Vial Seal Samples: What Can Be Sampled and What to Specify
Autofits supplies samples of its standard vial seals and pilfer-proof caps for evaluation, typically 200 to 500 pieces per size, dispatched typically within 5 working days of a complete request. Samples let a buyer check dimensions against the vial and stopper drawings, run a crimping trial on the production capper and confirm the opening action before a first order. To get the right part, a request names the product line, design, size, colour and delivery form, and the vial and stopper it will be tested with.
Key takeaways
- Quantity: standard samples are typically 200 to 500 pieces per size.
- Dispatch: typically within 5 working days for standard designs.
- What can be sampled: FlipTop Optima, FlipTop Pull Ring, FlipTop Tear-Down, tear-off and tear-down seals, and ROPP caps, in their standard sizes.
- Custom colour, print or Ready-to-Use samples are confirmed on enquiry.
- The most useful sample request includes the vial drawing and the stopper drawing, not only the seal size.
- Next step after samples: a standard design typically ships 2 to 3 weeks after order confirmation.
What can be sampled
Every standard line and size in the range can be sampled; the table shows what each sample is typically used to prove.
| Line | Sizes available as samples | Typical purpose of the sample |
|---|---|---|
| FlipTop Optima (Bridge, Button, Flower) | 13, 20, 28, 32, 34 mm | Crimp trial, flip-off force at point of use, colour check |
| FlipTop Pull Ring | 20, 32 mm | Pull and anticlockwise removal by the end user |
| FlipTop Tear-Down | 13, 20, 32 mm | Removal of the whole seal before oral dosing |
| Tear-off (all-aluminium) | 13, 20, 32 mm | Crimp trial where no plastic component is wanted |
| Tear-down (all-aluminium) | 20 mm | Crimp trial and tear-down removal |
| Pilfer-proof (ROPP) caps | 22, 25, 28, 35, 38 mm | Roll-on capping trial and liner compatibility |
Sizes and full dimensions for each part are in the seal sizing guide.
Quantities and delivery forms
A standard sample is sized for a bench and line trial, not for a stability study. Figures are typical and confirmed on enquiry.
| Sample type | Typical quantity | Typical dispatch |
|---|---|---|
| Standard design and colour, Regular form | 200 to 500 pieces per size and colour | Within 5 working days |
| Ready-to-Use (gamma or ETO sterilised) | Confirmed on enquiry | Confirmed on enquiry |
| Custom colour, print or emboss | Confirmed on enquiry | Confirmed on enquiry |
Where a trial needs more than a sample quantity, for example a stability or container closure integrity study across several batches of filled vials, the usual route is a small production order. A standard design is typically ordered from 50,000 pieces per size and colour.
What to specify for the right sample
The seal size alone is not enough; a sample request should describe the container system the seal will close.
| Item | What to give | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Product line and design | For example FlipTop Optima, Button design | Decides the opening action and tamper evidence |
| Size | 13, 20, 28, 32 or 34 mm; 22 to 38 mm for ROPP caps | Must match the neck finish |
| Vial or bottle drawing | Neck diameter and bead height, or supplier part number | Confirms fit and skirt height |
| Stopper drawing | Flange diameter and thickness | Sets the height the seal must cover |
| Colour and finish | Disc colour, matte or glossy | A colour check needs the right shade |
| Delivery form | Regular, Ready-to-Sterilize or Ready-to-Use | RTU samples are confirmed separately |
| Liner (ROPP caps) | EPE, latex or PVC | The liner does the sealing on a bottle |
| Trial type | Bench check, capping trial, opening test | Guides the quantity |
| Delivery address | Site and contact for the trial | Samples go where the trial runs |
How to evaluate the samples
Run the checks in the order that fails cheapest first: dimensions, then crimping, then opening, then integrity.
- Dimensions. Measure D1 and total height on a handful of pieces and compare them with the drawing. The values for each line are in the sizing guide.
- Crimping. Cap production vials with production stoppers on your own machine, and adjust crimp settings until the skirt rolls cleanly under the bead with no creasing.
- Opening. Check the flip-off, pull-ring or tear action by hand. On FlipTop seals the maximum opening force is 30 N at 13 mm, 35 N at 20 and 28 mm and 65 N at 32 mm.
- Colour. Compare the disc against your reference under consistent lighting.
- Integrity. Container closure integrity is tested on capped units using a validated method; see container closure integrity testing.
A practical guide to crimp settings and common defects is in vial crimping explained. Buyers qualifying a new source usually pair the sample trial with a document review; certificate numbers and what copies to ask for are on the quality certificates page, and a wider checklist is in how to choose a vial closure supplier.
What to send with a sample request
- Product line, design, size and quantity per size
- Vial and stopper drawings, or supplier part numbers
- Colour and finish, or a note that standard colour is fine
- Delivery form and, for ROPP caps, the liner
- The trial you plan to run and the date you need the samples
- Delivery address and the name of the person running the trial
Contact Autofits with the list above. For a colour match, see the seal colour chart first; for a part that does not exist yet, use the custom seal quote request instead.
Frequently asked questions
How many vial seal samples can I request?
Standard samples are typically 200 to 500 pieces per size, which covers a dimensional check and a crimping trial on a production capper. Larger quantities for multi-batch studies are usually supplied as a small production order and are confirmed on enquiry.
How quickly are samples dispatched?
Samples of standard designs are typically dispatched within 5 working days of a complete request. Samples in custom colours, with print, or in Ready-to-Use sterilised form take longer, and the timing is confirmed on enquiry.
Can I get Ready-to-Use sterilised samples?
Ready-to-Use samples, sterilised by gamma irradiation or ETO and double-bagged, are confirmed on enquiry because they depend on a sterilisation run. For a first dimensional and crimping trial, Regular samples of the same part are usually enough.
Can samples be made in my brand colour?
Samples of a standard design in a standard colour follow the typical 5 working days. A matched custom colour, print or emboss is confirmed on enquiry, and a production order for custom colour typically starts from 100,000 pieces with a typical lead time of 4 to 6 weeks including artwork approval.
What should I test on vial seal samples?
Check D1 and total height against the drawing, cap production vials with production stoppers on your own machine, test the opening action by hand, compare the colour with your reference, and then test container closure integrity on capped units with a validated method.
Related reading
- Vial seal sizing guide
- Seal colour chart
- Quality certificates and registrations
- Vial crimping explained
- How to choose a vial closure supplier
Sources
- Autofits FlipTop Seals dossier: product lines, sizes, opening forces and delivery forms
- USP: General Chapter <1207>, Package Integrity Evaluation, Sterile Products, USP-NF (https://www.usp.org/)
- ISO: ISO 8362-6:2010, Caps made of aluminium-plastics combinations for injection vials (https://www.iso.org/standard/52806.html)
*Last updated: 2026-09-15. Sample quantities, dispatch times, order quantities and lead times are typical and confirmed on enquiry. Opening forces are from the Autofits FlipTop Seals dossier.*
