Roller compactor tablets

Figure 5 shows the results of the authors study on the ability of NIR to monitor the scale-up from the laboratory Carver Press to the Fitzpatrick roller compactor. Because the NIR signal is influenced by changes in the physical and mechanical properties, multivariate data analysis techniques were used to identify and separate these contributions in the overall NIR signal. A flat-faced rectangular die and punch set, 40 x 15 mm in size, was fitted on the laboratory Carver Press to prepare tablets similar in shape and size to the roller compacted samples. 

Different spectral preprocessing and transformations available in SIMCA P-p (version 10.0, Umetrics, Sweden) were evaluated and the best approach for data handling and manipulation was determined. Data collected on the surrogate tablets were divided into a training set to generate the PLS models, and prediction set to test the PLS models. MCC powder, equilibrated at different RH, was also roller compacted at different roll speeds on a Fitzpatrick IR220 roller compactor fitted with smooth rolls. Powder feed rate and roll pressure were kept constant for all experiments. The key sample attributes measured on the surrogate tablets were also measured for the samples prepared by roller compaction. 

MICHAEL LEVIN is President and CEO, Metropolitan Computing Corporation (MCC), East Hanover, New Jersey, specializing in process analytical instrumentation as well as data acquisition and control systems for tablet presses, mixers, roller compactors, and other equipment. Prior to forming MCC in 1985, he was a consultant to pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Sandoz, and Warner-Lambert. A member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering, and the Biomedical Engineering Society, Dr. Levin received the Ph.D. degree (1985) in biomathematics from the University of Washington, Seattle. 

Conventional processing equipment (mixers, granulators, roller compactors, drying equipment, and mills) can be used to produce effervescent preparations if the influence of atmospheric moisture is considered. As a rule, tablet presses have to be adapted to handle effervescent products, except for tablets with a sufficient proportion of a self-lubricating substance, such as acetylsalicylic acid. 

First compression (by tablet press or roller compactor)... 

Sine curves are relevant to pharmaceutical solid dosage manufacturing unit operations such as modeling the di.splacemeni behavior of a roll on a tablet press or roller compactor. Since sine curves have natural (more gradual) acceleration and deceleration regions within their waveforms compared to linear waveforms, it is easier for a compaction simulator to respond accurately to the command profile. 

Jerome et al. in the 1980s studied the effects of compactor adjustments on powder blend properties. His team s research showed that pressure applied by the movable roller is not a predominant factor. They found that the most important variable was the compactor feed screw in relation to the roll speed. They correlated improved tablet compression hardness to the feed screw speed in relation to the speed of the rolls.P ... 

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