32mm Tear-Off Seal for Pharmaceutical Vials

The 32mm tear-off seal is the large-format size in the all-aluminium tear-off range: a one-piece AA8011 shell crimped over the rubber stopper of a wide-neck vial, with a perforated top torn completely away at point of use and no plastic component on the part. Inner aluminium diameter is 32.40 to 32.60 mm with a 17.80 to 18.20 mm perforation, total seal height is 13.00 to 13.60 mm, and maximum opening force is 65 N.

This page gives the 32 mm dimensions, materials, quality position, forms of supply and applications. For the opening mechanism and the smaller formats, see the tear-off seal range.

Key takeaways

The 32 mm tear-off seal is all aluminium (AA8011) with no polypropylene disc, which places it under ISO 8362-3 rather than the aluminium-plastics combination standard.
Inner Ø 32.40–32.60 mm, perforation Ø 17.80–18.20 mm, total seal height 13.00–13.60 mm.
The 32.40 to 32.60 mm band is the tightest tolerance in the range, 0.20 mm wide against 0.60 mm on the 20 mm.
Maximum opening force 65 N, the highest of the three sizes, because the tear runs around a larger perforation.
Standard packing is 1,400 per box (700 in each of two bags), shipper 420 × 270 × 320 mm.
Supplied Regular, Ready-to-Use (gamma or ETO sterilized) or Ready-to-Sterilize, double-bagged for aseptic areas.

What is a 32mm tear-off seal?

A 32mm tear-off seal is the all-metal closure for a 32 mm neck vial: a deep-drawn aluminium shell whose skirt rolls under the wide neck flange during capping to compress the rubber stopper against the glass, and whose top face carries a 17.80 to 18.20 mm perforation so the metal can be torn away by hand.

The seal is not the sterile barrier. The barrier is the stopper held in compression by the crimped skirt, and the crimp remains after the top is removed. The perforation defines the tear path, so the metal separates along a controlled circle rather than ragged across the face. On a 32 mm part the exposed area after opening is large, which is the point: this is the size chosen when the stopper has to be reached in full.

Large-format vials sit at the bulk end of the range, so the closure carries more metal: total height of 13.00 to 13.60 mm is roughly double the 20 mm seal, and the 65 N opening force follows from the longer tear path. Match the seal to a 32 mm vial finish and a 32 mm stopper of the same nominal diameter; vial necks follow ISO 8362-1. The distinction from the aluminium-plastic FlipTop® range is construction: nothing here is moulded.

Specifications and sizing

Controlled dimensions for the 32 mm tear-off seal, from the Autofits engineering drawings, with opening force and packing from the product dossier. The standard shipper box is 420 × 270 × 320 mm.

Property	Value
Nominal size	32 mm
Inner Ø aluminium (D1)	32.40–32.60 mm
Perforation Ø (D2)	17.80–18.20 mm
Total seal height	13.00–13.60 mm
Max opening force	65 N
Standard packing (per box)	1,400 (700 × 2 bags)
Construction	One-piece aluminium, no plastic disc
Material	AA8011 aluminium with epoxy lacquer
Standard finish	Double-side silver lacquer

Aluminium gauge and bridge count for the 32 mm part are available on request. Tyvek bagging is offered as an alternative to the standard polybag. Comparable 32 mm closures across the families are indexed on the 32 mm by-size page; the smaller tear-off formats are the 13mm tear-off seal and the 20mm tear-off seal.

Materials and quality

The shell is AA8011 aluminium alloy, conforming to EN 15088:2005 with EN 10204-3.1 certification and mechanical testing to BS EN 485-2:2008, and is REACH and RoHS compliant. The coating is an epoxy lacquer conforming to 21 CFR 175.300, silver on both sides as standard and pigmentable for colour identification in a wide range of colours, matte or glossy, customised to requirement. Heavy metals (chromium-VI, cadmium, mercury, lead) are held to a maximum 100 ppm total, and the materials carry a BSE/TSE-free declaration to EMEA/410/01 rev. 3.

Large-diameter drawn parts are where forming variation shows up first, which is why the 0.20 mm diameter band matters on the line: the skirt has to roll consistently under a wide flange. Seals pass through fully automated washing, then 100% high-speed camera inspection. Production runs under ISO 15378:2017 GMP with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification, a Drug Master File (DMF 18100) and CFDA registration, at the 75,000 sq ft Nashik facility. AQL is critical nil, major not more than 2.5%, minor not more than 4%. The full certification set is on the quality page.

Forms of supply

The 32 mm tear-off seal ships Regular (clean, bulk-packed, for washing and sterilization in house), Ready-to-Use (washed and assembled in an ISO Class 8 cleanroom, gamma or ETO sterilized, double-bagged for aseptic areas) and Ready-to-Sterilize. Shelf life is 3.5 years before capping for non-irradiated seals, plus 5 years after capping, and 2 years before capping for Ready-to-Use. Minimum order quantities, lead times and pricing are available on request.

Applications

The 32 mm tear-off seal is used on large-volume and bulk vials where the top has to come off completely: lyophilized products reconstituted before use, diluent and bulk-fill presentations, and veterinary multidose containers specified plastic-free. The wide exposed area suits contents drawn with a transfer set. For the wider catalogue, see the full product range.

Frequently asked questions

What are the dimensions of a 32mm tear-off seal?

The Autofits 32 mm tear-off seal has an inner aluminium diameter of 32.40 to 32.60 mm, a perforation diameter of 17.80 to 18.20 mm and a total seal height of 13.00 to 13.60 mm. Aluminium gauge and bridge count for this size are available on request.

What is the opening force of a 32mm tear-off seal?

The maximum opening force is 65 N, the highest of the three tear-off sizes. The 13 mm size opens at 30 N and the 20 mm at 35 N. Force scales with the length of the tear path.

How many 32mm tear-off seals are in a box?

Standard packing is 1,400 seals per box, supplied as 700 in each of two bags, in a 420 by 270 by 320 mm shipper. The count is lower than the smaller sizes because each seal is physically larger. Tyvek bagging is available as an alternative.

Why is the 32mm seal taller than the 20mm?

Total seal height is 13.00 to 13.60 mm on the 32 mm part against 7.40 to 8.00 mm on the 20 mm. The skirt has to reach over a wider, deeper neck finish and roll under a larger flange, so the drawn shell carries more metal.

Does a 32mm tear-off seal contain plastic?

No. It is made entirely from AA8011 aluminium with an epoxy lacquer coating. There is no polypropylene disc and no plastic button. Closures with a moulded plastic top sit in the separate aluminium-plastic FlipTop range.

Can the 32mm tear-off seal be supplied sterile?

Yes. It is offered Ready-to-Use, washed and assembled in an ISO Class 8 cleanroom, sterilized by gamma irradiation or ETO and double-bagged for aseptic filling. Ready-to-Sterilize and Regular forms are also available.

Sources

Autofits engineering drawings and FlipTop Seals dossier (working/spec-sheets/)
ISO 8362-3, Aluminium caps for injection vials (https://www.iso.org/standard/33804.html)
ISO 8362-1, Injection vials made of glass tubing (https://www.iso.org/standard/74398.html)
ISO 15378, Primary packaging materials for medicinal products (https://www.iso.org/standard/70729.html)
US FDA: 21 CFR 175.300, Resinous and polymeric coatings (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-175)

*Last updated: 2026-08-18. This page is general technical and product information, not regulatory or compliance advice. All dimensions are nominal drawing values; confirm current standard editions, your vial finish and your specification with the Autofits technical team before ordering.*