How Vial Fillers Drive Efficiency in the Pharma Industry?

A vial liquid filling machine is vital in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. It ensures accurate filling and safe sealing of medications. In this post, we will explore more details of these machines. So you can know it helps improve your business efficiency and product quality.

What Is a Vial Filling Machine?

This equipment is used to fill vials with liquid, powder, or other substances.  A vial filling machine can accurately fill vials with a specific amount of product. It is key for medicine to be effective. After filling, many models can seal the vials with rubber stoppers and apply caps. This makes sure they are completely closed and safe from contamination.

Vial filling machines are mainly used in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. They are essential for filling vials with vaccines, injectable drugs, antibiotics, etc. In addition, these machines are also used in laboratories for research and testing purposes.

Seven Key Components of a Vial Filler

A vial filler is combined with lots of parts to work well. Each has its unique function and features. Here are key parts to help you have a more understanding of the machine.

Bottle Feeding Structure

This is where empty vials are manually placed before the filling process begins. The feeding area consists of a turntable. It can rotate to guide the vials toward the conveyor belt. This structure includes guiding plates to ensure the vials are aligned correctly. It also prevents them from jamming. The feeding structure features a photoelectric sensor. This detects if there are no vials, stopping the machine to avoid waste. This setup helps maintain an organized flow. It makes sure vials are consistently fed into the system for efficient processing.

Conveyor Belt

The conveyor belt in a vial filler works like blood vessels in the human body. Driven by a motor, the conveyor operates in a continuous loop. It moves vials through the various stages of the filling machine. For example, it transports vials from the feeding structure to the filling area. Then it goes to the capping section. The belt is often adjustable in speed to match the rate of filling. This ensures that each vial is filled and capped without delays. The conveyor belt also features side guards. It keeps vials from falling off during movement, leading a safe and efficient operation.

Filling Mechanism

The filling mechanism is responsible for accurately dispensing liquid into the vials. It typically uses an adjustable filling nozzle. The nozzle can be raised or lowered to match the height of the vials. This mechanism is usually equipped with sensitive sensors. They aim to keep consistent fill levels across all vials. In addition, they can detect the presence of vials underneath. This prevents any filling action if a vial is not in place. It helps reduce waste. For filling mechanism, regular calibration and cleaning are needed. It is important to maintain accuracy and prevent contamination of the liquid being filled.

Peristaltic Pump

The peristaltic pump is used to transfer liquid from a storage container to the filling mechanism. This pump compresses flexible tubing, and then creates suction to draw liquid in. Finally, it pushes liquid out into the filling nozzles. The peristaltic pump minimizes contamination risks. Because the liquid only comes into contact with the tubing. The pump is often made from high-quality plastics. So they can withstand chemical exposure and high temperatures. Moreover, this part requires regular checks on the tubing for wear and tear. It helps ensure optimal performance.

Stoppering Mechanism

The stoppering mechanism places rubber stoppers securely onto filled vials. This unit often includes a vibratory system. It organizes the stoppers and directs them toward the vials. A vacuum suction system is typically involved. It grabs and places the stoppers onto the vial openings precisely. The stoppering mechanism operates only when a filled vial is detected. Therefore, stoppers won’t be placed on empty vials.

Capping and Sealing Part

This is used to apply and secure caps on vials after stoppering. It features a vibratory feed that positions caps onto the vial openings. The sealing unit uses pressure and rotational motion to lock the caps in place. It ensures an airtight seal. Proper pressure adjustment is crucial to avoid loose or overly tight caps. This affects seal effectiveness a nd appearance. Sensors monitor cap availability and stop the machine if caps are missing.

Electrical Control Interface

Operators manage the machine's functions with the interface. This user-friendly design allows for real-time monitoring of the machine's performance. It includes speed adjustments, filling volumes, operational settings, etc. The control panel typically features touch-screen controls, indicator lights, and alarms to alert operators to any issues. It also allows for easy adjustments to accommodate different vial sizes and types. So the machine can be used for various production needs.

How Does a Vial Filling Machine Work?

Vial fillers include manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic models. Here introduces you a common working principle of automatic ones. You can check the video to have a basic understanding.

Vial Feeding and Positioning

At first, vials are loaded onto the machine's conveyor system. They could be fed through an automated feeding structure or by human work. The conveyor and a rotating turntable move the vials toward the filling station. During the motion, vials are positioned precisely to fit the filling nozzles.

Filling

Once the vials are in place, the filling process begins. Different methods can be used to fill the vials. Each method is designed to accurately dispense the correct amount of liquid into each vial. Here are 3 common methods for filling.

• Piston filling. It involves a piston that moves in a cylinder. This can pull liquid from a reservoir and push it into the vial. This type is common for filling thicker liquids.
• Peristaltic pumps. This method uses rotating rollers to work. The rollers squeeze a tube, draw liquid and deliver it into the vial with high precision. It is ideal for handling sterile or sensitive liquids.
• Time-pressure filling. It uses air pressure to control the flow of liquid for a set time, ensuring the correct volume is dispensed.

All these systems are designed to ensure a high degree of accuracy. In addition, some machines also have adjustable filling heads to accommodate different vial sizes.

Stopper

Then, it is time to put stoppers into vials. Rubber stoppers are stored in a hopper. They are guided toward the stoppering station. Once the filled vials move to this area, the machine uses either vacuum or mechanical arms to pick up the rubber stoppers. Next, it places them securely on the vial openings. The stoppers create an airtight seal, preventing the liquid from spilling or becoming contaminated.

Capping and Discharging

Finally, vials move to the capping station. The machine picks up caps from another hopper and securely fits them onto the vials. The sealed vials are then moved onto a conveyor or tray for further processing.

The End

Vial fillers are greatly useful to keep production lines running smoothly. With regular care, these machines continue to perform reliably for safe product packaging. If you are looking for a trustworthy supplier to buy a vial filler, contact iPharMachine. We offer automatic models to upgrade your production.