A vial for every application

Vials really do have millions of uses based on the material and application. Glass vials have been used for hundreds of years to store liquid pharmaceutical products. But glass is not always the same. For instance, The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) classifies glass into borosilicate glass as Type I and soda-lime-silica glass as Type II and III, with the difference being that  Type II has a special treatment to increase hydrolytic resistance.

Borosilicate glass contains at least 5% of boric oxide and is used for injectables with acid, neutral and alkaline pH. Amber-colored vials, created by adding iron to the glass, protect the substance from UV light and are suitable for light-sensitive samples.

Coat your vials to improve chemical resistance

Glass delamination occurs in the inner surface of the container when exposed to chemicals due to chemical reactions and leaching of elements from the glass. As a result, glass flakes appear mixed with the chemical solution. If you think about it, this is a serious quality issue. Leaching of elements from the glass, such as sodium affects the pH level of the solution over time and may even lose the product’s efficacy.

As a solution, glass vials are treated by the vapor phase deposition silanization (or siliconization) method. This process involves applying a silicon solution to the surface as a protective layer to minimize the interaction between the vial and the substance. This method provides a uniform glass coating that improves the chemical resistance and gives a low adsorption characteristic preventing chemicals from sticking to the surface.

Vial labeling and serialization equipment for product traceability

Serialization is a process used for product traceability operations. Information such as production-expiration date, lot number, and serial numbers are stored in a data center. By assigning a unique code to a drug packaging, counterfeiting of drug products can be prevented. Serialization is usually integrated with the labeling process of the vials. A high-resolution printer writes the labels with all the information required and then a code-reading camera is used during the verification process for readability.