The covers have started to come off. Our impressive vial filling machine is in the latter stages of production at the Directech QM-Systems factory. We customise this machine to suit clients’ requirements, whether it’s sterilised or non-sterile vials, fill volume, speed or label requirements.
The current machine, customised for our internationally recognised biotechnology client, has the capability to fill, cap and label vials with volumes from 50µl to 1500µl at a repeatability of +/- 0.5% CV and a speed of 3000 vials per hour.
Vials and caps are loaded into the system and transported via ALPHAMATION LIMITED 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 the Festo VTEO dispense nozzle and VAEM valve control module. Each dispense valve is controlled independently via the Festo 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 volumes as 50 µl.
The vial continues its journey along the feed system where it stops under a Festo 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 a Festo 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 a Siemens PLC, fitted with a HMI interface.
