VIALS
Major products of Shiotani Glass to meet various needs.
Quality backed up by unique manufacturing methods and strict inspection.
A vial forming machine is provided with 18 steps of processes arranged on the circumference. Cylindrical glass tube (material tube) is processed in the order of shoulder forming, mouth forming, melt-cutting and bottom forming.
We have made improvements toward “skill-less” manufacturing of vials. Moreover, with efforts for process quantification and standardization, Shiotani Glass produces and supplies high-quality products stably and reliably.
Our vertical vial forming machine that achieves both world top-class compactness and productivity has been developed all on our own. With repeated improvements and glass processing know-how cultivated over years, high accuracy and repeatability are achieved even in processing of special shapes.
Using expertise accumulated through vial processing over 58 years, as well as the proper control systems, Shiotani Glass meets various custom requests with high-quality products.
Capable of manufacturing a wide variety of vials
We can manufacture vials of sizes 1~100 mL with a wide variety of shapes. For example, special shapes such as vial mouth integrated with screw thread are also supported. Moreover, vials that meet the pharmacopoeia requirements and have the world’s highest level of chemical durability can be supplied stably.
Selecting most effective annealing conditions for products
Vials are formed with high heat while being rotated, and therefore, apt to be strained partially. They undergo annealing (strain removal) to relieve stress. When observed through special polarizing film, effects of strain removal by annealing can be compared. At Shiotani Glass, optimum annealing conditions for manufacturing are selected to remove strain.
Inspection policy to back up quality first
In our company policy, “Quality First” is set forth as a simple and clear goal. Shiotani Glass makes it a rule to perform a pilot run that is subject to quality check by Quality Control Section before starting full-scale production. Quality check and inspection are constantly made also during production to ensure only the products that have passed inspections are placed on the market. Thus, the established inspection policy is enforced to achieve “Quality First” in the company motto.
Appearance and size inspection system using image processing with visual check
Currently, camera-based image inspection is commonly used. However, there were many challenges to overcome, such as reflection of light or unevenness of glass texture, before applying it to formed glassware. Shiotani Glass has been striving more than 10 years to solve these issues one by one, which improved the performance not just for dimension and shape checks, but to the level “more reliable than human eyes”. Nonetheless, there are some spots that need to rely on visual check by inspectors. We use both inspection image processing and visual check by inspectors who passed strict qualification test to establish more rigorous inspection system.
RO purified water cleaning and drying processes
Not limited to vials, the material glass tubes used for our pharmaceutical glass containers are subject to brush cleaning with RO purified water or shower cleaning before they are formed. After cleaning, the material tubes are dried and cooled in a batch mode by an electric drying oven to prevent from being contaminated. After that, they are kept under cover to keep cleanliness until immediately before forming.
Vial shapes and specifications
Not only typical shapes but also various custom shapes are offered for your needs.
Vial Forming
Processes
Shoulder forming
Forms the shoulder of vial with a mold roller.
Mouth forming
Forms the mouth of vial with a mold roller and a mandrel.
Melt-cutting
Melts and cuts material tube with a burner.
Bottom forming
Shapes the bottom of vial with flame and air from below.
Strain removal (Annealing)
Puts the vials into the annealing oven to remove strain.
Vial Check
Processes
Camera check
Checks appearance by camera.
Size check
Checks all sizes by size checker.
Appearance check 1
Visually checks appearance of all vials.
Appearance check 2
Checks for mouth/bottom shapes and quantity.
Packing
Various case materials are supported.
Data spec
| Material | Borosilicate glass |
|---|---|
| Volume | 1~100mL (White/Brown) |
Standard specification (White)
| Volume | A: Body diameter | B: Total height | C: Mouth OD | D: Mouth ID | E: Neck diameter | F: Body wall thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2mL | 16.0 | 33.0 | 13.8 | 8.9 | 11.4 | 1.0 |
| 3mL | 18.0 | 33.0 | 14.8 | 9.1 | 11.9 | 1.0 |
| 5mL | 23.0 | 43.0 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 15.5 | 1.2 |
| 10mL | 24.5 | 46.5 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 16.0 | 1.2 |
| 15mL | 25.0 | 58.0 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 16.0 | 1.2 |
| 20mL | 30.0 | 60.0 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 16.0 | 1.2 |
| 30mL | 33.0 | 63.0 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 16.0 | 1.2 |
| 50mL | 40.5 | 78.5 | 19.7 | 12.5 | 16.5 | 1.5 |
Non-standard sizes and volumes are also available. Contact us.
| Volume | A: Body diameter | B: Total height | C: Mouth OD | D: Mouth ID | E: Neck diameter | F: Body wall thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2R | 16.0 | 35.0 | 13.0 | 7.0 | 10.5 | 1.0 |
| 4R | 16.0 | 45.0 | 13.0 | 7.0 | 10.5 | 1.0 |
| 6R | 22.0 | 40.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 16.5 | 1.0 |
| 8R | 22.0 | 45.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 16.5 | 1.0 |
| 10R | 24.0 | 45.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 16.5 | 1.0 |
| 15R | 24.0 | 60.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 16.5 | 1.0 |
| 20R | 30.0 | 55.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 17.5 | 1.2 |
| 25R | 30.0 | 65.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 17.5 | 1.2 |
| 30R | 30.0 | 75.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 17.5 | 1.2 |
| 50R | 40.0 | 73.0 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 17.5 | 1.5 |
Non-standard sizes and volumes are also available. Contact us.
Special processes such as silicoating, sulfur treatment and silicone processing are supported.
Test data
Shiotani Glass is familiar with the composition and characteristics of material glass tube, and therefore, capable of constantly supplying products that meet the GMP requirements of pharmacopoeias. This is achieved solely by primary processing with controlled forming/annealing temperatures.
In addition, various secondary processes such as silicoating, sulfur treatment, cleaning and treatment for low elution (SE/LE/LE+ vials) are supported to suppress metal elution for your needs.
- Test condition: 2, 10, and 20 mL vials manufactured by Shiotani Glass are filled with distilled water and autoclaved at 121℃ for 60 minutes to measure Na+ ion elution.
- Atomic absorption spectrophotometer owned by our Quality Control Section was used for measurement.
OTHER SPECIAL PROCESSES
Low Elution Vials (SE, LE, LE+)
Inner surface of vial is cleaned before annealing in order to remove alkaline. Elution suppression levels can be selected according to your needs.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
Inner surface of vial is cleaned before annealing in order to remove alkaline. Elution suppression levels can be selected according to your needs.
Silicoating
Suppresses metal elution most of all special processes. It deposits silica film on the inner surface of vial to prevent metal elution.
Suppresses metal elution most of all special processes. It deposits silica film on the inner surface of vial to prevent metal elution.
Sulfur Treatment
Sprays aqueous ammonium sulfate solution into vials at a manufacturing process and heats it to cause reaction, thus achieving low metal elution.
Sprays aqueous ammonium sulfate solution into vials at a manufacturing process and heats it to cause reaction, thus achieving low metal elution.