Methods for producing articles from a glass tube include securing a working end of the glass tube in a glass tube holder of a converter having a plurality of processing stations including a heating station and a forming station. An initial length of the glass tube includes a plurality of serial segments, each of the plurality of serial segments corresponding to one article and having an article number. The methods include heating the working end of the glass tube in the heating station, adjusting an amount of heating of the glass tube in the heating station based on the article number at the working end of the glass tube, and forming a feature of the article in the forming station. Adjusting the amount of heating based on the article number reduces variation in tube temperature, article dimensions, or both, from one article number to the next article number.

Methods for producing articles from a glass tube include securing a working end of the glass tube in a glass tube holder of a converter having a plurality of processing stations including a heating station and a forming station. An initial length of the glass tube includes a plurality of serial segments, each of the plurality of serial segments corresponding to one article and having an article number. The methods include heating the working end of the glass tube in the heating station, adjusting an amount of heating of the glass tube in the heating station based on the article number at the working end of the glass tube, and forming a feature of the article in the forming station. Adjusting the amount of heating based on the article number reduces variation in tube temperature, article dimensions, or both, from one article number to the next article number.

A method of preparing a glass medical container is provided including the steps of providing a glass blank and forming a channel through a part of the glass blank, the channel being substantially free of tungsten or derivatives thereof. In a further aspect of the subject invention, a glass medical container is provided including a glass body having a channel extending through a part of the glass body, the channel being substantially free of tungsten or derivatives thereof. With the subject invention, tungsten or derivatives thereof can be generally or altogether completely avoided in glass medical containers.

Provided is a borosilicate glass for a pharmaceutical container which has good processability in spite of not including BaO. The borosilicate glass for a pharmaceutical container includes SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, B.sub.2O.sub.3, and R.sub.2O (R is one or more kinds selected from Li, Na, and K) as essential components, in which BaO is not substantially included, and a water content in glass is 0.30 to 0.80/mm in terms of -OH value.

A device for producing a high-purity medical glass container from a hollow cylindrical glass blank extending along an axial direction (X) and having at least one open end, wherein the glass blank has a mouldable moulded section extending in the axial direction (X) from the open end. The device comprises a first moulding tool and a second moulding tool, where the first moulding tool has a moulding pin. The moulding pin can be moved via the open end of the hollow cylindrical glass blank in the moulded section thereof along the axial direction (X), wherein the moulding pin is fixed in a fixing unit of the first moulding tool. The moulded section can be deformed by the second moulding tool in such a way that an inner surface of the moulded section is in contact with the moulding pin, whereby the moulded section forms a channel.

A reforming mandrel and a method of use reforming mandrel to reform glass are described. The reforming mandrel comprises an upstream portion, a downstream portion and an at least partially hollow interior. The upstream portion may have an intake inlet for fluid flow. The downstream portion may be axially spaced from the upstream portion. The downstream portion may have a flattened cross-section defined by flattened peripheral portions joined by curved peripheral portions. At least one curved peripheral portion may be made of porous material resistant to a temperature of at least 1000 C. The at least partially hollow interior may communicate with the intake inlet and the porous material.

A reforming mandrel and a method of use reforming mandrel to reform glass are described. The reforming mandrel comprises an upstream portion, a downstream portion and an at least partially hollow interior. The upstream portion may have an intake inlet for fluid flow. The downstream portion may be axially spaced from the upstream portion. The downstream portion may have a flattened cross-section defined by flattened peripheral portions joined by curved peripheral portions. At least one curved peripheral portion may be made of porous material resistant to a temperature of at least 1000 C. The at least partially hollow interior may communicate with the intake inlet and the porous material.

A tip for being attached to a wrapper containing a smokable substance. The tip includes a tube having a generally cylindrical shape, having two ends each forming an opening at opposite ends of said tube. The openings are fluidly connected to each other by a chamber between the two ends, the chamber and said two ends being axially aligned. A first one of the two ends has a t-shaped opening and a second one of the two ends has a circular opening. The second end has an outside diameter less than an outside diameter of the first end. A method for making the tip is also described.

A method of preparing a glass medical container is provided including the steps of providing a glass blank and forming a channel through a part of the glass blank, the channel being substantially free of tungsten or derivatives thereof. In a further aspect of the subject invention, a glass medical container is provided including a glass body having a channel extending through a part of the glass body, the channel being substantially free of tungsten or derivatives thereof. With the subject invention, tungsten or derivatives thereof can be generally or altogether completely avoided in glass medical containers.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for modifying the shape of a hollow structure. The method may comprise steps of providing a hollow structure having a cross-section with first and second diameters defining a first aspect ratio; heating at least a part of the hollow structure to at least its glass transition temperature, forming a malleable hollow structure; maintaining a positive pressure inside the malleable hollow structure to form a pressurized hollow structure; and pressing against a first side and an opposed second side of a heated part of the pressurized hollow structure, forming a hollow tabular structure having first and second opposed generally flat faces and a second aspect ratio greater than the first aspect ratio.