Eight vials or infusion bottles at a time get filled in Bosch's FLC which targets pharmaceuticals produced in midrange volumes. |
A newly designed infeed system is one highlight of the FLC filler from Bosch Packaging Technology in Minneapolis (www.bosch.de/vmtl/index). The FLC fills vials and infusion bottles at up to 320 containers/min in continuous motion with fill volumes between 0.5 and 500 ml. The infeed turntable features an 18-in.-diameter hole in its center that is completely open to facilitate airflow. This feature helps better meet aseptic production requirements. The turntable guides containers on a single track to the infeed wheel, which then spaces the containers and controls delivery to the conveyor system. The vee-conveyor system lets the FLC be adjusted for different containers.
A time-pressure filling unit travels along with the containers as they move down the conveyor, filling eight simultaneously and then repeating. The system can employ filling technologies governed by time/pressure, rolling diaphragm pumps, rotary slide valve pumps, or a mass flow measurement.
An optional in-process weight-control system moves the containers in batches from the conveyor for tare and gross weighing. On detection of a change in trend of filling weight, the system can automatically adjust the filling point.
Vials come off the linear transport into a star wheel for stoppering and then to an outfeed scroll. The stopper feed system ensures stoppers travel only a short distance before being inserted into containers, minimizing the risk of particle contamination.
Finally, operator friendliness is another virtue. Stopper loading is from the front of the machine, as is filling and other normal operator tasks.
— Leland Teschler