
When a physician injects a patient with medication from a glass vial, they want to know that the drug inside that vial is sterile and stable. That’s where Genesis Packaging Technologies comes in. Genesis Packaging Technologies, formally a division of the West Company, was founded in 1946. Today, Genesis is a one of the leaders in the science and technology of parenteral vial sealing and residual seal force testing.
The company’s capping equipment is respected around the world, and its seal force tester has always been an industry leader. Through continuous development, Genesis strives to improve its product lines in order to meet and exceed customer needs. With this in mind, it decided to offer the customers a new generation of the Residual Seal Force Tester: a new machine that would deliver more precision and a greater ability to gather and process seal data.
To upgrade its existing line of laboratory and high-speed production equipment, Genesis called on Moxley Electronics, a trusted distributor of automation components from Mitsubishi Electric.
According to Josh Zimmerman, Moxley’s Business Manager, “We worked closely with the Genesis team to get a firm understanding of the features and functionality they wanted to bring to market.”

To meet the challenge, Moxley suggested using off-the-shelf EtherNet/IP Servo Drives and Amplifiers from Mitsubishi Electric. This standard motion control platform replaced the old custom platform with a solution that delivered greater precision and performance at a better price point than the competitor’s offering. It was also highly compatible with the tester’s existing PLC.
By employing a standardized motion platform with off-the-shelf servos, production lead times for the new tester were cut in half, dropping from twelve weeks down to six. And production output went from building 5-10 machines a year to building 30 or more.
As an added bonus, the new platform not only delivered greater precision, but also higher value with a wide range of built-in features at a great price point. These features alleviate the need for expensive upgrades and extras.
By moving from a customized to a standardized automation platform, Genesis Packaging Technologies reduced lead and build times while increasing output by 300 percent.
The upgrade of Vera was so successful that Genesis decided to standardize on the Mitsubishi Electric motion control platform and use it to upgrade several of their existing capping products.
These earlier systems include the Integra Lab Vial Crimper, the RW Westcapper® Rail Crimper, and the Aptus® Modular Crimping System. Applying the standardized motion platform to all of these means that Genesis only has to stock one type of motor, which significantly streamlines inventory.
“The new Vera illustrates that our expertise is really in the science of sealing. It’s deep-rooted, and so is our commitment to seal integrity,” said Genesis Packaging’s General Manager Eric Stone.
According to Moxley’s Josh Zimmerman, “The new product with its standard motion platform delivers ease of use, more precise motion control, and greater feedback from the system. That means more data. And best of all, the new servo drives are extremely compatible and easily integrate with the machine’s existing PLC — even though the PLC was from a competitor of Mitsubishi Electric.”
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. is a U.S. affiliate company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. It offers a broad product portfolio including programmable automation controllers.
This article was contributed by Mitsubishi Electric (Vernon Hills, IL). For more information, visit here .