In the Spotlight July 2011

Editors' Picks of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology Innovations

Pharmaceutical companies have ample experience making tablets, which remain the most common dosage form. But despite the industry's accumulated knowledge, problems in the tablet-production process, such as capping and lamination, sometimes occur. Firms can try to avoid these problems with improved tableters and with instruments that help them understand their ingredients' properties. This month's products are intended to aid the manufacture of tablets. A new tablet press from Fette can produce multilayer tablets. Elizabeth-Hata's new machine enables the precise alignment of cores in core tablets. An instrument from Hosokowa provides accurate information about power characteristics, such as flowability.

Press produces various tablet formats

The FE55 tablet press from Fette Compacting can be configured for traditional monolayer use, monolayer use for direct compression, and double-layer use. When configured for double-layer tablets, the device uses its optional third compression station as a tamping station for the first tablet layer. The machine's design enables it to produce approximately 90% of the most common tablet formats, according to the company.

FE55 tablet press Fette Compacting www.fetteamerica.com

When configured for bilayer manufacturing, the device's pneumatically-actuated lower roll assembly instantaneously raises the first lower compression roll by as much as 2 mm. This action temporarily increases the hardness of the first tablet layer so that it can withstand the trip through the sampling chute and be weighed. The press reverts to normal operation without requiring operator input. In addition, the machine's feeder assembly uses a single paddle with an inverted-cone shape to enable unrestricted product flow.

Instrument characterizes particles accurately

The PT-X powder-characteristics tester from Hosokawa uses Carr indices and Kawakita's equation for compressibility to determine the flowability and floodability of dry powders. The unit provides automated vibration and includes an electronically controlled vibration sensor to ensure results' repeatability. The PT-X instrument's feeder was specially designed to maintain reliable sample feeding.

The PT-X powder-characteristics tester Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems www.hmicronpowder.com

By reducing the amount of operator intervention required, the device helps ensure analytical accuracy and repeatability. Analysis is performed quickly through the machine's user-friendly software, which has multilanguage functionality. Users can perform measurements by recording each test sieve's serial number.

Tablet press enables precision core placement

The new version of the Hata CVX Core Press machine from Elizabeth-Hata enables precision core alignment in core-tableting applications. The CVX series is appropriate for multilayer and custom core-tableting. The press has manual washdown capability to facilitate product changeover.

Hata CVX Core Press machine Elizabeth-Hata www.eliz.com

The new unit allows users to insert an item into a predetermined location in a specific die. The geometry of the transfer cog maintains the item's placement within the die, and the position cannot be changed once it has been set. The device holds cores in position and slowly embeds them into the tablet over 32° of rotation, thus enabling consistent, accurate, and repeatable placement. In addition, the press includes technology for core-coating and time-release solid dosage tablets.

The Hata CVX press includes a portable control kiosk that helps save space. The touch-screen control provides a Windows-based software interface that includes context-sensitive help text to simplify press operation.