Behind the vial series

How vials are prepared before lyophilisation

Krysia

Most people focus on how peptides are filled.

Almost no one looks at what happens before that stage.

The following footage shows part of the vial washing and preparation line, where empty glass vials are cleaned, rinsed and organised before sterilisation and before they ever reach the filling process.

By the time a peptide solution is added, the vial has already gone through multiple stages designed to remove contaminants and prepare it for sterile handling.

Rows of empty glass vials move through a controlled washing and handling system before they ever reach the filling stage.

This is the part of the process most people never see.

Vial Preparation Line

Rows of empty glass vials are fed into a rotary handling system, where they are organised and prepared before entering the washing stage.

This is part of the vial preparation line, where vials are:

aligned and spaced for processing

fed through controlled mechanical handling

prepared for internal and external washing

At this stage, the vials are still empty, but already moving through a tightly controlled system designed to prepare them for sterile use.

Vial Washing Chamber

This stage shows the enclosed washing chamber, where vials are rinsed under controlled conditions as part of the preparation line.

After being fed through the rotary handling system, the vials pass into this covered unit where they are:

washed using purified water

rinsed to remove particles and residues

processed in a controlled, contained environment

The enclosure helps maintain consistency and prevents external contamination during the cleaning stage.

This is a critical step before the vials move on to sterilisation and filling.

Vials leaving the cleaning chamber

In this stage, the vials are moving out of the enclosed washing chamber and back onto the handling line.

The opening at the back of the unit shows where the vials are transferred from the internal cleaning system into the next stage of processing.

At this point, the vials have:

been washed and rinsed

had particles and residues removed

completed the cleaning stage

They are now being fed back into the line.

Vials Rejoining the Process

After passing through the washing chamber, the vials are fed back onto the handling line, where they are organised and guided toward the next stage of production.

The guide rails and rotary system help align the vials and maintain a controlled flow as they move through the process.

This stage connects the cleaning system to the next steps, which typically include sterilisation and filling.

Rotary Handling Table

The vials are

grouped into a central cluster

guided outward into a circular track

aligned and spaced for continuous processing

The system is designed to keep large numbers of vials moving smoothly and consistently, ensuring efficiency and preventing collisions or misalignment.

In the next article I’ll cover vial sterilisation

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