Pharmaceutical Blister Packages, consisting primarily of aluminum and plastics, hold significant potential for recycling. During pharmaceutical production, finished strips that do not meet specifications must be de-blistered, either manually or using automated machines. To facilitate the recycling process of the blisters, aluminum and plastic are separated adequately. This work presents the design of an integrated system for recycling pharmaceutical waste blister packaging. The integrated system includes de-blistering the strips, shredding the aluminum and plastic strips, separating the adhesive material that bonds the plastic and aluminum parts, and finally using electrostatic methods to separate the aluminum from the plastics. The research methodology is primarily based on reverse engineering, which involves collecting field data and extracting design specifications through the functional analysis of a used de-blistering machine and published specifications of the other three machines. This work develops the preliminary mechanical design and electrical control design of the integrated automated machines. A prototype was developed, and finite element analysis was used to analyze the stress and factor of safety. The system is projected to have a positive economic and environmental impact, promoting material recycling and ensuring sustainability within the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, developing such an integrated system is essential for reworking/reprocessing of pharmaceutical products in case of failure to meet product specifications.
Published in: 3rd GCC International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Publisher: IEOM Society International
Date of Conference: February 2
-4
, 2026
ISBN: 979-8-3507-6175-7
ISSN/E-ISSN: 2169-8767