Key Highlights
- Improve pharmacy productivity and precision in the provision of medicines.
- Choose from an array of pill counting machines, ranging from the simple to the extremely sophisticated.
- Among them consider speed, simplicity, and applicability to tablets of various diameters.
- Understand how such devices help with the flow of work in pharmacies, hospitals and clinics.
- Ensure safety for the patients and minimize the chances of making errors during medication by using exact pill counting methods.
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced healthcare organizations, timeliness and accuracy are crucial. A pill counter is an essential tool for pharmacy staff and it is small and easy to use. This blog post will discuss the advantages of using pill counting machines, the various categories that are available, the features of each and the best models that are available in the market today.
Understanding Pill Counting Machines
The pill counter is a machine which is built to count doses in the form of pills, tablets and capsules. Through this device medications are dispensed using vibration, image recognition, optical sensors etc. and, most importantly, counted.
These machines help in speeding up processes in many settings including pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Because of these automated counters, an enormous amount of work of pharmacy staff is minimized allowing them to focus on patient service, drug reconciliation, etc.
The Importance of Accuracy in Pill Counting
The provision of medicines is critically important to healthcare and so the practices of distributing them should never be compromised as such actions may put patients at risk of being without essential medicines or receiving an excess of them, a situation which is particularly concerning for health clinics that rely on patients getting the right amount for their treatment.
The most practical approach for achieving this type of solving clinical puzzles would be to install a calibrated pill counting machine which enables each dose prescribed to consist of the precise number of pills required which because they come in numerous styles does improve patient safety but it also allows the institutions to improve their inventory systems, cut operational expenses, and even reduce spoilage.
As a consequence the likelihood of humans making mistakes when distributing drugs is lessened. They assist the patients and the dolling out of the drugs, thus fostering trust in the overall drug dispensing process.
Types of Pill Counting Machines Available
Counting machines are ideal devices for counting disaggregated forms of goods like seeds or tablets in large volumes as these however one can classify such equipment based on their commonality and use cases as given below:
Electronic Pill Counting Machines:
- Photoelectric Counting Machines: These use photoelectric sensors for counting and are preferred in laboratories and small to medium production because of their accuracy and relatively fast speed. They are widely favored.
- Camera-Based Counting Machines: These use camera technology to count by image processing software, ideal for high precision use and are becoming more popular.
Mechanical Pill Counting Machines:
- Vibratory Counting Machines: These employ vibrating trays to feed items and mechanical systems to count the product, ideal for the products that are regularly shaped granules. They are cheaper than other types as they are suitable for small-scale count- ing and simple counting procedures only.
- Roller Counting Machines: These use rolling gaps for sorting and counting particles; this is a conventional but effective technique, which is applied in certain industries.
Fully Automatic Pill Counting Machines:
- These machines are ideal for large scale production and are characterized by high speed, batch counting and packaging making them ideal for use in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Despite the fact that they might be a little more costly, their efficacy and volume makes them to be popular.
Manual Pill Counting Machines:
- The basic type mainly involving manual operations is often applied for basic or low accuracy needs. Although they are not as popular as before, they are still employed in low-budget small companies.
Out of all the types, the most widespread are electronic counting machines, especially the ones which utilize photoelectric technology. The combination of speed, degree of precision as well as the ability to adapt to different granules make them the preferred choice in laboratories and the pharmaceutical industry.
Key Features to Look for in a Pill Counting Machine
- Level of Accuracy And Precision: Make sure that the machine is able to count as accurately as possible with the aim of making as few errors as possible, crucial in a pharmacy.
- Speed: Choose a machine that is able to quickly count a multitude of pills as is necessary in a pharmacy or a manufacturing company.
- Flexibility: The size, shape or type should not matter as the machine should be able to count tablets and capsules as well as pills with irregular shapes.
- Usability: The buttons were designed to be simple and do not require any in depth understanding of the device to operate.
- Machine Reliability And Structure: A well built and structured machine lasts long and does not get damaged keeping in consistent heavy use.
In conclusion, remember to look for precision first, followed by speed, versatility, simplicity of operation, and strength when looking for a pill counting machine. These features are necessary because these situations make use of such machines to make the most accurate counts possible, these areas are, for example, pharmacies or even drug manufacturers. As a result, the machine’s performance in various aspects, such as accuracy, productivity, and durability, would enhance the overall effectiveness and reliability of your operations.
Best Commercial Pill Counting Machines
Now let us consider four of the best selling pill counting and bottling machines. They are characterized by high accuracy, stability, and simplicity of operation of these devices. Whether it is for large volume packaging of medication or pharmaceutical manufacturing, these machines demonstrate the capabilities of the current counting and packaging solutions for large volume production.
Model A: SED-T16SP
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-T16SP Automatic Gummy Counting Machine |
| Speed | Up to 180,000 pcs/hr (3g) |
| Capacity | Diameter range of 2-29mm; 16-channel discharge |
| Accuracy | 99.98% |
| Special Features | Compatible with sticky soft candies and gummies without sticking to the vibration panel |
| Complies with GMP standards | |
| Touch screen interface for easy operation | |
| Supports counting of multiple materials | |
| Complete data recording function | |
| Automatically detects and removes unqualified products | |
| Equipped with fault self-detection and emergency stop device | |
| Precise counting with photoelectric sensor and PLC system |
The SED-T16SP fully automatic counting machine can be employed in bottling of unpackaged products such as sticky soft candies and gummies. It is offered with an accuracy of 99.98%. The sticky panel problem is taken care of by making sure that the product does not attach itself while on the vibrating panel. With sixteen channels, the machine meets the GMP standards and is able to pack 180000 pieces in an hour. Some of its key attributes are ease of operations, low maintenance and versatility. This can be recommended in large scale use; it improves productivity, reduces the costs of labor and standardizes the many products that are packaged.
Model B: SED-8SP
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-8SP Automatic Tablet Pill Counting Machine |
| Speed | 600-2,400 bottles/hr |
| Capacity | Max. pill diameter 20mm; Tablet diameter 5.5-22mm; Capsule size 000-5# |
| Accuracy | 99.98% |
| Special Features | 90° tiltable hopper for easy unloading and cleaning |
| Toolless disassembly in less than 2 minutes | |
| All detachable parts weigh less than 10 lb for easy handling | |
| Meets GMP requirements | |
| Easy detaching of shells and panels | |
| Complete component removal without any tools | |
| Vibration sending without damaging medicines | |
| “No bottle no filling” and self-trouble checking | |
| Automatic counting with anti-high dust photoelectric sensing technology |
The SED-8SP automatic pharmacy pill counter can be regarded as a development of SED-8S but it has been designed to be easy to clean and maintain. It has removable cover shells and vibrating panels and has a 90 degree tiltable hopper that makes offloading and cleaning easy. Every removable part is less than 10lbs which makes it easy to move and comes out in under 2 minutes and requires no tools. The machine complies with the GMP and also does not vibrate in a way that the pills are damaged while counting them. Other features include “No bottle, no filling” capabilities and self diagnosis which improve its performance characteristics and make it a good product for high density pharmaceutical environments because the maintenance is relatively low and the performance is very high.
Model C：SED-8SJ
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-8SJ Automatic Vision Counting Machine |
| Speed | 1,800-2,400 bottles/hr |
| Capacity | Suitable for granular materials of various shapes and sizes including tablets, capsules, seeds, candies |
| Accuracy | 99.98% |
| Special Features | Uniform vibration conveying of granular materials |
| Real-time shooting with high-resolution camera | |
| Touch screen operation interface for easy parameter setting | |
| Intelligent detection alarm | |
| Automatically removes unqualified products | |
| Completely records counting data | |
| Quick disassembly of components | |
| High-precision counting with a high-resolution camera and image processing algorithms |
The SED-8SJ automatic machine, which has the ability of quick vision counting, is capable of counting and bottling several types of granular materials, for example, tablets and pills, capsules, seeds, and even candies with the help of an accurate camera and cutting edge processes for image viewing. With a highly efficient working output this vision counting machine can carry out bottling with a speed of 1,800 to 2,400 bottles on an hourly basis. As a result, the machine displays steady vibration, a high-resolution real-time image of the goods passing through a camera is taken and an intelligent, detection alarm to remove non-qualifying items is fitted on it. Using its touch screen interface makes it convenient for personnel as it gives room for easy parameter settings and every counting data is stored and can be traced easily at any given point in time. The other good aspects that this machine has include ease in disassembly of its components and ease in cleaning and maintenance which makes it very fit to be used in situations that requires large amounts of production to be done.
Model D：SED-8S-S
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-8S-S (Standard) Electronic Pill Counter Machine |
| Speed | 1,200-7,200 bottles/hr |
| Capacity | Max. tablet diameter 22mm; Capsule sizes #00-#5 |
| Accuracy | 99.98% |
| Special Features | Three-stage vibration for stable operation |
| Controlled by high-end PLC, special IO module, HMI, and pneumatic system | |
| Equipped with dust collection device for managing heavy dust | |
| Small gate stopping device ensures accurate medicine stopping | |
| Photoelectric sensor detects bottle jams or lack of bottles | |
| Automatic dust and material collecting | |
| High sensitivity and response with combined photoelectric counting |
The SED-8SX-S electronic pill counter has a fully automatic operation thanks to the use of precise, stable and quiet counting combining both mechanical and pneumatic technology. The equipment comprises 2 units each with 4 channels and 2 discharge ports thus enhancing accurate and effective medication counting. The machine is composed of a high–end PLC with IO module, HMI, and pneumatic system. Its self designed photoelectric counting system has high sensitivity and fast response speed. Other accessories are a collection of dust and debris devices, a small gate stopping mechanism for accurately dispensing of medicines, and photoelectric sensors that respond to bottle mistreatment or deficiency. In addition, automatic dust and material collection increase the production and neatness in high bulk areas.
Pill Counting Machines for Small Businesses
Modle E：SED-BS
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-BS Semi Automatic Tablet Counting Machine |
| Speed | 12,000-24,000 pcs/hr |
| Capacity | Suitable for capsules, tablets, and pills ranging from 5-15mm |
| Accuracy | 99.97% |
| Special Features | 2 discharging outlets |
| Complies with GMP standards | |
| Touch screen for easy parameter setting | |
| Suitable for various granular products | |
| Accurate counting with a photoelectric sensor |
The SED-BS semi-automatic counting machine is an economic and simple solution built to count and package solid particles such as tablets and capsules. This machine is further suitable for use in laboratories, compound pharmacies, and quality control departments that comply with GMP requirements. The machine has a photoelectric sensor that ensures accurate counting and a touch screen with a simple user interface, which helps in adjusting parameters. It can pack granular products between the size of 5 – 15 mm and can be used in a number of applications. Thanks to its efficient working capabilities and ease of use, as well as GMP compliance, the SED-BS confidently earns a remit as a device meant for small and medium scale production settings.
Model F：SED-BS-C
| Feature | Details |
| Model | SED-BS-C Intelligent Electronic Counting Machine |
| Speed | 36,000-180,000 pcs/hr |
| Capacity | Suitable for tablets with diameters of 5-25mm and capsules sizes 00#-5# |
| Accuracy | 99.80% |
| Special Features | Vibrating channel feeding with step-less speed regulation |
| Touch screen PLC intelligent control | |
| System self-checking and automatic shutdown | |
| Optical fiber and amplifier combination for detection system | |
| High-definition display screen for displaying parameters | |
| Made of 304 stainless steel | |
| Equipped with a dust collection system | |
| Complies with GMP requirements | |
| IR detection counting with optical fiber sensing probe |
The SED-BS-C intelligent electronic counter integrates a number of advanced technologies such as vibrating channel feeding, step-less speed control, along with PLC-controlled touch screen for accurate counting. A sensing probe which is an optical fiber along with a device combining optical fiber and an amplifier is used in the device which gives a high degree of accuracy. The machine is fitted with a high resolution screen to enable an easy observation of various parameters and a clean design that has dust gathering functions. It is made of 304 stainless steel which is durable and helps to comply with GMP requirements while ensuring reliability and cost-effective performance during mass production. The device is able to perform self-checking and automatic power off ensuring least down time and effective functioning in adverse conditions.
Model G: Rxcount Rx-4 Automatic Tablet & Capsule Counter
| Feature | Details |
| Counting Speed | Up to 500 pills per minute |
| Modes | Single vial filling |
| Multiple vial filling | |
| Inventory counting | |
| Design | Compact design fits any countertop space |
| Compatibility | Compatible with over 95% of tablets, capsules, and soft-gels |
The Rx-4 Automatic Tablet & Capsule Counter from Rx Count Corporation offers exceptional accuracy and reliability, capable of counting tablets, capsules, and soft gels at speeds up to 500 per minute. It is perfect for both inventory counting and prescription filling. Unique in its ability to dispense specific quantities directly into vials, bottles, or other receptacles, the Rx-4 combines efficiency with versatility. Weighing just 7 lbs., its compact, portable design fits easily into any countertop workstation. Ideal for a wide range of applications, the Rx-4 is well-suited for pharmacies, hospitals, veterinary clinics, medical practices, and more.
Model H: Kirby Lester KL1
| Feature | Details |
| Efficiency | Average 14.3 seconds faster than hand-counting for a 90-count prescription |
| Counting Speed | Up to 15 tablets/second |
| Design | Compact design, about the size of a counting tray |
| Accuracy | Counts almost any tablet or capsule without calibration, maintaining absolute accuracy |
| Operation | Stand-alone design, requires no interfacing or I.T. setup; plug in and start counting |
| Applications | Essential for perpetual inventory management, especially frequent counts in narcotics vaults |
| Suitable for fast inventory counting in pharmaceutical manufacturing and batch-count QC |
The Kirby Lester KL1 is the smallest and fastest automated pill and tablet counter in the world and is relied upon in countries all over the world. It is small enough to blend with other equipment in even the most congested working environment. The KL1 counts tablets and capsules at a fast rate and with high precision, and does not need to be recalibrated. It is more efficient than manual counting in the process of Rx filling and physical inventory control. In this way, the KL1 contributes to enhancing the role of pharmacies and other healthcare facilities in patient care, as well as minimizing the number of operational mistakes in the identified tasks.
Top Pill Counting Machine Manufacturers
Leading Pharmaceutical Equipment Manufacturer for High Efficiency
With a 5,500 m² factory and a dedicated team of over 100 R&D and office personnel, Sedpharma delivers high-quality pharmaceutical equipment solutions worldwide.
As part of our comprehensive solutions for packaging and manufacturing, SED Pharma provides a variety of advanced pill counting machines. Our machines which have counting and packaging capabilities of pills, tablets, and capsules are cost effective as they are able to get precision rates of 99.98 percent and above. These devices ensure that biopharmaceutical firms have effective solutions, considering they have different production levels to meet various operational requirements. SED’s machines are also able to handle high-speed production while being accurate, precise, and cost-effective so as to suit your production requirements.
Conclusion
Pill counting machines are very important devices in enhancing the pharmacies, hospitals and any other healthcare facilities which require a working solution. For those people seeking for a high speed machine for mass production or a low speed one for smaller tasks, there are a range of machines to serve the purpose. There are fully automatic calibrated top of the range machines, semi automatic and manual machines available which facilitate the quick and easy dispensing of the medication, minimizing mistakes and creating safety for the patients.
