An apparatus for producing a glass workpiece includes: a device configured to heat a glass until it softens; an inner molding tool configured to mold inner lateral surfaces of the workpiece; an outer molding tool configured to mold outer lateral surfaces of the workpiece, the outer molding tool having a shaping roller with a shaping surface; an accommodating device configured to accommodate the shaping roller, the shaping roller being mounted in a freely rotatable manner in the accommodating device and is fixable during a shaping process by a lockable locking device, the shaping roller being locked with a releasable connection such that the shaping roller can be released and rotated through an angle in the locking device between individual shaping processes; and an apparatus configured to apply a lubricating oil to the shaping surface of the shaping roller and having an outlet opening configured to dispense the lubricating oil.

A tapered tip for being attached to a wrapper containing a smokeable substance. The tip is formed by a tube having a conical frustrum shape having two ends forming first and second openings at opposite ends of the tube. The openings are fluidly connected to each other by a chamber disposed between the two ends. The chamber and the two are axially aligned. The tip is formed by rotating a tube while applying heat to a section. The heated section is squeezed and a pivoting rod is inserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is squeezed a second time and the rod is reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is again squeezed and the pivoting rod is again reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied to the end of the tube.

A method is provided for reshaping a glass body rotating about its longitudinal axis. The method includes using a means for establishing a temperature profile, a radial forming tool and an axial forming tool. In the method, a first temperature profile is established and the glass body is reshaped by engaging the radial forming tool. Then a second temperature profile is established and the glass body is reshaped by engaging the axial forming tool.

A device for the shaping of glass bodies, in particular of pharmaceutical vials, comprises a clamping chuck for holding a glass body, a rotary drive for driving the clamping chuck rotatingly, further at least one heat source for heating a glass body held within the clamping chuck, and further a controller which is coupled to the rotary drive so that the clamping chuck can be driven at variable rotational speed.

A device for the shaping of glass bodies, in particular of pharmaceutical vials, comprises a clamping chuck for holding a glass body, a rotary drive for driving the clamping chuck rotatingly, further at least one heat source for heating a glass body held within the clamping chuck, and further a controller which is coupled to the rotary drive so that the clamping chuck can be driven at variable rotational speed.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

A method for molding end portions on glass containers that store pharmaceutical active ingredients is provided. The glass containers are produced from a glass tube by hot-forming, an end portion having a neck opening using a centrally disposed opening forming tool interacting with a shaping tool at one end of the glass containers. In the method, dimensional data is provided for the respective glass tube and the position of the shaping tool is adjusted in a motorized manner in the axial direction (z) of the glass containers so as to correspond to the provided dimensional data for the respective glass tube.

An apparatus for shaping a workpiece made of glass using minimum lubrication is provided. The apparatus includes device for heating the workpiece, a shaping station with at least one forming tool for shaping the workpiece, and at least one spray nozzle for applying an oil as a lubricant onto the surface of the forming tool. The forming tool exhibits heat dissipation such that the temperature on the contact surface of the forming tool during the shaping process is kept below 300 C. The amount of oil dispensed by the spray nozzle per forming step and application instance is less than 0.1 g.

Disclosed is a method for the production of a tube having, in sections, a non-circular profile by deforming, comprising: a) providing a tube, which has a circular initial profile; b) conveying the tube in a hot, malleable state through a nip, which is formed by squeezing rollers and has a first nip width, which is larger than or equal to an outer dimension of the initial profile; c) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a second nip width, which is smaller than the outer dimension of the initial profile, and deforming the initial profile in said hot, malleable state for obtaining said non-circular cross section; and d) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a third nip width, which is larger than or equal to the outer dimension of the initial profile, and severing said tube in a region having a circular cross section; so that respective end portions of said tube have a circular cross section According to the invention, the tubes can be connected reliably with connecting-members or other tubes via the end portions having the circular profile using proven tube connection technologies. At the same time there is at least one central section having a non-circular cross section which is of advantage, for example for applications in photobioreactors.