| The typical pharmacy can fill many hundreds of | | | | The overall goal was to create a machine that could |
| prescriptions every day. This demand can put a lot of | | | | be "plug and play," requiring no modifications or |
| pressure on pharmacists and their staff in order to | | | | complicated set up by a pharmacist beyond stocking |
| keep adequate staffing levels throughout the day | | | | the medication. The entire unit had to fit within the |
| while still serving customers without letting long lines | | | | standard dimensions of a pharmacy and its shelving |
| form. In addition, the right drugs have to be given at | | | | units that ran on a standard wall plug. The actual |
| the right dosage with the correct amount of doses | | | | counting unit had to be able to accurately track |
| while documentation has to be accurate and | | | | dosages and a barcode scanner system was used to |
| complete. In the midst of all of that activity, | | | | ensure accuracy in labeling. Cross contamination of |
| pharmacists have to be able to offer consultation to | | | | different medicines was to be avoided by the use of |
| patients as well as screen for potential drug | | | | separate cells and chutes for each medication. |
| interactions. | | | | The Solution - DC Micro-Motors |
| With such a full plate, automation in medical | | | | The entire system works off the use of just four |
| application solutions can provide a big boost for a | | | | powered DC micro-motors. Instead of having 200 |
| pharmacy's accuracy and customer service. | | | | separate motion systems, the only moving parts are |
| Automated pill dispensing robots have been designed | | | | a miniature gantry crane, a gripping device, and the |
| and developed to provide such aid. | | | | actual dispensing action. This allowed the system to |
| Automation In The Pharmacy | | | | meet its goals of simplicity and low power usage. |
| Automated pill dispensing helps to alleviate the | | | | Each motor had to be very compact while still |
| workload in a pharmacy and better allows its staff to | | | | providing adequate power to move large numbers of |
| focus on other tasks. The current technology offers | | | | bulky pills; DC micro-motors at a standard size of 1 |
| a 99.7% counting and labeling accuracy, allowing the | | | | inch fit the bill while still being capable of running off |
| staff to let the robot run with minimal supervision. A | | | | of a wall electrical outlet. |
| series of high efficiency, high torque DC micro-motors | | | | The modular design of DC gearmotors also allows a |
| and DC gearmotors allows the entire operation to run | | | | number of accessories to be added to the basic |
| quickly in the limited space of a pharmacy. | | | | functioning for special needs. High volume pharmacies |
| The Technology That Supports Medical Application | | | | can utilize batch loading, which pre-fills holding tanks |
| Solutions | | | | with a set amount of medication ready to be |
| The medication dispensing technology can store up | | | | dumped on demand. The same motor technology |
| to 200 of the most commonly prescribed medicines | | | | enables this medical application solution to fit the |
| and successfully fulfill any order type from pills to | | | | same design mentality. |
| unit-of-use medication such as lotions and ointments. | | | | Overall, today's advances in medical technology help |
| To meet the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, | | | | assist healthcare providers in offering the highest |
| the technology had to satisfy a number of criteria. | | | | level of care. |