Types of ampoules: shapes that fit the standards

Based on the shape of their head from ISO standards, you can count three types of ampoules: straight-stem (form B), funnel type (form C), and sealed (form D). ISO 9187-1:2010 specifies materials, dimensions, capacities, performance and packaging requirements for three forms of glass ampoule for injectable pharmaceutical products.

Straight-stem ampoules and funnel-types have open ends for the customers to wash and sterilize before filling and sealing. Sealed ampoules instead have dome-shaped closed ends, which means that ampoules are supplied already sterilized. This is done prior to the ampoule going through their respective filling and sealing machines.  Customers have to open them with a sharp flame before filling them and then reseal them.

Check the quality through ampoule inspection machine

Quality control for pharmaceutical products is a critical process. It requires multiple visual inspections to ensure that the products are not contaminated, and the packaging is intact and clean. You can opt for a fully automatic or semi-automatic inspection machine equipped with image sensors and magnifying cameras to check the correct fill level, detect contaminating particles, glass defects and container leakage.

Other options available for inspection machines include detecting product color using illumination and sensors, and container closure integrity using multiple cameras that check the position of the cap.

Difference between ampoules and vials

Ampoules are meant for single-use or single-dose applications since they are sealed at the neck with heat and you have to crack them open to extract the contents. With vials it is another story. You only need to remove the caps or pierce the rubber stopper with a syringe. As for the content inside, ampoules store unstable chemical compounds and highly volatile elements while vials are for storing stable compounds.

Specialised machinery for ampoule production

When it comes to the full production of making ampoules, specialised machines and manufacturing processes need to be followed. For example, all ampoule production lines and machinery should be made from high quality stainless steel. This is because the contents simply cannot be contaminated. The production process also includes the use of an ampoule filler, for liquid filling as well as Labeling machines and heating stations for sealing the glass.