ABOUT GLOBAL VISION

In recent years, automated proofreading software has taken over the market as the #1 tool for label inspection. Pioneered by Global Vision Inc., this innovative software has proven effective at eradicating errors in artwork and text related documents. Lauded for its accuracy, simplicity, and rapidity, Global Vision Inc. Inc.'s automated proofreading software is now used in 15 out of 20 of the top pharmaceutical companies around the world. Global Vision Inc.'s product is designed to accurately proofread a 60 page document in a matter of seconds. A valuable proofreading solution for manufacturing plants, graphic groups, and legal offices, Global Vision Inc.'s advanced technology is in high demand around the world. Businesses looking to maximize potential and production and increase accuracy, turn to Global Vision Inc.'s label inspection technology to perfect their manuscripts, contracts, press sheets, films, advertisements, and more.

Global Vision Inc.'s technology works through methods of comparison. The automated Global Vision Inc. proofreading system quickly scans two documents for any indiscretions in their graphics or text. Designed to locate and flag missing text, incorrect font type and/or size, location changes, color discrepancies, broken type, and more, Global Vision Inc.'s program is looking to simplify and speed up the proofreading process. Global Vision Inc. offers multiple products that proofread everything from normal text documents in any language to artwork, graphics, and Braille.

Industries around the globe are heavily text based. Whether publishing manuscripts or books, producing contracts, or writing labels, the majority of companies rely almost exclusively on text to communicate with consumers and build their products. What if the label on a medicine bottle is one decimal off? Or there are several major typos in a new book? Companies need to look for effective proofreading solutions to uphold the standards of their products and services.

Global Vision Inc. offers the Docu-Proof text comparator. Unlike any other automated proofreading technology, Global Vision Inc.'s Docu-Proof is capable of comparing unlike files in virtually any language. This Global Vision Inc. technology makes it simple for people to quickly and easily find and correct mistakes in fonts, deletions, spelling, location, and inserts. Pharmaceutical companies will be satisfied with Global Vision Inc. Docu-Proof's complete medical dictionary, whereas other companies can easily build their own dictionaries to suit their individual needs. In addition, this Global Vision Inc. product is FDA and EMEA compliant.

Quality control Braille for pharma packaging

The EU has led the way in this endeavour, but other countries are quickly following suit; Brazil has already implemented a national requirement for Braille labelling on all pharmaceutical packaging. Braille is not a language: it is a tactile way of reading and writing text for blind and partially sighted people. The Braille cell consists of six dots, positioned like the figure ‘6’ on dice, in two parallel vertical lines of three dots each. All Braille characters are combinations of dots within this framework. There are many specifications for setting Braille type; however, the Marburg Medium specification, as recommended by the EU, is the industry standard. Marburg Medium precisely dictates the distance and elevation between Braille dots to ensure readability (see Figure 1).

Methods of applying Braille

The variety of carton and packaging types plays a key role in how Braille is applied. The two most common methods for applying Braille to packaging are embossing and screen-printing. Embossing is mostly used on cartons while screen-printing is primarily used on labels. Both techniques pose their own QC issues. The challenges for pharmaceutical packaging are numerous. Firstly, blind and partially sighted people need to be able to read the Braille text – the goal of Braille legislation is to assure that vital information is accessible to everyone. When embossing a carton, each Braille dot needs to be high enough to be easily read, but not too high that it perforates the packaging. In addition, whether embossing or screen-printing, the manufacturer must ensure that Braille dots are not malformed or missing. Spacing is also critical for accuracy. One misplaced or malformed dot in a standard six-dot Braille cell could turn a 40mg dose into a 50mg dose, leading to costly lawsuits and product recall expenses – and so the need for true Braille quality control becomes crucial.

Braille inspection technologies

The two types of technologies for inspecting Braille are optical and physical measurement. Optical technologies check Braille quality by casting a light on the Braille dots and measuring the resultant shadow. The benefit of an optical system is speed. The drawback is that Braille dot shadows vary depending on the packaging’s background colour. Detecting and measuring shadows on a dark background

makes validation difficult. In the case of screen-printing, clear glue dots may not cast enough of a shadow (or one at all) to enable accurate measurement. The more reliable method for measuring Braille dot height is to use a handheld calliper, similar to those used by the aeronautical and automotive industries for measuring small parts. The advantage of callipers is that they are highly precise. The obvious disadvantage of manual calliper inspection is that it is time-consuming. To ensure validation, a true Braille QC system needs to be as quick as the optical method and as precise as the calliper measurement.

Global Vision’s Braille QC solution

In response to the drawbacks of optical and physical measurement, Global Vision developed BraillePoint^TM, an automated Braille inspection system that provides the speed of optical measurement and the precision of calliper measurement. Global Vision’s BraillePoint is the only system on the market that ensures the precision of all embossed and screen-printed Braille found on cartons and labels. Global Vision’s software takes hundreds of thousands of readings per second and compiles them into complete dot specifications. Height, width, spacing and other critical information can then be easily verified by looking at the on-screen representation. Readings are independent of colour background and can be easily validated.