Key Application Examples of Automatic Capsule Filling Machine

An automatic capsule filling machine is a versatile equipment you can use for a wide range of tasks. Although they may have the same structural design, the main difference comes in the fill material.

In this article, I will discuss 6 key applications of automatic capsule fillers. This information is handy when choosing various components of these machines such as encapsulator hopper, dosing disc, feeding mechanism, etc.

1. Filling Powder

Filling powder is one of the most popular application of automatic encapsulators. Powders are dry particles (solid) formed by either grinding or crushing solid substances.

Powder in a transparent capsule

The powder filling process is simple and it does not require sophisticated processing procedures. Therefore, the powder capsule fillers will have a simple structural design in both their hoppers and dosing system.

2. Filling Tablets

Unlike powders, tables are solids that are slightly larger in size. Although this is not popular in most pharmaceutical industries, the process is common in clinical trials.

Three tablets in a capsule

These automatic capsule filling machines have a unique dosing system that allows tables to be ejected in the capsules. Depending on the size of a capsule, it may contain one or more tables.

3. Filling Pellets

Quite a number of automatic encapsulating machines can fill either pellets or powders. However, the filling speed for pellets is slightly lower than that of powder.

Pellets in different types of capsules

To modify an equipment to suit this automatic capsule filling machine applications, you’ll make some adjustments such as changing the dosing system.

In the modern pharmaceutical industry, pellets are versatile materials that you can coat to offer multiple active ingredients. Also, they provide a better way to combine incompatible ingredients in one capsule.

4. Filling Granules

At times, pharmaceutical companies may find it difficult to improve powder flow or unable to achieve the required content uniformity. This where the granule automatic capsule filling machines become handy.

Capsules filled with granules

The capsule filling machine must not damage the coating on the granules. The coating could be in the form of gastric resistant polymers.

5. Filling Liquids

At times, you may wish to fill liquids in the capsules. In this case, you have to buy a capsule filling machine that can fill liquids within a broad range of viscosity spectrum.

Capsules containing liquids

Most of these automatic capsule fillers use servo-controlled liquid pump.

6. Filling a Combination of Products

In the drug industry, there are substances that may not dissolve completely in liquids. In such situations, you need a capsule filling machine that can handle a combination of products such as liquids and semi-solids.

Capsules containing different substances

Clearly, it is quite evident that there are so many applications of automatic capsule filling machines. All you need to do is specify the substances you’d wish to fill and your manufacturer will modify the machines accordingly.

Apart from these applications, the formulation of your capsules should also meet a certain criteria. This is to ensure the final product actually conforms to the cGMP requirements as required by the FDA.

These key specifications include:

• Whether you’re filling powder, granules or fluids; there should be content uniformity and efficiency in the capsule filling process.
• The content should be compatible with the capsules.
• All the specified content must be emptied and filled in the capsule.

Remember, automatic capsule fillers operate at high speed, therefore, regular quality inspection is necessary. This will help to reduce the number of bad capsules (rejects).

Conclusion

Clearly, you can see that the key applications of automatic capsule filling machines may vary depending on the type of material it should fill in the capsules. For a successful operation, you need to purchase an equipment from reputable dealers since such machines are accurate and precise.