The tablet press is a core and critical equipment in the production process of solid dosage forms, so it is very important to choose a suitable tablet press. A tablet press is an important investment that must be carefully considered before purchasing. The following article introduces the main characteristics and relationships between tablet presses, granules, and stamping dies, which can also help you eliminate some concerns when purchasing.

Deciding which type of tablet press to purchase may become a challenge for you, For example, when faced with different brands, models, and specifications of equipment, you may be helpless. Instead of blindly buying a tablet press immediately, it's better to consider the following factors before making a decision.

Firstly, you must carefully analyze your production situation. The tablet press you purchase should not only meet the production capacity, but also be suitable for the tablets being pressed. These factors will play an important role in your selection of the appropriate tablet press. And it is also very important for you to have a sufficient understanding of the various components and relationships between them in the entire tablet production process. In addition, you can also grasp some misconceptions about tablet presses in the past, in order to overcome and avoid these difficulties.

The three important components of the tablet production process:Tablet press, granules, molds

The tablet press is the core part of tablet production, but it does not work independently. If the mold and particles are not considered, the entire tablet pressing process will be incomplete as they interact with each other.

Tablet machine:

Purchasing personnel often consider tablet presses as an important part of the entire tablet production process because of their high price. At the same time, it is also because there are many elements involved in the tablet pressing process that can be combined here. The requirements of the tablet press for the mold determine the size, output, and pressure of the tablet press. For example, factors such as particle flowability, compression speed, compressibility, and layering ability can also affect how you use a tablet press.

grain:

Each type of particle has its own particle size distribution, flowability, and compression performance to meet the required tablet pressing requirements, including tablet hardness, which are related to the mold and tablet press you use. Therefore, particles also play a significant role in the size and shape of the film.

Mold:

The size and shape of the mold determine the size and shape of the pressed tablet. Therefore, the molds on the tablet press come in various sizes and shapes. In addition, the materials, coatings, and heat treatments used in the molds may also affect the compression process. The mold is related to both the speed of the tablet press and the particle size of the material.

Several common misconceptions

People usually have some common misunderstandings when choosing a tablet press. By revealing the following misconceptions, we hope to point you in the right direction for making the right choices.

Misconception 1

The performance of the same material in the laboratory tablet press is the same as that of the production tablet press. Although it may seem reasonable in theory, many reasons indicate that this understanding is incorrect. You must be aware of the significant differences between the research and development process and the actual production process. And many changes in these two types of tablet presses may potentially cause some problems. One major possibility is that the compression speed of the R&D tablet press used in the laboratory is lower than that of the actual production tablet press. The different compression speeds not only affect the hardness of the tablets, but also cause changes in the compression process. When such problems arise, production personnel usually increase pressure, but such consequences can lead to damage to the mold or changes in the disintegration of the wafer.

Different sizes of molds and shapes of tablets can also pose challenges during the compression process. For example, you have two similar tablet presses, one of which is used in the laboratoryBType stamping die, another one is used in the production workshopDType stamping die. If all other accessories are the same, will the working results of the two tablet presses be the same? Of course not. This is because molds of different sizes have different compression characteristics. The factors that make laboratory tablet presses different from production tablet presses include: the structural design of the tablet press, tablet pressing speed, compression ratio, tablet shape, and compression time. Understanding these differences will help you overcome the difficulties you encounter when purchasing equipment.

Misconception 2

If you choose a high-speed tablet press, you can produce at a high speed. Practice has proven that this is incorrect. When compressing, the granules are very special, and each batch of granules has its own fixed compression ratio. This compression ratio will determine the production speed and molding speed of your tablet press. If greater pressure is required during production, you can reduce the compression speed of the tablets or improve the compression ratio of the particles. Through gradual exploration, you will understand the relationship between them. Please also do not overlook the size of the mold, as it plays an important role in the entire tablet pressing equipment. for exampleDThe compression area ratio of the moldBThe mold is large.

If you run two tablet presses at the same speed, then useDThe tablets produced by the mold press have higher hardness. Applying theories from the research and development stage to learn and guide the condition of each batch of particles and compression ratio is the key to determining which speed to use to operate the tablet press.

Misconception Three

The feeders for all tablet presses are the same. This viewpoint is clearly incorrect Because different tablet presses use different feeders to continuously feed materials into the die. The inability of materials to flow continuously will greatly limit the speed of tablet pressing. Below are two different types of feeding systems.

1. Open feeder: It is a common feeder and also a basic feeder. Particles are gradually filled into the mold holes through the principle of gravity, and the good flowability of particles ensures the difference in tablet weight.

2. Closed feeder: During operation, the variable speed feeder feeds in two stages. *During the stage, particles are mechanically transported from the hopper to the storage bin of the feeder; In the second stage, the particles in the storage bin are fed into the feeder to ensure uninterrupted feeding of particles to the die, reducing the difference in sheet weight.

Misconception 4

When choosing to purchase a tablet press, you only need to consider the technology.

This is just like how you never buy high priced products solely based on technical specifications, and you also never buy tablet presses solely based on technical specifications. If you buy and install a tablet press, you think everything is ready, but that's wrong. You will also need a tablet press supplier. Therefore, you need to establish good relationships with these people. Their professional skills will be of great help to you in verifying tablet presses and providing technical services. Establishing a solid and friendly relationship with suppliers is the key to success.

General pharmaceutical factory users must validate new machines, so before purchasing a tablet press, they need to evaluate the validation level provided by the supplier. With the help of suppliers, the verification time can be shortened from a few weeks to a few days. Usually, pharmaceutical users cannot start production before verification. The quality of after-sales service and the supply of accessories can also affect your procurement results. The credibility of the tablet press supplier, their reputation in the market, their ability to provide good and timely services, and their ability to solve problems in a timely manner are all factors that you need to consider before purchasing.