A glass ampoule is a small glass container used to safely preserve samples or injectible medicine, and whose components can either be solid or liquid. Modern medicine employs these ampoules mostly to contain chemicals and pharmaceuticals that must be protected against air contaminants.
Double tipped ampoules
These ampoules also come in different types: single and double tipped ampoules. Double tip glass ampoules are proven to be more economical and are an excellent primary packaging for pharmaceutical drug products.How are glass ampoules made?
The production of the ampoules begins with the filling of carousels with glass tubes. Most of them are usually made to serve multipurpose needs and are mostly tailored to house multiple pharmaceutical products. So, how are glass ampoules made?
In the shaping process, they are shaped from the base to the tip with the specific design needed then they are separated from the glass tube. As soon as one of them is successfully separated, the base of the subsequent one begins and the coding of rings begins, where they are codded with different colors to fit their specificities.
The glass surface between the ampoule neck and body is also carefully coded to be user-friendly, where whenever it wants to be used, there is an easy one-point cut where the glass breaks at precisely that spot. As a rule of thumb, users are usually well trained to wrap cosmetic tissue around the ampoule’s neck for safety purposes. In addition, to prevent contaminating the contents within, they are usually manufactured in that no glass splinters are created at the breaking point. Also, as a safety precaution, the ampoules are usually packed alongside an information sheet and instructions for use.
The next process involves the application of OPC ampoules at the cut and breakpoint, and if necessary, a printed note to the user is also applied on the glass sides to ensure the user is aware of the safety precautions.
After this step, the ampoules are placed in a kiln and exposed to approximately 600° Celsius, where the colors are affixed on the ampoules before they are annealed. Through this process, they are usually inspected at regular intervals by specialized monitor cameras and human eyes just to be sure.
Finally, the ampoules are packed in plastic trays, stacked on pallets, and sealed in aluminum foil before they are shipped to the customers. Each tray is labeled with customer-specific information, batch number, production date, and inspection number.
Bottom Line
Opening ampoules can expose the user to risks of percutaneous injuries that often lead to lesions, which in turn can expose the to biological risks and injuries. As such, you should always put on personal protective gear whenever you handle them especially the double-ended ampoule. If you are not experienced handling the ampoules, always ask your supervisor or anyone qualified enough to help you out or teach you how to safely handle them.