GLASS CONTAINER

GLASS CONTAINERS ARE READILY AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF SIZES AND SHAPES. IT IS AN AMORPHOUS, HARD, BRITTLE, TRANSPARENT OR
TRANSLUCENT . HAVING NO DEFINITE MELTING POINT OBTAINED BY FUSING A MIXTURE OF A NUMBER OF METALLIC SILICATES OR BORATES OF
SODIUM, POTASSIUM, CALCIUM AND LEAD.

PROPERTIES A) AMORPHOUS B) BRITTLE (EASILY BREAKABLE). C) TRANSPARENT OR TRANSLUCENT. D) GOOD ELECTRICAL INSULATOR. E)
UNAFFECTED BY AIR, WATER, ACID OR CHEMICAL REAGENTS. F) NO DEFINITE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE MEANS IT HAS HIGH COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH. G)
CAN ABSORB, TRANSMIT AND REFLECT LIGHT

ADVANTAGES A) IT IS INERT TO MOST DRUG PRODUCTS. B) IMPART NO ODOUR AND TASTE TO THE PRODUCT. C) IMPERVIOUS TO AIR AND MOISTURE.
D) NO CHANGE IN AGEING. E) FDA APPROVED. F) IT ALLOWS EASY INSPECTION OF THE CONTAINER CONTENTS. G) IT CAN BE COLOURED TO PROTECT
CONTENTS FROM HARMFUL WAVELENGTHS OF LIGHT. H) EASY TO CLEAN AND STERILIZE BY HEAT. I) CONTAINERS AVAILABLE IN THE VARIETY OF
SIZES AND SHAPES. J) IT IS RECYCLABLE. THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, GLASS FROM LIGHT BULBS AND WINDOW PANES CANNOT BE
RECYCLED BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN CERAMICS AND OTHER IMPURITIES THAT WOULD CONTAMINATE THE ENTIRE RECYCLING PROCESS.

DISADVANTAGES A) FRAGILE IN NATURE THAT PRODUCES FRAGMENTS AND . B) THEY MAY CRACK WHEN SUBJECTED TO SUDDEN CHANGES IN
TEMPERATURE. C) EXPENSIVE IN COMPARISON TO PLASTIC. D) TRANSPORTATION COST IS HIGH BECAUSE OF ITS HEAVY WEIGHT. E) LESS PRESSURE
SAFETY AND IMPACT RESISTANCE. F) SPECIAL CARE AND PROTECTION ARE REQUIRED FOR TRANSPORTATION OF GLASS CONTAINING FORMULATIONS.
G) CERTAIN TYPES OF GLASSES RELEASE ALKALI INTO THE CONTAINER CONTENTS.

COMPOSITION IT IS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF A) SAND, B) SODA ASH, C) LIMESTONE, D) CULLET. CULLET IS BROKEN GLASS THAT IS MIXED WITH THE
SAND, SODA ASH AND LIMESTONE TO ACT AS A FUSION AGENT FOR THE ENTIRE MIXTURE. THE MOST COMMON CATIONS FOUND IN PHARMACEUTICAL
GLASSWARE ARE SILICON, ALUMINIUM, BORON, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, ZINC, BARIUM. THE ONLY ANION IS OXYGEN.

THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF GLASS CONSISTS OF FOUR MAJOR OPERATIONS: (1) MELTING (2) SHAPING (3) ANNEALING (4) FINISHING 1.
MELTING. THE INGREDIENTS CALLED BATCH MATERIALS ARE MIXED IN THE APPROPRIATE PROPORTION AND HEATED TO FUSION IN A FURNACE.
MANY DESIGNS OF GLASS FURNACE ARE IN USE. THE TWO MOST COMMONLY USED FURNACES ARE: (I) POT FURNACE AND (II) TANK FURNACE.

POT FURNACE. IN THIS FURNACE, THE CHARGE IS FUSED IN FIRE CLAY POTS. THE POTS MAY BE OPENED OR CLOSED. THE CLOSED POTS ARE USED
WHEN THE-GLASS IS TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION. THE BATCH MATERIALS ARE PUT IN THE POTS. THEY ARE PLACED IN A
CIRCLE INSIDE A FURNACE AND HEATED BY BURNING PRODUCER GAS AROUND THEM . WHEN THE FUSION IS COMPLETE THE POTS ARE REMOVED
FROM THE FURNACE AND THE FUSED PLASTIC MASS IS TAKEN OUT FOR SHAPING. POT FURNACE IS EMPLOYED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY
GLASS, SINCE THE CHARGE REMAINS PROTECTED FROM THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION.

TANK FURNACE. IT CONSISTS OF A LARGE RECTANGULAR TANK BUILT OF FIRE CLAY BLOCKS. THE BATCH MATERIALS ARE FED INTO THE TANK AND
PRODUCER GAS IS USED AS A FUEL IN THE FURNACE. THE CHARGE IS HEATED AT 1400°- 1500°C FOR 10-12 HOURS.

SHAPING THE PLASTIC GLASS FORMED IN THE FURNACE IS NEXT SHAPED OR FORMED INTO THE DESIRED ARTICLES. IT IS ACCOMPLISHED BY BLOWING
FROM MOUTH OR BY MEANS OF A MACHINE. GLASS BLOWING IS A SKILLFUL ART. THE BLOWING OF A GLASS INTO BOTTLE IS DONE AS ILLUSTRATED.
IT IS ELONGATED UNDER ITS WEIGHT WHEN HUNG DOWNWARDS. THE ELONGATED LUMP IS INTRODUCED INTO A MOULD AND IS INFLATED BY
BLOWING AIR INTO IT FROM THE MOUTH. ON COOLING, THE BOTTLE IS TAKEN OUT BY REMOVING THE TWO- HALVES OF THE MOULD.

ANNEALING IT IS A PROCESS OF COOLING SLOWLY THE NEWLY SHAPED ARTICLES. IF THEY ARE COOLED QUICKLY THEY BECOME BRITTLE ON
ACCOUNT OF THE HIGH INTERNAL STRAIN. ANNEALING IS DONE IN A TUNNEL LIKE OVEN CALLED LEHR. WHICH IS 50 TO 60 FEET LONG. AT ONE END
THE TEMPERATURE IS A LITTLE BELOW THE SOFTENING POINT OF GLASS, I.E., 500-600°C AND IT GRADUALLY FALLS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE
OVEN. AT THE OTHER END THE TEMPERATURE IS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE ROOM TEMPERATURE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHAPING, THE ARTICLES ARE
INTRODUCED INTO THE LEHR AT THE HOTTER END AND TRAVEL TOWARDS THE COOLER END BY MEANS OF A MOVING BELT. IT TAKES A FEW HOURS
FOR THE ARTICLES TO MOVE ALONG THROUGH THE TUNNEL. SOME HIGH QUALITY GLASSES REQUIRE LONG ANNEALING.

FINISHING. THE ARTICLES OBTAINED FROM THE LEHR ARE SUBJECTED TO A NUMBER OF OPERATIONS SUCH AS CLEANING, POLISHING, ROUNDING
EDGES, ETC., FOR BRINGING THEM TO A USEABLE FORM. MANUFACTURING OF GLASS :- FOUR BASIC PROCESS A) BLOWING :- IT USES COMPRESSED
AIR TO FORM THE MOLTEN GLASS IN TO THE CAVITY OF METAL MOLD. MOST COMMERCIAL BOTTLES & JARS ARE PRODUCED. B) DRAWING :- IN THIS
METHOD, MOLTEN GLASS IS PULLED THROUGH DIES OR ROLLERS THAT SHAPE THE SOFT GLASS, ROD TUBES, SHEET GLASS & OTHER ITEMS OF
UNIFORM DIAMETER ARE USUALLY PRODUCED BY THIS METHOD.

C) TUBING :IT HAS THINNER & MORE UNIFORM WALL THICKNESS WITH LESS DISTORTION THAN BLOW MOLDED CONTAINERS. AMPOULES,
CARTRIDGES AND VIALS DRAWN FROM TUBING. D) PRESSING & CASTING :- IN PRESSING, MECHANICAL FORCE IS USED TO PRESS THE MOLTEN GLASS
AGAINST THE SIDE OF MOLD. CASTING USES GRAVITY OR CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO CAUSE MOLTEN GLASS TO FORM IN THE CAVITY OF MOLD.