Pharmaceutical Blister Web Width, Strokes/Min & Foil Yield Calculator
Calculate blisters per stroke, required web width (mm), punching strokes per minute, and PVC/Alu-Alu + PTP foil kilogram consumption per 100,000 cards.
Size Blister Card Pitch, Multi-Up Dies & Foil Weight Before Ordering Tooling
Cold-form Alu-Alu cavities require wider inter-pocket bridges (6–8 mm) and perimeter seal margins (>=5–6 mm) than thermoformed PVC (3.5–4.5 mm bridges). Grounded in pharma line sizing and compliance and cgmp barrier and validation specs, sizing your card dimensions (L_card × W_card) determines how many cards punch per stroke (N_up), which directly dictates machine frame class (DPP-150 vs DPP-180L vs DPP-260).
Formulas: Web_Width = (N_across × Card_Length_or_Width) + (2 × 8 mm edge trim); Required_Strokes_Min = Target_BPM / (N_up × 0.85_OEE); Foil_Area_m² = (Web_mm × Index_mm × Strokes) / 1,000,000.
Reference Blister Card Layout & Machine Match Table
Worked formatting examples for standard 10-count (2×5) tablets and capsules:
| Dosage & Barrier | Typical 10-Ct Card (mm) | Cards / Stroke (N_up) | Web × Index (mm) | Output @ 45 Strokes/Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 mm Round Tablet (Alu-PVC) | 92 × 38 mm | 3-up across | 130 × 94 mm | 135 blisters/min (~115 net) |
| Size 0 Capsule (Alu-PVC) | 105 × 46 mm | 4-up (2×2) | 226 × 94 mm (DPP-260) | 180 blisters/min (~153 net) |
| 10 mm Tablet (Cold Alu-Alu) | 112 × 68 mm | 2-up | 152 × 114 mm (DPP-180L) | 90 blisters/min (~76 net) |
| Large Caplet (Cold Alu-Alu) | 128 × 78 mm | 2-up wide | 272 × 80 mm (DPP-260/300) | 90 blisters/min (~76 net) |
Packing into HDPE bottles instead? Size track counts in our tablet counting channel estimator.
cGMP Cleanroom & Validation Notes
- Foil Grammage Multipliers (g/m²):
0.25 mmPVC ≈345 g/m²;25 μmPTP lidding foil ≈72 g/m²;25/45/60Cold-Form Alu-Alu ≈240 g/m². Multiplym²per 100k cards (including 10% trim/setup) to budget exact roll orders. - Cross-Web Orientation Usually Wins: Orienting the long dimension of the blister card across the web width keeps servo index travel short (
70–95 mm), allowing smoother forming dwell times. - Keep Cold-Form Strokes <=45–55 CPM on Flat-Plate: Allowing an extra 150 milliseconds of PTFE plug stamping dwell eliminates aluminum corner thinning.
Request a Complimentary CAD Blister Card Drawing
Send your tablet diameter × thickness (or capsule size) and count per card via Project Brief.
Explore related cGMP systems in Pharma Packing Machines, cGMP Barrier & Validation, or send your dosage specs via Project Brief.
Related Specifications
Further Reference
Verify Dimensions & Operating Ratings
Send your target envelope, load requirements, and ambient environment to review matching configurations.