Blister packaging protects products from theft, allows consumers to see the product, and separates items. Regulations require resistance to light, oxygen, and moisture. Materials can be cold or thermoformable, with aluminum laminated with plastic being common. Packaging types include face seal, clamshell, and blister packs. A foot may be added for stability. Manufacturers should choose packaging that protects and displays the product while leaving space for advertising.
Many manufacturers use blister packaging to protect their products from thieves, to allow consumers to see the product and to separate the product from itself, as with pills that come in blister packs. There are regulations on how moisture, oxygen and light resistant blister packaging must be, but some products may require extra strength. While many different materials can be used to make blister packs, they can be divided into two categories: cold formable and thermoformable; the manufacturer should choose a material that works best with the product. How the blister holds its contents is also important, as this will determine how the product packaging will look. The inclusion of a foot may be required, depending on the retailers and the product in question.
According to regulations in most parts of the world, all blister packs must be resistant to light, oxygen and moisture to ensure that the product inside is safe and the consumer does not get sick if the product is ingested. Some products, especially unstable drugs, may require resistance that goes beyond the regulations. If this is true, the manufacturer should choose a blister pack that meets these higher standards, so that the consumer can use it properly.
There are many different types of materials used to create blister packaging, but the materials can be separated into two categories. The cold formable material is commonly pressed aluminum laminated with plastic. Aluminum is resistant to many external forces and has a high mechanical resistance; aluminum has a tendency to penetrate other materials and crack, but the inclusion of plastic corrects these problems. Thermoformable materials are plastics that can be easily molded into any shape, but are not as resistant to external forces, especially light, because the plastic is transparent. If the product is a simple shape that requires high strength, cold formable materials are probably best; if the product has a unique shape and the manufacturer wants a clear blister to showcase the product, then thermoformable materials are better.
The type of blister packaging, or how it contains the product, is important for marketing and safety purposes. Some types of packaging are: Face seal blisters which are affixed to the front of the cardboard cards; clamshell packages that snap shut and are more resistant to theft because they are difficult to open inconspicuously; and blister packs that feature small pockets to separate and hold a number of pills or items. Manufacturers should choose a type of packaging that best protects and displays the product while still leaving adequate space for advertising projects.
A foot is a section of plastic that is added to the bottom of some blister packs to act as a base. If a product needs to be able to stand upright, footed blister packaging may be the best option, because it allows the product to do just that. Some retailers actually require a foot, so this addition may be mandatory if the manufacturer wants to sell the product in particular stores.
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