Embedded RFID Tag in Pharmaceutical Vial Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pharmaceutical package tracing technologies are limited in their ability to track packages throughout the entire value chain, from manufacture to supply chain, as they often require costly specially designed components and are prone to damage, especially when RFID tags are attached to the exterior of containers.
Innovation Solution
Embedding an electronic component, such as an RFID tag or integrated circuit, directly into the vessel of pharmaceutical packages like vials, syringes, and cartridges, made of thermoplastic materials like polypropylene or polyethylene, to provide traceability and compliance monitoring without exposing it on the exterior or interior surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID tags are attached to the exterior of the vessel, then traceability is enabled, but the RFID tags are easily damaged and can be separated
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic component is merged with the vessel by embedding it within the thermoplastic material during the molding process. This combining of the RFID tag with the container structure eliminates the risk of separation and damage that occurs with external attachments, while maintaining full traceability functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic component is nested within the wall structure of the thermoplastic vessel. The RFID tag is positioned inside the material matrix, protected by the surrounding thermoplastic layers, which provides mechanical protection while allowing wireless communication to function through the non-metallic material.
2Reliability
If specially designed components are used for RFID integration, then traceability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel and electronic component are manufactured as a single integrated piece using standard injection molding or blow molding processes. This eliminates the need for separate assembly steps and specially designed components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while ensuring reliable traceability.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing thermoplastic molding processes used for manufacturing vessels are made multi-functional by incorporating the electronic component during the same molding cycle. This allows standard manufacturing equipment to produce both the container and the embedded RFID tag, avoiding the need for specialized equipment or processes.
3Strength
If the electronic component is embedded in the thermoplastic wall, then protection from damage is improved, but the component must withstand molding stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic component is positioned and secured within the mold cavity before the thermoplastic material is injected. This preliminary placement ensures the component is properly positioned and protected from the stresses of the molding process, while the surrounding material provides immediate protection once solidified.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to plastic pharmaceutical vessels, such as vials, pre-filled syringes, and cartridges having an electronic component, such as an RFID tag, embedded in and fully enclosed by a wall thereof. The electronic component may be positioned at a specific site that allows for the component to be concealed by a conventional closure, such as in the neck portion of a vial or the needle or Luer hub of a syringe barrel. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of preparing and using pharmaceutical vessels having an electronic component incorporated therein.