Unit Dosage Packaging.

We use a 2D DataMatrix, which carries more data than a linear barcode in a fraction of the space. On a pack smaller than a postage stamp there isn't room for a linear code that holds product, lot and expiry. High-contrast print keeps it readable by bedside scanners.

Test the printed code with the actual hospital scanning system before the run. A code that reads on a desktop scanner can still fail on a ward handheld.

It should, and the perforation is placed so each single cavity keeps its product name, lot and expiry once separated. A tear line that cuts through the print leaves an unidentified dose, which defeats the purpose of unit dosing.

We lay the print out per cavity, then position the perforation between the printed blocks. Clean perforation also matters, because a ragged tear can split the lidding.

The range follows the dosage form: blister strips for solid orals, peelable lidded cups for liquids, and stick packs or sachets for powders. Injectable formats need a sterile barrier system. We also build cartons with a blister tray slot for holding unit-dose cards.

Tell us the dose, the count per carton and how the ward stores it, and we'll suggest the format. Many hospital programmes use more than one.

A single dose has a poor volume-to-surface ratio, so more moisture and oxygen reach each dose than they would in a bottle. High-barrier laminates compensate for that and keep each cavity protected until the point of use.

The barrier spec depends on the product and its shelf life, so we build to the laminate your stability data supports. Tamper-evident seals keep integrity visible up to administration.

High-contrast print on a matte surface is the most dependable spec, because gloss glare can stop a scanner reading the code. Black on white gives the best read rate. Colour belongs in bands and strength cues away from the code area.

The outer carton can take matte lamination, CMYK with Pantone matching and a spot UV logo. The dose packs themselves stay plain and functional, since legibility at small sizes matters more than decoration.

Every unit-dose pack is sized to one dose, so the cavity, cup or sachet follows the tablet, volume or powder fill. The outer carton is then sized by how many strips or cups go in and how the pharmacy stores them.

Send us the dose dimensions or fill volume and the count per carton. We'll draw the strip layout and the carton together so the perforation spacing and the carton length agree.

Unit dosage packaging is available from a minimum of 500 units. A hospital supplier can trial a format and test the scanning workflow at that size before moving to larger volumes, which can go up to 100,000 units per order.

Variable data such as lot and expiry can be printed across the run, so one order can cover several batches.

Expect 7 to 10 business days in production once artwork is signed, and 5 to 7 on a rush order. Samples arrive within 5 to 7 business days, which gives your team time to run them through the ward scanners.

We credit the cost of the sample against the bulk run when you place it.