Overview
EN ISO 12818:2015 - Glass packaging - Standard tolerances for flaconnage (ISO 12818:2013) defines standard geometric tolerances for glass bottles and small containers (flaconnage) used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic/perfumery, and chemical products. Adopted by CEN, this European version (EN ISO 12818:2015) supersedes EN 15904:2010 and provides manufacturers and packagers with uniform criteria for brimful capacity, height, diameter/width and verticality.
Key topics
- Scope and product groups
- Applies to bottles used for medicines, cosmetics (perfumes, creams, nail varnish), and techno-chemical products (inks, varnishes, solvents).
- Excludes miniatures, small extract bottles and small individual jars.
- Brimful capacity tolerances
- Detailed tolerance values are provided in Table 1 of the standard for round and non‑round bottles across capacity ranges. (Specific tabulated limits are given in the standard.)
- Height tolerances
- Tabulated by height ranges and expressed by the formula: Th = 0.004 × H + 0.4 (mm).
- Diameter and width tolerances
- Separate tolerances for round and non‑round containers; tables provide limits by diameter range.
- Expressed formulas:
- Round: if E ≤ 50 mm: Te = 0.008E + 0.4; if E > 50 mm: Te = 0.014E + 0.1.
- Non‑round (width L): if L ≤ 50 mm: Tl = 0.008L + 0.5; if L > 50 mm: Tl = 0.014L + 0.2.
- Verticality tolerances
- Verticality tolerances are tabulated by height and summarized by:
- For H ≤ 100 mm: Tv = 0.3 + 0.01 × H (mm)
- For H > 100 mm: Tv = 1.3% × H
- Measurement references
- Standard references ISO 1101 (geometrical tolerancing) and ISO 9008 (verticality test method) for measurement practice.
Applications and users
Who benefits from EN ISO 12818:2015:
- Glass container manufacturers designing tooling and moulds to meet tolerance specifications.
- Packaging engineers and product designers ensuring fit with closures, secondary packaging and filling machines.
- Quality control & metrology labs applying uniform inspection criteria for brimful capacity, height, diameter and verticality.
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies verifying container compliance for regulatory filing and product performance.
- Bottlers and fill lines optimizing filling accuracy and reducing product waste.
Practical uses include ensuring interchangeability of bottles, reducing rejects on filling lines, guaranteeing compatibility with closures, and supporting supplier quality agreements.
Related standards
- ISO 1101 - Geometrical product specifications (GPS) - Geometrical tolerancing
- ISO 9008 - Glass bottles - Verticality - Test method
- CE.T.I.E. DT15.00 series - data basis for flaconnage tolerances
Keywords: EN ISO 12818:2015, glass packaging, flaconnage, standard tolerances, brimful capacity, height tolerances, diameter tolerances, verticality tolerances, pharmaceutical bottles, cosmetic bottles.
