People who are unfamiliar with the pharmaceutical industry may think that making tablets is a complex process since many machines are used IMA Synthesis 500 and conical mills. But other than industry guidelines and complex machinery, making tablets is a simple and straightforward process. To put the process in brief, the manufacturer gathers the ingredients, turns them into powder, forms granules, presses them into tablets, adds finishing touches and packages them into neat packs. The exact process may vary depending on other factors like local laws and the machines used but are more or less the same. Other industries, like confectionary, also go through a similar process.
Tablet Manufacturing Process
1) Quality Control
Before starting the process, the manufacturers must ensure that the ingredients are of satisfactory quality and safe for human consumption. The process starts only after the ingredients meet the quality standard. The equipment may also go through safety inspections and maintenance before the process to prevent accidents.
2) Dispensing
Each ingredient needed for the pill’s formula is weighed and distributed based on the required dosage. This is the most crucial step of the entire process. A technical supervisor uses electronic weighing machines to get accurate measurements.
3) Sizing
Mills, grinders, pulverizers, and other size reduction Used pharma equipment is used to reduce the ingredients into fine powders. Firms turn ingredients into powder to create a uniform mix that they can use to create pills in the shape they need. It makes other processes down the line easier as well.
4) Powder Blending
Blenders mix the powders to create one uniform mixture. It is more complicated than blending liquids because powders have differing densities. Producers evaluate the required mixing speed and time to get the right mixture. This process may happen before or after granulation.
5) Granulation
This refers to the process of producing granules out of powder for uniformity in pills. There are two types of granulation; wet and dry. In wet granulation, a volatile liquid is used to form the granules and dried. In dry granulation, no liquid is added because the ingredients may be highly reactive.
6) Dry Screening
If wet granulation is involved, then the granules need to be dried before tablet compression. The granules are dried in a tray or a fluid bed at controlled temperatures not exceeding 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Once they dry, the manufacturer screens them through a mesh.
7) Tablet Compression
A tablet press machine like IMA Synthesis 500 is used to compress the dry granules into tablets. The machine punches the granules continuously from all sides until it forms the required one. The press can form any shape the manufacturer desires but they usually create circle or oval pills. The manufacturer can also print the brand name, weight, dosage or other important information in tiny prints. If the tablets don’t form the right shape or crack, they are reclaimed to reduce wastage.
8) Dedusting
More often than not, the tablets have a dusty layer over them after the compression. So a deduster is used to clean the tablet before the next step. The powder may be reclaimed to create more tablets and reduce wastage.
9) Coating
Medicines tend to taste bitter or have a strong odor. A manufacturer coats the tablet to mask the scent and taste by covering it with a coating solution. This can also add to the tablets’ aesthetic appeal.
10) Packaging
Once the tablets are ready, they are packed based on their formula. Blister packs are most commonly used because they are safe and easy to use. The user can see the tablets without opening the pack. The blister packs may have tiny holes around each pill to make it easier to divide them. The brand name, dosage, price, expiry date and other important information is printed on the pack before distribution.
This is more or less the basic layout of how a manufacturer makes tablets. The exact process may vary based on the pharma equipment used, special requirements or local laws.
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