Washing Machine Cleans Filled Glass Containers

RAN 3080 washing machine. Image courtesy of Bosch.

The RAN 3080 exterior washing machine from Bosch cleans vials, ampuls, and cartridges at a rate of up to 400 containers per minute. The machine removes product residue and other contamination from filled and closed glass containers using a newly developed, efficient high-pressure cleaning process and a transport system developed by the company.  

The machine consists of a rotary platform for cleaning and an identical rotary platform for drying. Following the infeed, the transportation system first grips the container by their closure caps. This enables cleaning of virtually the entire container surface, including the neck. The newly developed ring nozzles of the cleaning station, which for the first time operate with high pressure, subsequently wash the containers from top to bottom. Additional bottom nozzles provide for clean container bases. Pressurized air continuously flows across the closure caps to stop moisture from getting to the closure rim and into the containers, thereby preventing product contamination.

The machine has three individual washing stations that enable the cleaning processes to be adapted to different customer demands. Up to three different media can be used per cycle; apart from water, acids and alkaline solutions are applicable for heavy contamination. Drying also takes place at three stations with pressurized air from both ring and bottom nozzles. A strict separation of cleaning and drying areas further prevents a re-contamination of the containers after washing. The machine complies with the high requirements for manufacturing highly potent pharmaceuticals, such as cytostatic drugs, says the company. Depending on production requirements, the washing machine can be equipped with different containment devices. An optional circulation system achieves significant savings by consistently re-using slightly contaminated cleaning media.

Source: Bosch