A method for managing serialization and tracing of packs of products, of a type for pharmaceutical, parapharmaceutical, cosmetic or food use packed in blister packs or in stickpacks which are to be gathered in groups of packs to be inserted in respective containers, comprising:
- arranging a first conveyor means (1);
- arranging a second conveyor means (2) comprising a plurality of seats (21, 22) that are configured in such a way as to be able to receive internally thereof a group of packs of products stacked on one another or arranged flanked;
- arranging a third conveyor means (3);
- and comprising steps of:
- using the first conveyor means (1) to receive packs of products (P) in which each pack of products bears a respective reference code (a, b, c, x, y, z) identifying specific products packaged therein and to advance the packs of products (P) according to a first advancement direction (Z1) in order to cross a detection station (SR) of the reference codes (a, b, c, x, y, z) present on the packs of products (P) and to a collecting station (SP);
- detecting the reference codes (a, b, c, x, y, z) present on the packs of products (P) which are transiting through the detection station (SR) and memorizing the respective reference codes (a, b, c, x, y, z), with each of the reference codes (a, b, c, x, y, z) memorised identifying specific products which are packed in the respective pack of products (P);
- picking up from the first conveyor means (1) a first series of packs of products (P) transported by the first conveyor means (1) to the collecting station (SP), and for which a respective first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c) present thereon has been detected and memorised, and forming a first group (P1) of packs of products internally of a first seat (21) of the second conveyor means (2), stacking the packs of products one on another or arranging the packs of products flanked to one another, and memorizing the position of the first seat (21) on the second conveyor means containing the first group (P1) of packs of products having the respective first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c);
- picking up from the first conveyor means (1) a second series of packs of products (P) transported by the first conveyor means (1) to the collecting station (SP), and for which a respective second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z) present thereon have been collected and memorised, and forming a second group (P2) of packs of products internally of a second seat (22) of the second conveyor means (2), stacking the packs of products one on another or arranging the packs of products flanked to one another, and memorizing the position of the second seat (22) on the second conveyor means (2) containing the second group (P2) of packs of products having the respective second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z);
- using the second conveyor means (2) to advance the first seat (21), containing the first group (P1) of packs of products having the respective first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c), and the second seat (22), containing the second group (P2) of packs of products having the respective second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z), according to a second advancement direction (Z2) in order to bring the first seat (21) and the second seat (22) to a transfer zone (ST);
- using the third conveyor means (3) to advance a first container (A1), destined to receive the first group (P1) of packs of products having the respective first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c) and contained in the first seat (21) of the second conveyor means (2), according to a third advancement direction (Z3) in order to bring the first container (A1) to the transfer zone (ST);
- using the third conveyor means (3) to advance a second container (A2), destined to receive the second group (P2) of packs having the respective second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z) contained in the second seat (22) of the second conveyor means (2), according to the third advancement direction (Z3) in order to bring the second container (A2) to the transfer zone (ST);
- using the memorised position of the first seat (21) on the second conveyor means (2) to identify the position of the first seat (21) in the transfer zone (ST) and transferring the first group (P1) of packs of products having the respective first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c) from the first seat (21) of the second conveyor means (2) into the first container (A1);
- using the memorised position of the second seat (21) on the second conveyor means (2) to identify the position of the second seat (22) in the transfer zone (ST) and transferring the second group (P2) of packs of products having the respective second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z) from the second seat (22) of the second conveyor means (2) into the second container (A2);
- wherein, before or after transferring the first group (P1) of packs of products into the first container (A1), the method comprises applying on the first container (A1) a first tracing code (T1 abc) bearing a first datum representing each reference code (a, b, c) of the first series (a, b, c) of reference codes (a, b, c) which had been memorised and which are present in the respective packs of products of the first group (P1) of packs of products so as to indicate and recognize the specific products packed therein;
- wherein, before or after transferring the second group (P2) of packs of products into the second container (A2), the method comprises applying on the second container (A2) a second tracing code (T2 xyz) bearing a second datum representing each reference code (x, y, z) of the second series (x, y, z) of reference codes (x, y, z) which had been memorised and which are present in the respective packs of products of the second group (P2) of packs of products so as to indicate and recognize the specific products packed therein,
- wherein the method comprises, once a first tracing code (T1 abc) has been applied on and associated to the first container (A1) and once a second tracing code (T2 xyz) has been applied on and associated to the second container (A2), memorizing the association between the first tracing code (T1 abc) and the first container (A1) and memorizing the association between the second tracing code (T2 xyz) and the second container (A2).