Personalized Softgel Capsule Printing with Correction Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current softgel capsule printing technologies face challenges with low accuracy, fixed printing content, low manufacturing efficiency, and unstable color consistency, particularly due to the small size of the capsules and oily surfaces causing blur, distortion, and offset issues, as well as the inability to achieve online variable printing.
Innovation Solution
A personalized softgel capsule manufacturing device comprising a first and second capsule forming unit, a pump spray body, a printing unit with correction assemblies, and a control unit, which enables continuous and precise printing before pill compression, ensuring accurate pattern placement and color control through edge detection and real-time adjustment, and the use of a one-shot printing mode with multiple nozzles and a dryer for efficient mass production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate process equipment and fixed transfer mold are used for printing, then the printing process is stable, but the printing content becomes fixed and online variable printing cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the printing unit with the capsule forming units into an integrated system. The printing nozzle is positioned to print directly on the gelatin sheet during the forming process, eliminating the need for separate printing equipment and fixed transfer molds. This merging enables online variable printing while maintaining process stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing system uses a controllable printing nozzle that can dynamically adjust printing content, position, and parameters based on real-time control signals. This dynamic capability allows online variable printing of different patterns and information on different capsules, replacing fixed transfer molds with a flexible digital printing approach.
2Manufacturing precision
If printing is performed after demoulding, then the capsule surface is accessible, but the oily surface causes blur, distortion, and offset
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs printing on the gelatin sheet before the capsule is fully formed and demoulded. By printing at this earlier stage, the gelatin surface is still in a suitable state for accurate printing without the interference of oil that appears after demoulding. This preliminary printing action ensures sharp, clear patterns without blur or distortion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If customization is implemented for each capsule, then personalization is achieved, but production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The printing nozzle operates continuously as the gelatin sheet moves through the forming process, printing on each capsule without stopping the production line. This continuous printing action enables customization of each capsule while maintaining high production efficiency, avoiding the need to slow down or stop for individual printing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical printing methods with a digitally controlled printing nozzle system. This substitution allows for rapid change of printing content through digital control signals, enabling customization without the mechanical complexity and time consumption of changing physical molds or printing plates for each capsule.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple printing passes are used, then color accuracy is improved, but production speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system uses multiple printing nozzles arranged to print different colors or pattern elements simultaneously in one pass. This segmentation of printing functions across multiple nozzles allows for accurate color control and complex patterns without requiring multiple sequential printing passes, thereby maintaining high production speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables online variable information printing, improves printing efficiency, and ensures precise color control, reducing defects like blur and offset, while enhancing production speed and accuracy, allowing for customized and consistent printing on softgel capsules.
Implementation Method 1
The printing nozzle is used to continuously print on the sheet printing surface of the gelatin sheet to form a pattern
Implementation Method 2
the printing unit further includes a dryer, which is disposed between the printing nozzle and the left and right correction assembly for drying the pattern
Implementation Method 3
The pump spray body is disposed directly above the two pilling molds and is used to spray liquid into the pill to form a softgel capsule
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a manufacturing device and a manufacturing method for personalized softgel capsules. The manufacturing device includes a first capsule forming unit, a second capsule forming unit, a pump spray body, a printing unit and a control unit. The first capsule forming unit and the second capsule forming unit are arranged symmetrically on left and right, and both of them include a casting drum, several feeding rollers and a pilling mold that are disposed in sequence from front to back, and also include a spreading box arranged above the casting drum. The pump spray body is disposed directly above the two pilling molds. The printing unit includes a printing nozzle, a left and right correction assembly and a front and rear correction assembly that are disposed on the first capsule forming unit in sequence from front to back. The control unit is connected to the printing unit.