Production has begun with our latest medical vial filling machine. We customise this machine to suit clients requirements, whether this sterilised or non-sterile vials, fill volume, speed or label requirements. Our current machine is customised to cater to our internationally recognised biotechnology client, requiring the capability to fill, cap and label vials with volumes from 50Āµl to 1500Āµl at a repeatability of +/- 0.5% CV at a speed of 3000 vials per hour.
Vials and caps are loaded into the system and transported viaĀ ALPHAMATION LIMITEDĀ vibratory bowl feeders. The vials are fed vertically into an Archimedes drive system. As the drive rotates, the vials are transported under a dosing valve and nozzle, that will dispense the required fluid volume. What makes this system so unique is theĀ FestoĀ VTEO dispense nozzle and VAEM valve control module. Each dispense valve is controlled independently via theĀ FestoĀ control valve module, which are controlled via current rather than voltage, eliminating the difference in solenoid performance due to coil temperature. This coupled with the dispense nozzle allows the system to fill vials to such small volumeās as 50 Āµl at this incredibly low value of coefficient of variation.
The vial continues its journey along the feed system where it stops under aĀ FestoĀ vacuum gripper, that will retrieve a cap from the bowl feeder queue and place it on top of the vial. Screwing the cap half a turn before releasing. The cap is fully screwed into place in the next stage, where aĀ FestoĀ Capper-Decapper System grips and rotates to tighten it to the desired torque.
Once capped, the vial rotates horizontally and is placed onto a roller conveyor that feeds it under a label applicator and subsequently dropped into the awaiting outfeed box. This system is controlled using aĀ SiemensĀ PLC, fitted with a HMI interface.
