Equipment and Processing Report-08-17-2011

PharmTech's monthly newsletter, Equipment and Processing Report, reviews the Editor's Picks for the August 2011 edition from Chemineer and IDS.

We try to use previous experience to develop the optimal granulation process for each new ingredient, but we sometimes get it wrong. Many times, we?ve taken materials from the granulator only to find that they exhibit poor flow and insufficient density. How can we easily determine the end point of a given granulation process?

Achieving a consistent level of quality control could greatly reduce waste and save money for the pharmaceutical industry. But why has talk about Six Sigma died down at a time when it could be of great benefit?

Using information technology tools to enhance process understanding helps reduce variability that can affect speed to market.