Balcony washer cleans ampoules and vials at speed

Bausch Advanced Technology Group (BAT), a pharmaceutical packaging equipment supplier, has introduced the Type 308 balcony washer from Base Europe, its German manufacturer.

Designed for high speed washing of ampoules, vials and syringes, the Type 308 has a balcony design, which allows the operator to maintain visual contact with the process. Meanwhile the separation of the cleaning and maintenance areas improves machine access for faster changeovers.

Unlike conventional rotary-type machines and other vial washing systems, the Type 308 allows a stationary operator to see both the transport and cleaning processes, which allows for better monitoring of the process.

The balcony washer presents adjustable rows of 10 lines or more, which transport ampoules, vials and syringes, submersing them for a pre-defined time in a sonic bath. By controlling the duration of the bath, the Type 308 guarantees that no vials stay in too long and are subjected to high particulate concentrations.

Instead of the cup-like pockets used in other vial washers, the Type 308 employs 316L stainless steel grippers for frictionless, free-floating balcony transport. The 3 point-gripper design reduces the contact area between the grippers and the containers’ exterior surface by 80%, which allows more of the surface to be exposed, including the critical container opening.

The Type 308 features servo motors positioned along the line that guarantee the alignment of the containers with the filling needles/nozzles, which move up and down to clean the inside of the containers. This operation reduces noise as well as energy consumption by 25%, the company says.

Depending on the container size, the Type 308 can reach an output of up to 36,000 pieces/hr.