Piscataway, NJ – Pharma Technology Inc. (PTI), a specialty manufacturer of innovative tablet dedusters and capsule polishers combined with metal detectors and loading systems for pharmaceutical solid dose production, has introduced an innovative core coating module for Roeltgen’s FlexiTab® Tablet Press. PTI is the exclusive North American distributor and service provider for Germany-based Roeltgen’s FlexiTab® line of tablet presses, and the new core coating module was developed collaboratively by the two companies.
The core coating module is a modular enhancement designed for the original FlexiTab®, a freely-controllable single-punch pressideal for use in Galenics development and small batch production applications. It works by replacing one of the three feeders with a new module that accurately places core tablets – which have already been pre-filled with a first layer of powder – in the center of the press die. Another layer of powder is then filled into the die, covering the core. The complete tablet is then compressed once or twice in a process similar to the pre- and main compression steps performed on rotary presses.
The original FlexiTab® is a single-station press using standard TSM B/D/BB/BBS or EK0 tooling, which can be accessed directly from the compression area and exchanged simply in 5–10 minutes. The press can be operated in manual or automatic modes with quantities of powder as low as 500mg and as high as 1kg. The machine operates at forces of up to 100kN, and its robust design allows it to handle even the toughest substrates.
The FlexiTab® Tablet Press can manufacture single-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and externally lubricated tablets. Standard features include upper and lower punch compaction force measurement, ejection force measurement and upper punch displacement. The FlexiTab’s data acquisition software provides a detailed graphic representation of all parameters on a large touch screen, and an advanced reporting package allows for data transfer to PDF or ASCII file formats. Force profiles created to simulate rotary presses can be stored and recalled for future replication.
“The core coating module is cost-effective, easily installed and provides a widened range of capabilities to the already-versatile FlexiTab® Tablet Press,” said Nic Michel, General Manager of Pharma Technology Inc. “It helps make the FlexiTab® an attractive option for manufacturers in need of sophisticated layering.”