I Holland | Tabletting Science | Optimise Production

PRODUCTION PROBLEMS

Tablet production problems can occur in many ways and lead to significant press downtime. Below we look at three common issues along with their possible solutions. There are many other challenges that may need to be addressed so please get in touch with us if yours is not covered here and let us help you increase your productivity.

Sticking

Probably the biggest production challenge faced by tablet manufacturers today, sticking is where the granulation adheres to the punch tip face causing costly wastage, reduced yield and unwanted press downtime.

Capping & Lamination

Laminar separation within of the tablet body or removal of the upper tablet cup can occur at any time during tablet compaction or any of the other downstream processes causing unusable tablets and unhappy customers.

Tablet Contamination

Contamination usually presents itself in the form of black spots or mottled surfaces and can be the cause of quality rejects and low yields. Product appearance is important for end-user perception and encourages brand loyalty.

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Production Solutions

PharmaCote Coatings

A complex problem like sticking requires a specialist solution. I Holland have the largest range of punch and die coatings on the market designed to meet the challenges of almost any formulation. When coupled with our unique statistical model TSAR~Predict, we can solve even the stickiest of situations.

Bellows & Drip Cups

One solution to contamination is to use bellows or drip cups in conjunction with a seal groove on your tablet punch. This will prevent lubrication from entering into finished product.

PharmaGrade Steels

Capping and delamination can be caused by many factors, but one potential solution is to use specialist tooling steels to prevent die ringing. They allow for optimised press force as well as improving wear resistance in general and extending overall tooling life.

Case Study - Solve Production Problems

The Italian division of Novartis approached I Holland and local agent Vis Viva with a sticking issue on an anti-epileptic drug in the form of a coated tablet.

Tablet sticking is one of the most common problems in tablet manufacture. This buildup of granule on the punch tip face causes tablet press downtime and reduced tablet output. It has a negative effect on tablet appearance and often results in the removal of tablet tooling from production for regular cleaning and maintenance, as experienced by Novartis.