The SelectSeal Max340 is a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that thermoforms the bottom web from rollstock, loads the device, then seals and cuts the finished sterile barrier package inline. Horizontal form-fill-seal removes pre-formed tray inventory from the process entirely, since the cavity is made on the machine as each package runs.

The Max340 is the wider-web member of the SelectSeal HFFS range, handling flexible or rigid rollstock to 340mm with a maximum format of 13.4 inches square, a draw depth to 3 inches and film thickness to 35 mil. Where the Max200 covers smaller devices at 200mm, the Max340 suits larger instruments, trays and kits that will not fit a narrow web.

Forming films include PET, PETG, HIPS, PVC, poly and Nylon/Surlyn, with heat sealable Tyvek, medical paper, poly films or paper board as the non-forming top web. Forming is vacuum with air assist and male plug assist, and high force cold forming is available for foil applications.

The seal station is servo driven with 7350 lb capacity and direct load cell feedback, verifying seal force on every cycle rather than inferring it from position. Recipe scan to load provides automatic tool verification, and Cognex or Keyence vision inspects device presence and printed graphics. Tool changes need no water, wiring or reheating, and the modular design allows varied package sizes and features on the same frame.

Controls are an Allen-Bradley CompactLogix processor with a 12 inch PanelView Plus colour touchscreen. Open software architecture with native files included means no controls lock-in, and the machine is fully validatable to GMP requirements with process parameter verification, data change tracking, line clearance and four level user security as standard.

Typical applications are medical device manufacturers running high volume, low SKU formats in a cleanroom, where the tooling flexibility and inventory savings of forming in-line outweigh the simplicity of buying pre-formed trays.