A Biological Indicator Tube Filler (often called a Biological Indicator Tube Filler Sealer or Onion Skin Ampoule Filler Sealer) is a specialized automated machine used in pharmaceutical, biotech, and sterilization validation industries to precisely fill and hermetically seal thin-walled glass tubes (known as “onion skin tubes,” “crushable glass ampoules,” or “biological indicator ampoules”).
These tubes are filled with a suspension of bacterial spores and growth media, creating self-contained biological indicators (BIs) for monitoring sterilization processes like steam, ethylene oxide, or dry heat.
Biological Indicator Tube Filler Video
Key Features and Operation
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Tube Handling: Designed for fragile, thin-walled open-mouth glass tubes.
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Process Stations: Monobloc design with hopper loading, nitrogen purging (pre- and post-filling for inert atmosphere), volumetric filling (peristaltic or piston pumps, 0.1– several ml accuracy ±1%), pre-heating, and flame sealing (pull-seal or tip-seal using oxygen-LPG or oxyhydrogen gas).
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Output: 30–200+ tubes per minute, depending on heads.
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Applications: Primarily for BIs, but also agro-insecticides, veterinary products, cosmetics, or biochemicals in similar glass formats.
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Also Known As: Onion Skin Tube/Ampoule Filler Sealer, Crushable Glass Tube Filling Machine.
Salient Features of Automatic Ampoule Filler
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Compact model as per cGMP standard.
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Higher production output up to 12000 Ampoules per hour.
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All contact parts made from High Quality Stainless Steel 316L & Non-contact parts made from Stainless Steel 304.
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Minimum change over parts from 1ml to 10ml ampoule size.
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“No Ampoule – No Filling” system.
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Ampoule neck centering during gas flushing and filling operations.
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Possibility of nitrogen gas flushing before, during and after filling.
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Full accessibility allows easy maintenance.
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Machine equipped with pre-warming station.
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Flow Meters for regulating flames easily.
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Minimum change over time, little maintenance, easy cleaning.
Process Operation of Automatic Tube Filler
The sterilized tube tray directly loaded in to slant hopper of the unit. The Synchronized star wheel delivers tubes, one by one on moving eccentric tube rack in single. During the stoppage of rack sequentially pre-gassing, filling, post gassing, pre heating and final sealing is achieved.
Technical Specification of Tube Filler Sealer
| Model | AFS-1 | AFS-2 | AFS-4 | AFS-8 |
| No. of Head | Single | Two | Four | Eight |
| Syringes | One | Double | Four | Eight |
| Ampoule Sizes | 1 ml to 30 ml | 1 ml to 30 ml | 1 ml to 20 ml | 1 ml to 20 ml |
| Filling Speed | Up to 25 ampoules/minute | Up to 50 ampoules/minute | Up to 100 ampoules/minute | Up to 200 ampoules/minute |
| Filling Precision | ± 1% | ± 1% | ± 1% | ± 1% |
| Filling Pump | Piston Pump | Piston Pump | Piston Pump | Piston Pump |
| Burner Gas | LPG & Oxygen (O₂) | LPG & Oxygen (O₂) | LPG & Oxygen (O₂) | LPG & Oxygen (O₂) |
| Nitrogen Arrangement | Before & After Filling | Before & After Filling | Before & After Filling | Before & After Filling |
| Number of Fill Nozzles | One | Two | Four | Eight |
| Number of Nitrogen Nozzles | Two | Four | Eight | Sixteen |
| Number of Sealing Burners | Two | Four | Eight | Sixteen |
| Power Required | 0.5 H.P. | 1 H.P. | 1 H.P. | 2 H.P. |
| Power Voltage | 230 Volts, Single Phase, 50 Hertz, 4 Wire System | 230 Volts, Single Phase, 50 Hertz, 4 Wire System | 230 Volts, Single Phase, 50 Hertz, 4 Wire System | 230 Volts, Single Phase, 50 Hertz, 4 Wire System |
| Contact Parts | Made from Stainless Steel 316L | Made from Stainless Steel 316L | Made from Stainless Steel 316L | Made from Stainless Steel 316L |
| Overall Dimension | 915mm (L) x 610mm (W) x 965mm (H) approx. | 915mm (L) x 760mm (W) x 965mm (H) approx. | 1200mm (L) x 1070mm (W) x 965mm (H) approx. | 2200mm (L) x 1400mm (W) x 1100mm (H) approx. |
* Power voltage can be adjusted as per customer’s domestic power voltage requirements.
* Rights of technical improvements & modification reserved.
* Illustrations & dimensions are shown for information purpose only.
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