Assuring That Vials Exit A Washer Clean And Stable

From Genesis Machinery Products, Inc.'s Technical Staff

While the objective of a vial washer has always been to clean vials, some of this effort is lost when vials are mishandled or damaged in the process. New material handling methods are needed to ensure that clean glass is delivered to the rest of the process with a minimum of damage and interruption. Gentler handling, while maintaining speed, stability and cleaning ability especially for small vials, thus has become a focus for Genesis Machinery Products (GMPI).

To effectively reduce damage, mix-oriented vials should be eliminated from the process as soon as possible, even before they enter the process. Because vials are inverted in the process, there is extra handling involved with orientation. In addition, with the horizontal motion of the vials and the vertical motion of the spray bar there is an opportunity for misalignment of the system.

GMPI has heightened the focus on vial handling at infeed, discharge and within the wash process with some features that ensure safe, stable transport of vials.

Downed Vial Eject

At the infeed is the downed vial ejection system. A set of neckrails carries vials over an open area in the conveyor (Fig. 1). Upright vials are landed on the deadplate to await the elevator while fallen vials drop through an opening to a collection tote. Thus, fallen vials are eliminated from the system prior to entering the machine.

Fig. 1: Downed Vial Eject

Spring Clip Mounted Washer Nozzles

Inside the washer, vials are transported in a "bucket" style carrier eliminating physical gripping by mechanical parts. Spray nozzles are mounted with a spring clip that deflects the nozzle if it should contact the vial lip or bucket carrier. The nozzle will not bend and the vial will not break because the force is absorbed by the spring clip, which is easily reset by the operator (Fig. 2).

No damage to vials affords a smoother process while no damage to the machine means fewer spare parts to inventory and more machine "up-time".

Fig. 2: Spring Clip Mounted Washer Nozzles

Vacuum Deadplate

At discharge, small vials are made upright, lowered and transferred across the deadplate. Because of this combination of motions, vials are particularly apt to fall over. GMP washers use a vacuum deadplate to hold vials steady as they are transferred out of the washer (Fig. 3). Vials exiting the washer land on the first vacuum pin hole and are pushed to the second pin hole by the next vial. By the third cycle, vials are stable enough in a shoulder-to-shoulder pack to stand on their own. The vacuum is strong enough to stabilize the vial but still allow it to pack.

Fig. 3: Vacuum Deadplate

GMPI looks forward to discussing additional vial handling issues with customers using vials of all sizes, but particularly those seeking gentle, stable processing of vials 1" in diameter or smaller.

For more information: Gene Kaufman, Vice President of Sales, Genesis Machinery Products, Inc., 400 Eagleview Blvd., Suite 100, Exton, PA 19314. Tel: 610-458-4903.