TurboFil Packaging Machines LLC, an equipment specialist dedicated solely to the design and development of liquid filling and assembly machines, will introduce the latest iteration of its precision through-the-tip benchtop syringe filler at INTERPHEX NYC, April 21-23. At Booth #2860, the company will premiere the TipFil™ Plus Benchtop Syringe Filler + Capper, which provides reliable, aseptic-ready fill and closure at a rate of up to 15 pieces per minute.
Consistent and convenient, TurboFil’s TipFil™ Plus is especially suited for lab settings and compounding pharmacies. After filling the unit’s pressure hopper and attaching the product contact set, an operator manually loads a holding boat containing eleven syringes with pre-inserted plungers, then places the boat into the filler’s indexing mechanism. Once the first syringe engages the corresponding nozzle’s tip, the system dispenses product with a draw filler, which can be fed via reservoir bag or other common container. Post-fill, the unit indexes forward to a capping station, where caps are applied and torqued or tamped to each of the boat’s syringes.
Among the TipFil™ Plus’ key attributes is versatility: it can perform through-the-tip filling for liquids or viscous products in a variety of typical infeed scenarios. Regardless of the feeding mechanism, suckback control helps ensure heightened fill accuracy and dripless operation.
Product contact parts can be comprised of either reusable stainless steel or fully disposable, single-use plastic.
Syringe transport is performed via a holding puck, which is moved through a linear servo slide. Plunger pullback is driven by a servo-controlled claw, and fill volumes are electronically adjustable via HMI. A priming function – also programmed via HMI – efficiently facilitates air bubble removal.
The unit’s automatic capping station features a stainless steel vibratory bowl feeder, track and sensors, as well as a placement mechanism. Cap tightening procedures are servo-controlled, and torque can be adjusted via HMI. Capping procedures can be recorded for quality control and batch reporting and are compatible with 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines on electronic recordkeeping.
In addition to accuracy, the TipFil™ Plus’ draw-filling method brings a number of advantages, including operator safety, easy changeover, and flexible parameters to accommodate a wide variety of syringe sizes and product types. Recipes for various product and fill volumes are accessible by an optional barcode scanner, and validation packages are also available.
Fully aseptic-ready, the TipFil™ Plus can fit under a laminar flow hood, restricted access barrier system (RABS) or isolator. The module’s handling system is also designed for maximum sterility and minimized human intervention, as operators do not need to contact caps and do not need to handle the syringes during the filling and capping operation.
“The TipFil Plus Benchtop Syringe Filler + Capper provides consistent, efficient and aseptic-ready filling and capping operations for labs and compound pharmacies, as well as other small-scale filling operations,” said Deborah Smook, VP of Marketing & Business Development for TurboFil Packaging Machines LLC. “With the number of targeted and investigational treatments steadily climbing, the unit offers a reliable, convenient means of accurately filling and securing injectables in a wide range of syringe shapes and sizes.”