Inside the Process: 535 Vial Processing at PackExpo 2023
AUGUST 23, 2023
At PACK EXPO 2023, Bausch will showcase the Type 535 de-vialer, a custom automated vial processing solution developed to make liquid extraction for 503B compounding efficient around your process.
Working directly with the customer, Bausch developed a custom liquid extraction module and integrated it into the proven Type 535 platform for processing nested containers. The result demonstrates how established fill-finish technology can be adapted around a specific pharmaceutical manufacturing process.
The 503B compounding facility needed a more efficient way to recover valuable medicine from vials.
Its existing manual process required significant operator involvement and created opportunities for product loss. The goal was to automate the process while improving extraction consistency, reducing waste, and supporting higher production output.
Understanding the Process
Development began with a detailed review of the customer’s existing vial-processing workflow.
The Bausch team worked with key stakeholders to understand:
- Vial formats and product characteristics
- Current manual processing steps
- Batch sizes and production requirements
- Desired output and efficiency goals
- Pharmaceutical cleanliness and safety requirements
This process provided the technical foundation for a solution designed around the customer’s actual production environment.
A Custom Type 535 Solution
Using those requirements, Bausch engineered a liquid extraction module for the Type 535 De-vialer.
The module was designed to handle the required vial formats while extracting valuable product accurately and efficiently. Particular attention was given to product recovery, contamination control, and integration with the customer’s pharmaceutical manufacturing process.
Rather than developing an entirely new platform, the custom module was incorporated into the established Type 535 design, extending the machine’s vial-processing capabilities around the customer’s application.
Integration and Testing
Following development, the liquid extraction module was integrated into the Type 535 and evaluated against the customer’s performance requirements.
Testing focused on extraction performance, process consistency, reliability, and targeted production output. The system was evaluated under multiple operating conditions to confirm that the customized process performed as intended.
Results
The automated Type 535 solution delivered several key benefits:
Increased efficiency. Automating liquid extraction reduced the time and manual effort required to process vials.
Reduced product waste. More precise extraction helped maximize recovery of valuable medicine from each vial.
Higher productivity. The automated process supported larger batch requirements and increased production throughput.
Controlled pharmaceutical processing. The system was developed with the cleanliness, safety, and process requirements of pharmaceutical manufacturing in mind.
A solution built around the application. By integrating a custom process into an established machine platform, the Type 535 was configured around the customer’s specific production goals.
Flexible Vial Processing Built Around the Process
The Type 535 De-vialer demonstrates how fill-finish automation can be adapted to applications beyond standard vial handling.
For this 503B compounding application, a manual liquid extraction process became an integrated automated solution designed to improve efficiency, product recovery, and production consistency.
The project reflects Bausch’s approach to pharmaceutical automation: start with the process, understand the requirement, and engineer the equipment around it.
