Filling Syringes

BigJohnny · Apr 28, 2017

ok, is there an easier and/or cleaner way to fill up a bunch of syringes?

the plungers pull out really easily, and I end up wasting a lot with what gets stuck to the nose of the syringe after dipping it in to the distillate to suck it up.

So I was just curious if there's some better way, or if it really is just a matter of having the patience of a saint.

montroller · Apr 29, 2017

Pull the plunger out and top fill a large syringe... you can use that to fill multiple smaller syringes. Just a warning though, anything bigger than 50 ml is kinda hard to work with so I usually just use those.

I've also seen some people using squeeze bottles like these but it seems less accurate for small amounts. https://www.amazon.com/Squeeze-Condiment-Open-Tip-Polyethylene-Durable/dp/B009D9Z7TS

HashoftheTitans · Apr 29, 2017

Use luer lock syringes with dispensing tips. One tip can fill multiple syringes with little loss.

flatslabs · Apr 29, 2017

We use the glass 1ml syringes, pull the plungers out and fill them from the back out of a larger syringe.

If you have someone helping you, you can tip them and put the plunger in before they cool down. Otherwise you need to warm them up a bit to get the air bubble situated correctly.

Takes us maybe 5 minutes to do a box of 100 once the dispensing syringe is full and I have someone to help.

BigJohnny · Apr 30, 2017

Doesn't capping it before pushing the plunger in cause a small pressure buildup?

Maybe I'll try that though, I have the perfect kind of syringe to use for doing just that.

flatslabs · Apr 30, 2017

If you are replying to me: we remove the caps and pluingers, fill from the back, and tilt the syringe to push the plunger in the air gets pushed out the tip and recapped.

prune · May 1, 2017

kinda besides the point, but I like to remove and lubricate the plungers whenever I'm using syringes - everything works so much smoother when that is done...

Oh ya, I should also mention that they sell special "filling" tips that can help control that mess for you.

flatslabs · May 1, 2017

Check this out
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPJ-gf4A5-1

clearchoiceco · May 3, 2017

flatslabs said:
If you are replying to me: we remove the caps and pluingers, fill from the back, and tilt the syringe to push the plunger in the air gets pushed out the tip and recapped.

That sounds awfully time consuming.

flatslabs · May 3, 2017

As I mentioned above it takes about 5 minutes for me to complete a box of 100 1ml syringes, they ship with the plungers and caps already removed and separated.

BigJohnny · May 3, 2017

flatslabs said:
Check this out
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPJ-gf4A5-1

Amazing!!! I'll be buying one lol

flatslabs said:
As I mentioned above it takes about 5 minutes for me to complete a box of 100 1ml syringes, they ship with the plungers and caps already removed and separated.

I must be completely fucking stupid then, because I have a pistol grip 50ML syringe that will squirt 1 to 5ml in a single shot.

When I fill it with like 5ml of distillate I still end up making a mess because it ends up coming out the top because it squeees out between the tip of the 50ml syringe....

so I'm still making a mess and on top of that I can't even get 3 or 4 full without the 10-15ml of oil I have in the big syringe cools off too much to effectively squirt out a shot without making an even bigger and stickier mess.

fuck this shit.

flatslabs · May 3, 2017

Maybe we are just talking about different things? My syringes ship like this, 100 per box:
http://imgur.com/a/cYwBF

I take a 20ml syringe loaded with warm distillate with a catheter tip, fill 20 at a time with 1ml each trying to keep it along the side of the syringe so there is an air path and my assistant grabs it and puts the plunger in.

BigJohnny · May 5, 2017

flatslabs said:
Maybe we are just talking about different things? My syringes ship like this, 100 per box:
http://imgur.com/a/cYwBF

I take a 20ml syringe loaded with warm distillate with a catheter tip, fill 20 at a time with 1ml each trying to keep it along the side of the syringe so there is an air path and my assistant grabs it and puts the plunger in.

Where do you get those syringes.... mine came shipped in a bag with the plungers in, and the caps removed.

clearchoiceco · May 8, 2017

It's really not all that difficult to quickly fill syringes manually without getting the tip dirty. Then again I've personally filled well in the 6 digits of syringes. So far I haven't seen an "automatic" or assisted solution that can do it any faster or easier than I can do it by hand, for less than $10k.

I thought I saw $6k quoted for the MCF-1 but it adds no value for me as I can do it faster and better by hand. I saw another machine listed around the $4k ball park and their sales associate told me that they will accept returns if it doesn't work out for me. Appeared to be highly configurable in accuracy but would likely need to be modified slightly after-sales mainly heating of the material. It can also easily be switched into an open container (ie glass jar) filling mode.

clearchoiceco · May 8, 2017

FWIW I use 1mL low dead space syringes and slip caps. I fill them with 0.5g (slightly less than 0.5mL).

What I am really looking for is a machine that can quickly fill multiple syringes. Like, I load a tray or cartridge with 5-10 syringes, and it fills all 5-10 at a time, and able to quickly load/unload new syringes. Seems like it wouldn't be that difficult to do for less than $5k for folks who are good at custom fabrication and a manufacturing.

clearchoiceco · May 8, 2017

The real upside of having a machine is so I can hire help to operate it. The current dilemma is that I got myself stuck doing tedious packaging because I can't find reliable help. If I pay by the hour, it gets crawling slow and cost to fill skyrockets, where the guys doing packaging are making damned near what I'm making just to sit there and fill syringes.

If I pay by piece, I get fucked on weight accuracy, where I will get some heavy complaints about sticky tips, short weight, or lose a bunch of weight on over-fills.

Unfortunately I don't know any good, honest, reliable people.

BigJohnny · May 9, 2017

clearchoiceco said:
The real upside of having a machine is so I can hire help to operate it. The current dilemma is that I got myself stuck doing tedious packaging because I can't find reliable help. If I pay by the hour, it gets crawling slow and cost to fill skyrockets, where the guys doing packaging are making damned near what I'm making just to sit there and fill syringes.

If I pay by piece, I get fucked on weight accuracy, where I will get some heavy complaints about sticky tips, short weight, or lose a bunch of weight on over-fills.

Unfortunately I don't know any good, honest, reliable people.

That seems to be the biggest problem in this industry.

but look at the MCF1, I'm working on making an order now, and while it doesn't fill them automatically like ACF1 fills carts, it will significantly speed up the process and allow accurate 1ml doses.

so pick one up and start paying by the piece.

tell your workers that you are only paying for each full syringe if it's filled properly. Anything not done correctly will need to be redone and will only be paid for it once it is redone properly.

BigJohnny · May 9, 2017

clearchoiceco said:
It's really not all that difficult to quickly fill syringes manually without getting the tip dirty. Then again I've personally filled well in the 6 digits of syringes. So far I haven't seen an "automatic" or assisted solution that can do it any faster or easier than I can do it by hand, for less than $10k.

I thought I saw $6k quoted for the MCF-1 but it adds no value for me as I can do it faster and better by hand. I saw another machine listed around the $4k ball park and their sales associate told me that they will accept returns if it doesn't work out for me. Appeared to be highly configurable in accuracy but would likely need to be modified slightly after-sales mainly heating of the material. It can also easily be switched into an open container (ie glass jar) filling mode.

Which machine are you referring to? I'd be interested in seeing that $4K unit

clearchoiceco · May 10, 2017

BigJohnny said:
That seems to be the biggest problem in this industry.

but look at the MCF1, I'm working on making an order now, and while it doesn't fill them automatically like ACF1 fills carts, it will significantly speed up the process and allow accurate 1ml doses.

so pick one up and start paying by the piece.

tell your workers that you are only paying for each full syringe if it's filled properly. Anything not done correctly will need to be redone and will only be paid for it once it is redone properly.

That's sounds pretty logical but in my situation it seems easier said than done.

My philosophy/MO is large volume & quick turn-around (relative to input anyways) & low margin, providing a pretty high quality distillate at very affordable prices. If I have to pay dishonest/lazy packagers what they wish for, I'd be out of business.

Not to talk down on the industry or people but I just straight up don't have the time or patience to hand-hold, constantly check on and re-do the work of laborers who can't otherwise get by in society. I don't have the leadership skills to be able to turn lazy and dishonest folks into good productive workers.

BigJohnny said:
Which machine are you referring to? I'd be interested in seeing that $4K unit

I forgot; it's been over a year since I last looked into it, but if I hear the name again I will instantly recognize it. I do remember that their $4k product was sold and distributed by numerous legit distributors/resellers in the healthcare resale sector, and appeared to be a very legit product that is highly and very precisely configurable,I think it quoted minimum fill of 0.1 mL all the way up to 20+ mL, in potentially sub-0.1mL increments with modifications (I believe claimed was 0.1mL).

The ACF-1 looks like it solves the cartridge filling problem pretty well but I am unimpressed with the MCF-1 especially for it's price range combined with relatively low precision/increments.

clearchoiceco · May 10, 2017

So far after over a dozen trials I'm extremely convinced I can personally hand-fill more syringes with less headache in less time than hiring 2-3 lazy people and double-checking their work not to mention other logistical and other challenges.

I absolutely hate and despise packaging and it is the biggest bottleneck I have, but I put up with it because the alternative seems worse.

Filling Syringes

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