TABLET MANUFACTURING

Tablets are prepared be forcing particles into close proximity to each other by
powder compression, which enables the particles to cohere into a porous, solid
specimen of defined geometry.
3 Stages of tablet processing
1. Die filling-accomplished by gravitational flow of the powder from a hopper via
the die table into the die.
2. Tablet formation-the upper punch descends and enters the die and the
powder is compressed until a tablet is formed.
3. Tablet ejection-the lower punch rises until its tip reaches the level of the top
of the die.
2 types of common press:
1. Single-punch press
- possesses one die and one pair of punches
- hopper shoe moves to and fro over the die, by either a rotational or a
translational movement
- output of tablets is up to about 200 tablets per minute
2. Rotary press
- referred to as multistation press
- developed to increase output of tablets
- outputs of over 10,000 tablets per minute
- operates with a number of dies and sets of punches
Instrumented presses are used in research, in development and in the production of
tablets. The work is normally carried out by instrumented single punch presses or
instrumented hydraulic presses.
2 main applications
1. to prepare tablets under defined conditions
2. to describe and analyse the compression properties of materials by studying
punch forces and punch displacements during the compression and
decompression phases.
2 types of force transducers commonly used in the instrumentation of tablet
machines:
1. strain gauge
- most common type
- consists of wires through which an electric current is passed
- bonded to a punch or punch holder
2. piezoelectric crystals
- less common type
- emit an electrical charge when loaded
- magnitude is proportional to the applied force
Technical problems during tableting

Most important technical problems:

high weight and dose variation of tablets
low mechanical strength of the tablets
capping and lamination of the tablets
adhesion or sticking of powder to punch tips
high friction during tablet ejection
Tablet production via granulation
Before granulation the drug might be processed separately.
Wet granulation- agitation of powder by convection in the presence of a liquid,
followed by drying
- most effective means in terms of production time and cost to
prepare good-quality
granulations
- the mixture often consists of the drug and filler, disintegrant may also
be included
- large granules are often formed, broken down by milling
- granules ranging in size from 100-800 micrometer
- prepared granulation is finally dry-mixed with other ingredients
- common excipients added its final mixing operation are disintegrants,
lubricants,
glidants and colorants.
Dry granulation- the formation of granules by compacting the powder into large
compacts which are
subsequently comminuted into smaller granules
- approach is to avoid exposure of powder to moisture and heat
- formation of compacts can be accomplished by powder
compression in a die (slugging)
- or by powder compression between rotating rollers
Tablet production by direct compaction involves only two operations in sequence,
powder mixing and tableting. The advantage is reduced cost. However, specially
designed fillers and dry binders are normally required. Drug dissolution might be
faster. It has been used mainly for two types of drugs: relatively soluble drugs and
relatively potent drugs.