7 POINTS TO CHECK TO IMPROVE TABLET QUALITY

12/09/2023

1. WORKING LENGTH OF THE PUNCH

The size of the punch is very important especially for rotary tablet presses because it plays a role in consistency in weight, hardness and thickness of the tablet. Therefore, they must be measured directly and the tolerance must not exceed 0.002 inches (0.0508 mm) on an operating station at upper and lower punches. The working length of the punch must be checked carefully during operation and checked on site on new punches when they are installed

2. DIE BORE WEAR

This point is often overlooked in the process of checking the operation of punches and dies because until there is a lack of efficiency and technical response, it prevents checking this wear. New machines like Punch & Die Condition Tester can help us measure and monitor punch and die wear. Die bore wear can cause tablet defects such as surface peeling, layer separation and edge overflow

3. PUNCH TIP WEAR AND CAMBER

The camber of the punch tip should be checked for “Hook” marks. The J-hook mark is characterized by the edge of the punch tip bending into the inner surface. This type of wear can cause surface peeling during tablet production. The punch tips should also be checked for excessive gaps as they are similar to die bore wear. And like die bore wear, this problem can be measured using a Punch & Die Condition Tester or by using an optical comparator. If using a traditional Panme micrometer, it will not be possible to accurately measure punch tip wear

Máy kiểm tra tình trạng chày cối

4. PUNCH COTTER KEY

This is a part of the tablet press, the punch cotter key can play an important role in the quality of the tablet. There are tips to check when they are worn out. If worn, they should be replaced, as when worn they can cause weight differences in tablets.

5. PRESSURE ROLLER

This is another checkpoint on the tablet press, the pressure roller need to be checked for “eccentricity” or also called concentricity check. Failure to check the wear of the roller can cause inconsistency in hardness and weight of the tablets. The concentricity can be checked by using a dial indicator tool attached to a metal rod and a magnetic base. The measurement is done by taking the average measurement to determine whether the wear of the roller is within the tolerance range.

Dial gauge used to check the concentricity of the punches

6. CAM WEAR AND TABLET DOSAGE

The cam should be checked for wear by eye or more carefully after removing it. The cam also needs to be checked and selected to have the appropriate tablet dosage depth. Incorrect dosage depth can lead to excessive product loss and tablet weight variation.

7. TABLET EJECTOR CAMERA

This checkpoint should be checked with a straight edge ruler. The edge of the ruler must be in contact with the tip of the punch and ensure that there is enough clearance for the tablet ejection process. Setting the tablet ejector cam at the appropriate height will reduce the problem of tablet edge chipping.

Checking the suggested areas on the machine and correcting any wear or defects is a very worthwhile step, as it will improve product quality and reduce punch and die costs due to wear and damage.

Another important thing is to build written inspection procedures to ensure that best practices are followed. Another important thing is that staff must carefully check whether the parts of the tablet press and punch and die are within the given tolerances and in good condition.

7 POINTS TO CHECK TO IMPROVE TABLET QUALITY

READ MORE