Steriline, a company highly specialised in the production of complete aseptic packaging lines for injectables and ophthalmic products for global pharmaceutical companies, will be present for the first time at the Fachpack trade show in Nuremberg (23-25 September 2025). At stand No. 3C-550, Pavilion 3C, visitors will be able to appreciate Steriline’s Robotic 3D Control and Picking Solution (3D CPS) that delivers an increasingly precise capping process and further reduces the potential risk of contamination. The machine was developed in collaboration with ISS - Innovative Security Solutions, a spin-off company of Politecnico di Milano, one of the most renowned technical universities in Europe.
The solution on display in the Steriline stand is a mechatronic system equipped with a vision system that can detect objects within a defined area and adapt its operation based on the vision system’s feedback. Steriline’s machine consists of a robotic arm, a socket tool, a structured light 3D vision system and software for accessing the recipe database, for the recognition of details and automatic trajectory planning.
The robotic arm, whose dimensions can be adjusted according to the required working field, moves the “gripping tool” throughout the workspace. Sophisticated algorithms generate trajectories that allow the tool, located at the end of the arm, to reach the object, pick it up and then move it to the final destination. These trajectories are generated using information received from the 3D vision system, which uses a structured light vision-based measuring technique: a laser source emits a coded light grid framed by a camera, allowing the machine to capture the profile and three-dimensionality of the scene. This technology allows the system to independently generate reliable trajectories, avoiding any collisions with the surrounding environment, thus keeping the environment perfectly aseptic.
“We are very pleased to be participating for the first time in this significant exhibition, which this year has specifically focused on the importance of the aseptic environment - a fundamental aspect for Steriline, which has always worked to minimise the risk of contamination,” says Federico Fumagalli, Steriline’s CSO.
“The introduction of a robotic picking solution featuring a 3D vision system into the pharmaceutical industry is part of Steriline's approach to preventing any form of contamination in primary packaging,” stresses Christian Hilscher, Sales Director at EbeTech GmbH, Steriline’s sales representative for central and northern Europe. “In the pharmaceutical industry, limiting the release of particles during sensitive processes makes the difference, as it reduces the risk of contamination. With this in mind, we have introduced various solutions into our machines to remove the elements that could increase particle dispersion during the filling process. In this case, the 3D CPS intervenes on the capping and crimping processes.”
“Bin Picking is a robotic application that has reached maturity and is reliably applicable to the pharmaceutical industry, allowing, among other things, a reduction in the number of required components and set-up times for a new format,” concludes Alessandro Caprioli, Sales Manager at ISS - Innovative Security Solutions.
The replacement of the hopper, vibrating cup, and linear conveyor belt with a robotic system combined with a new vision system makes the 3D CPS a flexible and versatile machine, capable of quickly adapting to specific aseptic packaging requirements.
The best application of 3D CPS lies in crimping and capping activities for the primary packaging of small batches that require an aseptic environment, such as in personalised medicine and the production of cellular and gene therapies.
