Tablet Coaters: How They Work and Why They're Essential for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Category: Business

Tablet Coater Tablet coating is the process of application of a coating to the surface of tablets or capsules to improve their appearance, taste, texture, and stability. A tablet coater is a specialized machine used for the process of tablet coating. The coating material can be a polymer, a sugar-based material, cellulose-based material, or a mixture, depending on the specific needs of the drug.  Tablet coating protects the drug from atmospheric degradation and ensures the controlled release of the drug in the human body. Tablet coating extends the shelf life of the tablet and protects it from environmental contamination. The coating improves the barrier properties of the tablet, making it more stable, and less susceptible to humidity-related decomposition. A tablet coater is essential in the pharmaceutical industry because it also improves the tablet’s or capsule’s appearance and taste. The tablet coater ensures that the final product is of uniform quality and that the process is cost-effective.  A tablet coater works by applying a thin film of coating material to tablets or capsules. The coating material can be a polymer, sugar, or cellulose-based substance. The process of coating tablets involves loading, spraying, drying, and polishing. First, the tablets or capsules are loaded into the coating machine, which can be a drum or pan. Then the coating material is sprayed onto the tablets or capsules by the spray nozzles as they rotate in the drum or pan. After the coating material has been applied, the tablets or capsules are dried. The tablets or capsules are dried with the help of a rapid dryer or a fluid bed processor. The drying process is essential to ensure that the coating material adheres to the tablet surface and is fully cured. Finally, the tablets or capsules may be polished to remove any rough edges or excess coating material. This can be done using a special polishing machine or by tumbling the tablets in a polishing drum. Several different types of tablet coaters available, including conventional pan coaters, perforated pan coaters, fluidized bed coaters, and continuous coaters. Conventional pan coaters are the most commonly used type of tablet coater and are suitable for coating small batches of tablets or capsules. These coaters are simple in construstion. They consist of a rotating drum or pan that holds the tablets or capsules and a spray nozzle to apply the coating material. The R&D tablet coater supplied by VJ Instruments is equipped to handle smaller trial batches of tablets and granules. It is a conventional pan coater designed to fulfill specific needs with the help of a unique array of smaller coating pan sizes of 4” and 6”. The small pan sizes ensure that the quantity of the batch never exceeds the requirement. The Pharma R&D tablet coater machine has an elegant exterior fabricated of SS 304 box with a coating pan supported in a tangential position of 35° to 45°. More information about the tablet coater and other specifications is available onlineon the vjinstruments.com website. Sugar coating & film coating In pharmaceutical production, sugar coating & film coating is used to modify the appearance, taste, and texture of tablets or capsules. Sugar coating & film coating is used to mask the unpleasant taste or odor of the drug, as well as to protect it from moisture, light, and air. Sugar coating & film coating techniques involve the application of a thin layer of coating material onto the surface of the tablet or capsule.  Film coating is a process wherein a thin layer of polymer material is applied onto the surface of the tablet or capsule. The polymer material can be either water-soluble or water-insoluble, depending on the desired properties of the final product. Water-soluble polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) allow for rapid drug release. Water-insoluble polymers such as ethyl cellulose and acrylic resins are used for sustained-release formulations.  On the other hand, sugar coating is a traditional coating technique that involves the application of several layers of sucrose-based syrup onto the tablet or capsule. The process of sugar coating is more time-consuming and labor-intensive compared to film coating, but it provides a smooth and glossy finish that is visually appealing to patients. However, sugar-coated tablets may take longer to dissolve in the stomach, which can affect the drug's bioavailability. Rapid dryer A rapid dryer, also known as a fluid bed dryer, is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to dry granules, powders, and pellets. The rapid dryer uses a fluid bed of air to suspend and agitate the product, allowing for efficient and uniform drying. The rapid dryer is often used for drying drugs, powders, granules, tablets, and other items in the pharmaceutical industry. A rapid dryer is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry because of its ability to dry a wide variety of products quickly and evenly. Additionally, the equipment is easy to use, easy to clean, compact, and reliable. The clean and sterile environment provided by the rapid dryer ensures that the products are safe to use. The rapid dryer also reduces the time and resources needed to complete the drying process. Rapid dryers have been used for decades to ensure the maximum quality and efficiency of the drying process. VJ Instruments' universal rapid dryer is used in quality control, sample preparation, and R&D departments. It permits the gentle drying of pharmaceutical bulk materials without localized overheating. Suitable materials can be coarse, fine, crystalline, fibrous, or leafy.  VJ Instruments supplies R&D equipment, behavior instruments, and mazes for animal studies, transdermal machines, and Pre Clinical instruments. They supply a range of world-class products that comply with quality standards at competitive prices. Most of all, VJ Instruments is operated by a team of professionals who have a vast experience in the Pharma industry and understand its specific requirements. Visit the vjinstruments.com website for more information on the R&D tablet coater and universal rapid dryer.