Automated capillary tube inspection for inhalers
A new automated inspection system has been developed to ensure 100 % quality control of precision-drawn stainless steel capillary tubes used in asthma inhalers. The technology verifies geometry, surface condition, and chip-free cleanliness in a single high-speed process, helping meet the strict reliability requirements of medical technology applications.
Text & images by Schoeller Werk
Schoeller Werk GmbH & Co. KG has developed a fully automated measuring system for the 100 % inspection of capillary tubes, purpose-built for use in medical technology. The project was triggered by a customer order in the asthma inhaler segment, for which no suitable inspection solution was available on the market. Schoeller developed the system entirely in-house.
Supplying demanding industries As a European market leader in drawn stainless steel tubes, Schoeller supplies demanding industries where the tightest tolerances and highest surface quality are not optional – they are fundamental requirements. Medical technology ranks among the most demanding of these markets, placing exceptional requirements not only on the product itself, but also on quality assurance. Capillary tubes perform a critical function inside asthma inhalers: acting as a riser tube, they reliably transport medication from the cartridge to the atomizer nozzle. Even the smallest deviations in chip-free cleanliness, straightness, or cut-end quality can compromise the functionality of the end product. The customer, therefore, required 100 % inspection of all relevant specifications – geometry, surface condition, and chip-free cleanliness – within a single, highly efficient process.
Michael Gottschalk, CTO at Schoeller Werk GmbH & Co. KG.
12 Stainless Steel World June 2026 www. stainless-steel-world. net