) with which said shearing device (3) is associated, so that said shearing device (3) is moved toward said blister (BL) to perform the separation of a single pocket (A1). Said feed means (100) of blisters (BL) comprise at least one interchangeable magazine (6) and a plurality of clamps (12), where each clamp (12) is adapted to grip one of said blisters (BL) remaining stably associated therewith. Said handling means comprise a gripper (13), associated at least indirectly with said robotic arm (7), adapted to selectively cooperate with said clamps (12) to move said blister (BL) from said feed means (100) toward said three-dimensional scanner (2), keeping each blister (BL) coupled to the respective clamp (12) at all times.

Description

[0001] MACHINE FOR PREPARING PRE-DOSED DRUG ADMINISTRATION UNITS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE BLISTER MAGAZINES

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The invention relates to the field of machinery for the automated dosing of drugs of therapeutic plans intended for patients in hospital or at home.

[0004] In more detail, the invention relates to machine for preparing predosed drug administration units, in particular of the type in the form of tablets, lozenges, capsules or similar, with interchangeable magazines for housing blisters.

[0005] Background art

[0006] Various strategies exist for improving the safe and effective use of drugs, and hence ensuring that patients adhere to medical prescriptions, and to date simplified dosing regimes seem promising, with correct preparation of the drugs included in the therapeutic plans of patients in single doses already separated, and direct involvement of the pharmacists in management of the drugs.

[0007] A process that unpackages and repackages drugs, placing them in individual transparent packages with the patient’s name and time that they have to be taken, if performed manually, has several critical elements: it is time-consuming and repetitive in all its steps, with a high risk of error; it requires the training of qualified professional figures, with high costs; if the drugs need to be removed from their packagings there are then problems concerning the impairment and the durability of the drugs.

[0008] Solutions have thus been developed making use of special machinery to perform more or less extensive parts of the process for obtaining said single separated doses of drugs.

[0009] Patent application no. 102024000008395 by the same applicant discloses a machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units from blisters of the type provided with pockets, each containing one dose of drug.

[0010] This machine comprises:

[0011] - feed means of blisters with pockets containing drugs;

[0012] - a three-dimensional scanner, adapted to detect the outline and the arrangement of the pockets of one of said blisters and to obtain the coordinates of a pocket available to be cut;

[0013] - handling means, adapted to move said blisters from said feed means toward said three-dimensional scanner, managing one blister at a time;

[0014] - a shearing device adapted to separate said pocket from said blister on the basis of the coordinates detected by said three-dimensional scanner;

[0015] - a robotic arm with which said shearing device is associated, so that said shearing device is moved toward said blister to perform the separation, by cutting, of a single pocket when the blister is still positioned under said three-dimensional scanner;

[0016] - a packaging unit, adapted to receive the pockets separated by said shearing device to determine packaging thereof inside sealed packets also comprising pockets coming from blisters of drugs of different type, if to be taken at the same time;

[0017] - an electrical panel, adapted to determine the coordinated operation of the components of said machine;

[0018] - a control panel, adapted to allow the input of a therapeutic plan, control and management of the components of said machine by an operator;

[0019] - a floor support frame provided with a work table on which the components of said machine are laid, with the exception of said packaging unit which is housed underneath.

[0020] In said machine, said feed means of blisters comprise:

[0021] - a dynamic magazine provided with superimposed shelves, each of which is adapted to contain a single blister of drugs;

[0022] - vertical handling means for said shelves comprising a lifting and lowering mechanism;

[0023] - horizontal handling means, comprising a finger with horizontal movement of “to and fro” type, adapted to move said blisters from one of said shelves toward said three-dimensional scanner.

[0024] This machine, although having advantageously automated the whole of the process that unpackages and repackages the drugs in small transparent individual packets with the patient’s name and the time they have to be taken, still has some limits and drawbacks mainly concerning the operations to load the blisters and to feed them to the scanning and cutting operations. For evident reasons of space and overall dimensions of a machine destined to operate in pharmacies, said dynamic magazine comprises just over ten shelves and the machine can thus process therapies for patients that include the simultaneous administration of at most just over ten drugs (considering that each shelf accommodates one blister of a specific drug), or which have a duration of only few days.

[0025] However, it must be taken into account that a therapy for a chronic patient could require handling of up to even forty blisters: hence the first quantitative limitation of the current machine.

[0026] Moreover, after the first ten blisters accommodated on the shelves have been processed, the pharmacy operator must stop the machine in order to refill the dynamic magazine with new blisters. Machine downtime causes slowdowns, as well as a considerable commitment for the operator and can be the source of possible errors.

[0027] - Most drugs are contained in blisters that can be very different from one another in size, shape, arrangement of the pockets, quantities, materials and colours of the packaging; therefore, correct and reliable handling must take account of all these variables. Moreover, the blisters must be handled also in a form that is no longer integral, i.e., partially cut, and also in this situation the machine must maintain the utmost reliability, precision and efficiency. Unfortunately, horizontal handling means with “to and fro” finger can be somewhat imprecise during cooperation with blisters so different from one another or already partially handled and cut, to the detriment of the subsequent scanning and cutting steps.

[0028] Presentation of the invention

[0029] The object of the invention is to overcome the problems illustrated above by means of a machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister magazines that is easier and has higher performance in the preparing and loading steps by pharmacy operators, and therefore also faster and more productive.

[0030] The objects of the invention are achieved with a machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister magazines comprising:

[0031] - feed means of blisters of the type provided with pockets each containing one dose of drug;

[0032] - a three-dimensional scanner, adapted to detect the outline and the arrangement of the pockets of one of said blisters and to obtain the coordinates of a pocket available to be cut;

[0033] - handling means, adapted to move said blisters from said feed means toward said three-dimensional scanner, managing one blister at a time;

[0034] - a shearing device adapted to separate said pocket from said blister on the basis of the coordinates detected by said three-dimensional scanner;

[0035] - a robotic arm with which said shearing device is associated, so that said shearing device is moved toward said blister to perform the separation, by cutting, of a single pocket when the blister is positioned under said three-dimensional scanner;

[0036] - a packaging unit, adapted to receive the pockets separated by said shearing device to determine packaging thereof inside sealed packets also comprising pockets coming from blisters of drugs of a different type;

[0037] - an electrical panel, adapted to determine the coordinated operation of the components of said machine;

[0038] - a control panel, adapted to allow the input of a therapeutic plan, control and management of the components of said machine by an operator;

[0039] - a floor support frame provided with a work table on which the components of said machine are laid, with the exception of said packaging unit which is housed underneath, characterized in that:

[0040] - said feed means of blisters comprise at least one interchangeable magazine and a plurality of clamps, where each clamp is adapted to grip one of said blisters remaining stably associated therewith;

[0041] - said handling means comprise a gripper, associated at least indirectly with said robotic arm, adapted to selectively cooperate with said clamps to move said blister from said feed means toward said three-dimensional scanner, keeping each blister coupled to the respective clamp at all times.

[0042] Further features of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0043] A machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister magazines according to the invention produces the following important advantages: through the use of a plurality of interchangeable magazines it is possible to load a whole magazine with blisters while it is outside the machine, without requiring machine downtime to load and prepare it; through the use of a plurality of clamps and of a gripper, the machine is able to process all the different blister types present on the market, differing in shape, size and arrangement of the pockets that contain the drugs arranged thereon, even if the blisters are incomplete; through the positioning of the gripper on the robotic arm it is possible to move the blisters in safety in all the operating stations of the machine, without the risk of losing their orientation; through a high level of automation of the components of which it is formed, it is capable of automatically performing all the repetitive steps of selecting the drug, dividing it into single doses, separating and repackaging the drugs, and of obtaining the desired results of efficiency, efficacy and safety of these steps.

[0044] Brief description of the drawings

[0045] Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the more detailed description set forth below, with the aid of the drawings which show a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

[0046] - Figs. 1a and 1 b show, respectively in a partially exploded axonometric view and in a front plan view, the operating configuration of a machine for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister magazines according to the invention;

[0047] - Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5a and 5b show, in an axonometric view, some of the components of which said machine is composed;

[0048] - Figs. 6, 9 and 10 show, in an axonometric view, part of the machine in different processing steps;

[0049] - Figs. 7 and 8 show, respectively in an axonometric view and in a partial side view, details of the machine according to the invention.

[0050] Detailed description of the invention

[0051] With reference to Figs. 1 a and 1 b, there is illustrated a machine 1 for packaging pre-dosed drug administration units, provided with a plurality of interchangeable magazines to accommodate blisters, according to the invention.

[0052] Said machine 1 comprises:

[0053] - a floor support frame 20 comprising a work table 21 and openable doors 22’ and 22” for access respectively to the work table 21 and to a compartment below of the same machine;

[0054] - feed means 100 of blisters BL, of the type provided with pockets A each containing one dose of drug, comprising at least one interchangeable magazine 6 (in the variant illustrated five magazines) and a plurality of clamps 12, where each clamp 12 is adapted to grip the edge of one of said blisters BL remaining stably associated therewith; - a three-dimensional scanner 2, adapted to detect the outline and the arrangement of the pockets A of one of said blisters BL and to obtain the coordinates X, Y of a pocket A1 available to be cut;

[0055] - a shearing device 3 adapted to separate said pocket A1 from said blister BL on the basis of the coordinates X, Y detected by said three- dimensional scanner 2;

[0056] - a robotic arm 7 with which said shearing device 3 is associated, so that said shearing device 3 is moved toward said blister BL to perform the separation, by cutting, of a single pocket A1 when the blister BL is positioned under said three-dimensional scanner 2;

[0057] - a packaging unit 4, adapted to receive the pockets A separated from said shearing device 3 to determine packaging thereof inside sealed packets also comprising pockets A coming from blisters BL of drugs of a different type, optionally then grouped into reels defining entire therapeutic plans of single patients divided into single administration doses;

[0058] - an electrical panel 5, adapted to determine the coordinated operation of the components of the machine 1 ;

[0059] - an extractable control panel 50, adapted to allow the input of a therapeutic plan, control and management of the components of the machine 1 by an operator.

[0060] With particular reference to Fig. 2, there is illustrated one of said clamps 12 of said feed means 100 of blisters BL.

[0061] Said clamp 12 comprises a lever 36 with elastic operating means adapted to grip and hold said blister BL, at an edge or corner thereof so as not to interfere with its pockets A.

[0062] Each clamp 12 comprises a unique QR Code 40 that identifies the clamp associable with the drug of said blister BL.

[0063] Fig. 3 illustrates an interchangeable magazine 6 for said blister BL.

[0064] Said interchangeable magazine 6 extends vertically and comprises a plurality of housings 14 arranged one on top of the other. In the variant illustrated, each interchangeable magazine 6 comprises eight housings 14, and considering that the machine 1 can house up to five magazines 6, it is possible to process up to forty blisters BL managing to satisfy even the needs of chronic patients with therapies that include a large number of drugs.

[0065] The top of said interchangeable magazine 6 is provided with a handle 42, with which the operator can move it and extract it from the machine, to load it with clamps 12 and blisters BL, and subsequently reposition it inside the machine 1 .

[0066] Each housing 14 is adapted to accommodate one of said blisters BL and hold the corresponding clamp 12 in position by means of reversible retaining means.

[0067] Said reversible retaining means comprise:

[0068] - a pin 15 projecting from said interchangeable magazine 6 and a magnet 16 side by side therewith, arranged at each housing 14;

[0069] - a bushing 17 and a ferrous metallic insert 18 provided on each clamp 12 (Fig. 2).

[0070] Said bushing 17 is adapted to house said pin 15 and said magnet 16 is adapted to interact with said ferrous metallic insert 18 to hold said clamp 12 in position on said interchangeable magazine 6.

[0071] To prevent said clamps 12 from rotating with respect to the horizontal housing 14 on which the corresponding blister BL is laid, said reversible retaining means comprise an anti-rotation pin 19 provided on each clamp 12 (Fig. 2) adapted to cooperate with a corresponding hole 23 provided on the interchangeable magazine 6 at each housing 14.

[0072] With particular reference to Figs. 4, 5a and 5b, said machine 1 comprises positioning means 200 of each interchangeable magazine 6 on the work table 21 of the same machine.

[0073] Said positioning means 200 comprise a plurality of base plinths 24, stably associated with said work table 21 by means of bolts 31 , where each plinth 24 is adapted to accommodate, in a unique way, a base of said interchangeable magazine 6.

[0074] The coupling between plinth 24 and interchangeable magazine 6 must be stable but reversible, and therefore said positioning means 200 comprise:

[0075] - at least one pin 25 projecting from said plinth 24 and at least one magnet 26 side by side therewith (Fig. 5b);

[0076] - at least one bushing 27 and at least one ferrous metallic insert 28 provided below the bottom of said interchangeable magazine 6 (Fig. 5a).

[0077] Said at least one bushing 27 is adapted to house said at least one pin 25 and said at least one magnet 26 is adapted to interact with said at least one ferrous metallic insert 28 to hold said interchangeable magazine 6 in position on the corresponding plinth 24.

[0078] Said positioning means 200 comprise an inductive sensor 29 provided on each plinth 24 adapted to detect the presence of the corresponding interchangeable magazine 6, and light signalling means 30, also provided on each plinth 24, adapted to indicate the presence and the correct positioning of said interchangeable magazine 6.

[0079] With particular reference to Fig. 6, there is illustrated said robotic arm 7, with which said shearing device 3 is associated, adapted to move said blisters BL, picking them up individually, from said at least one interchangeable magazine 6, toward said three-dimensional scanner 2.

[0080] For this purpose, said robotic arm 7 comprises a gripper 13 (Fig. 7) adapted to selectively cooperate with the clamps 12 that retain the blister BL, so as to simultaneously move clamp 12 and blister BL.

[0081] Said robotic arm 7, according to the prior art, is of SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) type and comprises joints adapted to allow the vertical translation and the rotation on vertical axes of the shearing device 3 and of the gripper 13 associated with said robotic arm 7. Said robotic arm 7 extends from said work table 21 of the machine 1 .

[0082] In the variant illustrated said gripper 13 is directly associated with one side of said shearing device 3.

[0083] With particular reference to the details of Figs. 7 and 8, said gripper 13 comprises a finger 37 adapted to press on a lever 36 of the clamp 12 in a variable way.

[0084] Said gripper 13 comprises an electric stepper motor 38 with rotary movement adapted to control said finger 37 to regulate the pressure exerted on said lever 36: a light pressure allows the clamp 12 to be gripped without opening it and hence keeping the blister BL coupled, while a harder pressure opens the clamp 12 and releases the blister BL.

[0085] To keep said clamp 12 in a stable position in the gripper 13 during movements, said clamp 12 comprises a pocket (not illustrated) provided on a lower surface thereof and said gripper 13 comprises a protrusion 39 adapted to engage said pocket when said clamp 12 is retained by said gripper 13.

[0086] Said gripper 13 further comprises a QR Code reader 41 for recognition of the unique QR Code 40 of the clamp 12 being held.

[0087] With particular reference to Fig. 9, said machine 1 comprises a support structure 32 for said blister B, adapted to hold said clamp 12 and the corresponding blister BL in position during the steps of scanning and cutting the pockets A by said shearing device 3.

[0088] Said support structure 32 is positioned below said three- dimensional scanner 2 and emerging from the work table 21 of the machine 1 .

[0089] Said support structure 32 also comprises reversible retaining means for said clamp 12, so that the blister BL associated with said clamp 12 is cantilevered below said three-dimensional scanner 2 with respect to said support structure 32.

[0090] Similarly to the retaining means of the interchangeable magazine 6, said reversible retaining means comprise a pin 33 projecting from said support structure 32 and a magnet 34 side by side therewith, where said pin 33 is adapted to engage the bushing 17 provided on each clamp 12, and where said magnet 34 is adapted to interact with the ferrous metallic insert 18 provided on said clamp, so as to hold said clamp 12 in position on said support structure 32 and leave the blister BL cantilevered below the three-dimensional scanner 2.

[0091] In this position too it is fundamental that the clamp 12 does not rotate with respect to the support structure 32 so that the blister BL remains perfectly horizontal below said three-dimensional scanner 2. For this purpose, said reversible retaining means comprise a hole 35 provided on said support structure 32 adapted to cooperate with the anti-rotation pin 19 provided on each clamp 12.

[0092] Fig. 10 illustrates the machine 1 during the operations for cutting the blister BL by the shearing device 3, the latter being illustrated clearly also in Fig. 7.

[0093] Said shearing device 3 provided on the robotic arm 7 comprises:

[0094] - a lower semi-shearing device 9 comprising a tray 8;

[0095] - an upper semi-shearing device 10, provided on adjacent orthogonal sides of a right-angled blade 11 , adapted to determine the separation of a pocket A1 available from the single blister BL.

[0096] Said tray 8 is adapted to at least partially support said blister BL during the cutting step and to collect the single pocket A separated from the blister BL, supporting it until reaching the packaging unit 4, where it will be left.

[0097] The operating steps of a machine 1 for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister BL magazines according to the invention are described below.

[0098] The first step involves loading the necessary magazines 6 extracted from the machine 1 :

[0099] - the pharmacy operator takes a single blister BL from one of the packages of drugs and associates it with a clamp 12 acting manually on the lever 36 gripping the edge of the blister BL;

[0100] - through a manual barcode and QR Code reader, the operator reads the code present on the package of the drug and the QR Code 40 present on the clamp 12 which are thus uniquely associated with each other by the machine;

[0101] - the operator positions the blister BL in one of the housings 14 of an interchangeable magazine 6 fixing the clamp 12 with the reversible retaining means;

[0102] - the operator repeats the blister BL loading operation for up to a maximum of eight blisters BL for each magazine 6 and for a maximum of five magazines 6, for a total of forty blisters BL manageable for one therapy.

[0103] Subsequently, the operator moves the interchangeable magazines 6 loaded with the blisters BL into the machine 1 and places then in the plinths 24, where inductive sensors 29 detect the correct positioning thereof, confirming this also through the light signalling means 30. The machine 1 can be provided with a larger number of interchangeable magazines 6 with respect to the number of plinths 24, so as to allow the operator to fill new magazines to quickly replace those that are gradually emptied, thereby increasing the productivity of the machine. On the other hand, the machine can also operate even if not all the magazines 6 are positioned on the plinths 24.

[0104] When the machine 1 is started, the QR Code reader 41 present on the gripper 13 of the robotic arm 7 vertically scans all the QR codes

[0105] 40 present on the clamps 12 arranged in the interchangeable magazines 6 present on the plinths 24. With this operation, the machine 1 creates a virtual map of the position of the drugs previously associated with the respective clamp 12. The scanning operation is repeated for all the magazines 6 present in the machine 1 .

[0106] On the basis of the therapy set for the patient, the robotic arm 7 is positioned closed to the clamp 12 that retains the blister BL of the drug to be cut, using the virtual map created previously on the interchangeable magazines. For greater safety, the QR Code reader

[0107] 41 of the gripper 13 reads the QR Code 40 present on the clamp 12 again: if the reading corresponds to the correct drug then the robotic arm 7 moves toward it and with the gripper 13 grasps the clamp 12.

[0108] After grasping the clamp 12, the robotic arm 7 moves away from the interchangeable magazine 6 and positions the clamp 12 on the support structure 32 emerging below the three-dimensional scanner 2, by means of the reversible retaining means.

[0109] As in the prior art, the three-dimensional scanner 2 scans the blister BL, recognizes the outline and the arrangement of the pockets A and the coordinates X, Y of the first pocket A1 available to be cut.

[0110] The robotic arm 7, now free from the clamp 12, is oriented so that the shearing device 3 can act on the blister BL on the basis of the outline and of the arrangement of the pockets A and of the coordinates X, Y of the first pocket A1 available to be cut.

[0111] At the end of the cutting procedure, the robotic arm 7 with the separated pocket A1 placed in the tray 8 moves to the packaging unit 4 in which it unloads said pocket A1 . The robotic arm 7 picks up the clamp 12 with the remaining blisters BL from the support structure 32 once again, acting with the gripper 13 on the clamp 12, and redeposits it in the same housing 14 of the interchangeable magazine 6 from which it was collected.

[0112] The machine 1 then repeats the operations listed above for each type of drug included in the patient’s prescription.

[0113] The last pocket A1 of the blister BL is unloaded directly into the packaging unit 4 by opening the clamp 12 acting on the lever 36 thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Machine (1 ) for preparing pre-dosed drug administration units with interchangeable blister (BL) magazines, comprising:- feed means (100) of blisters (BL) of the type provided with pockets (A) each containing one dose of drug;- a three-dimensional scanner (2), adapted to detect the outline and the arrangement of the pockets (A) of one of said blisters (BL) and to obtain the coordinates (X, Y) of a pocket (A1 ) available to be cut;- handling means, adapted to move said blisters (BL) from said feed means (100) toward said three-dimensional scanner (2), managing one blister (BL) at a time;- a shearing device (3), adapted to separate said pocket (A1 ) from said blister (BL) on the basis of the coordinates (X, Y) detected by said three-dimensional scanner (2);- a robotic arm (7) with which said shearing device (3) is associated, so that said shearing device (3) is moved toward said blister (BL) to perform the separation, by cutting, of a single pocket (A1 ) when the blister (BL) is positioned under said three- dimensional scanner (2);- a packaging unit (4), adapted to receive the pockets (A) separated by said shearing device (3) to determine packaging thereof inside sealed packets also comprising pockets (A) coming from blisters (BL) of drugs of a different type;- an electrical panel (5), adapted to determine the coordinatedoperation of the components of said machine (1 );- a control panel, adapted to allow the input of a therapeutic plan, control and management of the components of said machine (1 ) by an operator;- a floor support frame (20) provided with a work table (21 ) on which the components of said machine (1 ) are laid, with the exception of said packaging unit (4) which is housed underneath, characterized in that:- said feed means (100) of blisters (BL) comprise at least one interchangeable magazine (6) and a plurality of clamps (12), where each clamp (12) is adapted to grip one of said blisters (BL) remaining stably associated therewith;- said handling means comprise a gripper (13), associated at least indirectly with said robotic arm (7), adapted to selectively cooperate with said clamps (12) to move said blister (BL) from said feed means (100) toward said three-dimensional scanner (2), keeping each blister (BL) coupled with the respective clamp (12) at all times.

2. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said at least one interchangeable magazine (6) comprises a plurality of housings (14) and corresponding reversible retaining means, where each housing (14) is adapted to accommodate one of said blisters (BL) and hold the corresponding clamp (12) in position by means of said reversible retaining means.

3. Machine (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that saidreversible retaining means comprise:- a pin (15) projecting from said at least one interchangeable magazine (6) and a magnet (16) side by side therewith, arranged at each housing (14);- a bushing (17) and a ferrous metallic insert (18) provided on each clamp (12), where said bushing (17) is adapted to house said pin (15) and said magnet (16) is adapted to interact with said ferrous metallic insert (18) to hold said clamp (12) in position on said at least one interchangeable magazine (6).

4. Machine (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that said reversible retaining means comprise at each housing (14) an antirotation pin (19) provided on said clamp (12), adapted to cooperate with a corresponding hole (23) provided on said at least one interchangeable magazine (6).

5. Machine (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises positioning means (200) of said at least one interchangeable magazine (6) on said work table (21 ) comprising at least one plinth (24), adapted to accommodate, in a unique and reversible way, a base of said at least one interchangeable magazine (6).

6. Machine (1 ) according to claim 5, characterized in that positioning means (200) comprise:- at least one pin (25) projecting from said at least one plinth (24) and at least one magnet (26) side by side therewith;- at least one bushing (27) and at least one ferrous metallic insert(28) provided below said at least one interchangeable magazine (6), where said at least one bushing (27) is adapted to house said at least one pin (25) and said at least one magnet (26) is adapted to interact with said at least one ferrous metallic insert (28) to hold said at least one interchangeable magazine (6) in position on the corresponding plinth (24).

7. Machine (1 ) according to claim 5, characterized in that positioning means (200) comprise an inductive sensor (29) provided on said at least one plinth (24), adapted to detect the presence of said at least one interchangeable magazine (6).

8. Machine (1 ) according to claim 5, characterized in that positioning means (200) comprise light signalling means (30) provided on said at least one plinth (24), adapted to indicate the presence and correct positioning of said at least one interchangeable magazine (6).

9. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a support structure (32) for said blisters (BL) below said three- dimensional scanner (2), emerging from said work table (21 ), where said support structure (32) comprises reversible retaining means for said clamp (12), so that the blister (BL) associated with said clamp (12) is cantilevered below said three-dimensional scanner (2) with respect to said support structure (32).

10. Machine (1 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that said reversible retaining means comprise a pin (33) projecting from saidsupport structure (32) and a magnet (34) side by side therewith, where said pin (33) is adapted to engage the bushing (17) provided on each clamp (12), and where said magnet (34) is adapted to interact with the ferrous metallic insert (18) provided on the same clamp (12), so as to hold said clamp (12) in position on said support structure (32).

11. Machine (1 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that said reversible retaining means comprise a hole (35) provided on said support structure (32), adapted to cooperate with the anti-rotation pin (19) provided on each clamp (12).

12. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said gripper (13) is side by side with said shearing device (3) associated with said robotic arm (7).

13. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that each clamp (12) comprises a lever (36) with elastic operating means and said gripper (13) comprises a finger (37), adapted to press on said lever (36) in a variable way.

14. Machine (1 ) according to claim 13, characterized in that said gripper comprises an electric stepper motor (38), adapted to control said finger (37) to adjust the pressure on said lever (36).

15. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that each clamp (12) comprises a pocket provided on a lower surface thereof and said gripper (13) comprises a protrusion (39), adapted to engage said pocket when said clamp (12) is retained by said gripper (13).

16. Machine (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that each clamp(12) comprises a unique QR Code (40) that identifies the clamp, and said gripper (13) comprises a QR Code reader (41) for recognition of the clamp (12) being held.

Images