Pharmaceutical Coating Pan
Applications in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Sealing
Sealing is essentially waterproofing, and involves hardening the surface of the tablet. The tablet first must be dried properly before it is sprayed or sealed with any ingredient to do this properly. The tablet must dry thoroughly during the process. Any residual solvents must evaporate as the pills are rotated in the coating pan. Our Coating Pans provide the primary protection or barrier against moisture you need for your applications.
Sub-coating is ‘formally’ the beginning of the actual coating process. Tablets are first rounded or shaped based on manufacturer specifications, and the tablets are smoothed at this stage. Manufacturers use two kinds of coating in pharmaceutical applications – dry powder and gum-based sealants/solutions. Royce Metal laboratory coating pans work well with both types of applications.
Sub-Coating
Smoothing
Smoothing or grossing involves filling out areas on the tablets that are inconsistent with the outstanding features of the tablet. Roughness and irregularities are addressed in this phase. The smoothing step involves refinishing the tablets and polishing them until the final, desirable appearance is achieved.
When the roughness and irregularities are resolved, one or more solutions are sprayed on the tablets to achieve predetermined colours. Soluble dyes are often used to achieve the desired colour. Nozzles inside our coating pans are located at an optimized position to ensure colour is sprayed equally.
Colouring
Polishing
Waxes and powders are applied during the polishing stage to give tablets a higher level of gloss. This is because right after smoothening and colouring, pills tend to look dull.
Printing or offset rotogravure allows manufacturers to add identifying marks to the tablets.
Printing
Major Problems in the Coating Process
Possible Solutions
- Chipping can be resolved by adding suitable polymers to the formulation.
- Cracking can be reduced by lengthening the time between compaction and sugar coating.
- Ensuring that the surface of the tablet is smooth can reduce the incidence of marbling.
- Altering the punch design can be effective in eliminating the twinning of tablets.
- Uneven colouration can be resolved by focusing on the smoothing process and paying attention to the spray formulation, and how much time is given to each phase of the process.
- The drying stage should be improved if blooming is observed in tablets. Both blooming and sweating are caused by improper or insufficient drying.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Coating Pan
Review what coating pan you will need. Take an in-depth look at the drugs you will be manufacturing, and compare that to the challenges you may face during the coating process. Here are some factors to consider.
- Size
Coating pans come in different sizes. Examine the workspace and check how much available space you have for the coating pan and the rest of the utilities needed to run it. Our experts can recommend the appropriate size you may require based on different factors. - Air capacity
The amount of compressed air that can be delivered to the bed of the coating pan determines how many solvents can be evaporated or dried during the drying process. The air capacity will impact the volume of tablets you can dry at a time. - Speed
The speed of the coating pan changes based on what phase of the operation is currently underway. The best coating pan operates at a moderate speed in all phases. No step should be too fast nor too slow, so there is consistency during tablet coating. We can customize coating pans for any RPMs that you may require for your process. - Tech-oriented
Tech-oriented coating pans are machines that have been upgraded with the changing times. The coating pans thirty years ago are different from the modern, technologically-advanced models that are being produced now. These newly designed machines offer increased advantages in specific parameters of production. - Serviceability
Serviceable coating pans are easier to repair. An ordinary person (not a technician) should be able to provide the basic needs of the machines with little difficulty. At Royce Metal, we ensure that we service your coating pans with the spares when you need it.
Conclusion
Several factors determine the quality and efficiency of a coating pan, and the features of each pan should be considered when upgrading. Coating pans are at the heart of pharmaceutical manufacturing. The production of supplements and medications would not have advanced without them.
At Royce Metal Products, we can design coating pans to meet various requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. With over 75 years of experience in manufacturing Coating Pans enables us to customize laboratory coating pans according to each user’s needs.
