Compaction/segregation, compression

Therefore, for a given formulation (brittle vs ductile), a balance in the level of applied compaction force and roller gap width must be identified to control factors that influence tablet content uniformity (variability in sieve cut potency, sifting, and fluidization segregation) without sacrificing factors that influence manufacturability (compression force required to achieve target tablet hardness). 

Particle size control may also be desirable to facilitate solids handling during formulation. Solids produced by uncontrolled crystallization or precipitation processes can have a broad size distribution that can result in poor flow properties or tendency to segregate. The particle size of APIs can also impact efficiency of blending with excipients, compressibility, flow/ suspension behavior, and compaction performance in downstream equipment. Small particle sizes may be important for controlling dose uniformity in the final formulation, especially for low doses. ... 

Many important pharmaceutical unit operations handle and process powders in various ways, and these unit operations may be analyzed and modeled by using computational mechanics. Examples include powder compression and compaction, powder flow, fluidization, mixing and segregation, packing, and milling. 

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