Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

The following FAQ guide will help you understand the design and performance specifications of pellets extruder and Spherionizer.

It will help you improve your solid production processes in pharmaceutical industry.

So, before you invest in any pellets extruder and Spherionizer, you should read this guide:

What is Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer?

Pellet extruder and spheronizer is a machine that you can use to improve the formulation of pellets in the pharmaceutical industry.

The machine will assist you in achieving better bioavailability, site-specific drug delivery, balancing, predictability and transportation of pellets.

In other words, it is a machine that you can use for full scale production including formulation equipment and trial work.

Is there difference between Granulator and Extruder Spheronizer?

 Fluid bed granulator

Pellets extruder Spherionizer

Absolutely, there is a difference between a granulator and extruder spheronizer.

A granulator machine will assist you in the process of forming granules or grain from solid or powdery substances.

On the other hand, the extruder spheronizer assists in improving the pellet formulation so that it can work better.

Despite the difference, both machines including the extruder spheronizer and the granulator are important for pellet formation.

Apart from Extrusion and Spheronization; Howelse can you make Pellets?

Apart from extrusion and spheronization, there are different ways you can employ in making of tablets.

Drug layering and compaction are the two main processes that you can employ in the process of making pellets.

Here is a breakdown of the two most important processes you can employ in making pellets.

Compaction involves different techniques but extrusion and spheronization are the most important techniques.

Apart from that, the other techniques you can employ include melt pelletization, balling, globulation, and compression.

Pellet Compressionuses a pellet press machine to convert powders and granules into tablets by compressing them under high pressure.

This leads to the compaction of the powders and granules to make pellets.

Drug layering, on the other hand, is a process comprising of deposition of different drug entity layers.

You will make the layers from different solutions, suspensions, crystals or granules of similar materials.

Suspension or solution layering involves suspension or dissolution of drug particles in different binding liquids.

Powder drug layering involves spraying binder solutions on inert seeds thus following it with addition of powder.

What are the Benefits of using Pellets in Pharmaceutical Industry?

The main benefit of using pellets in the production of substances with proper control of the release properties.

Apart from that, there are many reasons to believe that the pellets have significant benefits and therapeutic benefits.

Here are the main benefits of using pellets.

• Pellets improve the appearance of the main product providing it with fine pharmaceutical elegance.
• The process of pelletization offers maximum flexibility to the dosage forming designs and developments.
• Pellets help in improving the flow ability in the development of different formulations.
• Due to the free flow of pellets, it becomes very easy to pack leading to reproducible and uniform fill weights.
• The use of pellets decreases the susceptibility to dose dumping,
• Pellets improve the efficacy and safety of different drug formulations.
• The process of pelletization offers the best solution in the management of separation off incompatible drugs.
• It offers a reduction in variation in rates of gastric emptying as well as intestinal transit time.
• Pelletization process helps in solving the issue of bad tasting drug formulations by masking them completely.
• You van also coat the pellets with different drugs that will enable advancements in the release rate.
• It allows the use of different color schemes for proper identification of different drugs based on a number of coats.
• Pellets allow for better distribution of immediate release products with larger surface areas.
• You can also use it in the chemical industry to prevent powder dusting.
• You can use pellets in proper delivery of chemically incompatible products in single doses through encapsulation.

What are the Properties of Pellets made from Extrusion?

Extrusion process

Pellets have specific ideal properties which comes from making them using the extrusion process.

Here are the most ideal properties of pellets made from extrusion.

• Pellets have spherical shapes and smooth surfaces
• Pellets have a particle size ranging between 600 – 1000 micrometers.
• It has maximum quantity of active ingredients in a bid to maintain proper sizes of the pellets.

What are the Benefits of Pellets Extrusion and Spheronization?

Pellets extruder and spherionizer equipment

Production of pellets using the extrusion and spheronization process offer a number of benefits.

Here are the main benefits of pellet extrusion and spheronization.

• The process produces different spheroids with higher loading capacities of active ingredients without increasing the size of the particles.
• It leads to the production of particles with uniform sizes, improved flowability and narrower size distribution.
• Due to the spherical shape and low surface are to volume ratio of pellets you can successfully apply coating substances.
• You can formulate and blend different drugs with varying properties into one particular pellet through pellet extrusion and spheronization.
• It increases the bioavailability of drugs by modifying or controlling drug release properties.
• It helps in the improvement of efficiency as well as safety of the active ingredients in the pellets and drugs.
• It facilitates the free dispersion of spheroids in the GI tract thus offering controlled release delivery systems.

Are there Disadvantages of using Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer Equipment?

Yes, there are a few demerits that you will experience by using the extruder and spheronizer equipment.

Here are the major setbacks that will hinder proper preparations of pellets using the machine.

• You have to train personnel to assist you in the operation of the machine thus increasing cost of production.
• Just like any machine, the initial cost of purchasing the machine is high prompting you to dig deeper into your pockets.

Which Extrusion-Spheronization Process Variable affect Quality of Pellets?

In the process of using the extrusion spheronization machine, you have to control certain variables that affects the quality of pellets.

Here are the main variables that you should control.

· Type of Equipment

There are numerous types of equipment that you can use in the extrusion-spheronization process.

Different types of equipment will produce different results in varying time frames.

· Mixing Time

This is the time it will take the machine to uniformly mix the ingredients to form a homogenous mixture.

You will control the mixing time according to the type of ingredients you are mixing.

· Temperature

In this case, you have to consider the temperature variations in terms of the type of product you are using.

Different products require different temperature ranges which you have to take into proper consideration.

· Fluid Type

You will choose the type of fluid according to the ingredients and the final result you expect of the pellets.

· Fluid Level

You must also measure the right capacity of fluid that you will need in the pellet production process.

The capacity of fluid or the fluid level will depend on the ingredients that you intend to mix.

· Wet Mass Time

This is the time it will take for you to wet the mass ingredients of making different types of pellets.

· Die Diameter

This is the part of the machine that will determine the size of the pellets.

You can control the die diameter of the machine according to the size of the pellets you intend to make.

· Die Length

This is another factor that you need to control in order to determine the size and quantity of pellets you can produce.

· Feed Rate

You can control the speed of delivering or feeding the ingredients in the extrusion spheronization machine.

It will also determine the speed with which the machine can produce the pellets effectively.

· Residence Time

This is the amount of time it will take for the ingredients to be properly prepared in readiness for pelletization.

Other important variable that you should take into consideration include charge as well as disk space.

How does Pellets Extruder and Spherionizer Work?

In order to operate the extruder-spheronizer machine, you have to have a proper grasp of the working principles.

Here is a step by step guide that you can follow to properly operate an extruder-spheronizer machine.

 Extruder section

Step One: Mixing or Granulation

First, you need to prepare the ingredients that you will need for the extrusion and spheronization process.

You will prepare the ingredients through two different processes known as dry mixing and wet massing.

Dry mixing involves the process of mixing all the ingredients together to form a homogenous mixture.

You will need a granulator machine to assist in the granulation and mixing of all the ingredients.

You must, however, remember to consider all the production variable and maintain them accordingly.

It will assist in doing away with any form of variation that may occur in the process of extrusion and spheronization.

It will also lead to proper and consistent pellets after completing the entire process.

Measure and carefully pour all the ingredients in a granulator machine for proper mixing and granulation.

The machine will automatically stop as soon as you achieve a homogenous mixture over a specific time frame.

After that you will perform wet massing to produce sufficient plastic masses for extrusion purposes.

Step Two: Extrusion

After that, you will obtain the mixture from the granulator and use it in the extrusion process of making the pellets.

In this case, certain factors such as diameter of the extrudate will go a long way in determining the pellet sizes.

For instance, you will need a one-millimeter diameter screen of the extruder to attain a one-millimeter diameter of the sphere.

You should, however, use larger screens that will provide enough room for shrinkage during the drying process.

You will have a machine that has a wide range of diameter of the spheronizer basically between 0.4 mm and 10 mm.

It will lead to the formation of rod-shaped particles of uniform diameters using the wet mass.

After that, the rod-shaped particles will break in similar sizes and their own weights.

The final product will then move to the spheronization phase.

Step Three: Spheronization

Spherionization

A spheronizer machine has circular discs with revolving drive shafts that rotate at very high speeds.

Apart from that, it has a rotating frictional plate has different groove patterns at the bottom of numerous sizes.

The extrudates will fall onto the spheronizer landing on the rotating plate.

The extrudates will cut into different fragments due to interaction of the friction plate and cylindrical granules.

As this continuous, the extrudates will bump on the wall, the plate and against one another thus forming spheres.

It is a gradual process that will eventually lead to the formation of a perfect sphere.

After attaining the right shape and size, you can remove them from the spheronizer and on to the next process.

Step Four: Drying and Coating

Through centrifugal force, the machine will discharge them on to the drying and coating machine.

You will set the temperature and drying time accordingly to achieve the best results.

After that, you will pass it through a coating machine to provide it with the right coating before discharge.

What determines quality of Extrudes from Pellets Extruder and Spherionizer?

There are different factors that determine the quality of extrudes from the pellet extruder and spheronizer.

The main factors that you must pay close attention to include:

i. Ratio of Liquid to Solid Materials

This factor will determine the final mixture of the solid and liquid materials in a bid to make the best pellets.

ii. Size of the Extruder Holes

This factor will determine the final size of the pellets since it determines the diameter of the pellets.

iii. Final Drying

The final drying will determine the quality of the hardness of the pellets.

Which Types of Extruders and Spheronizer are in the Market?

When looking for a good extruder and spheronizer, you can choose among the different types available in the market.

Here are the main types of extruders and spheronizers that you can find in the market.

Extruder machine

· Screw Feed Extruders

This is a type of extruder with different types of extrusions at the extrusion zone.

The main types of screw feed extruders in the market include axial extruder, dome extruder and radial extruder.

Axial extruders will force the wet mass flat through perforated end plates.

Dome extruders will use different domes or half sphere shape screens as dies.

Radial extruders will transport the wet mass to the extrusion zone for wiping of materials using tapered blades.

· Gravity Feed Extruders

This type of extruder has three main types of extruders including gear, cylinder and radial extruder types.

Cylinder extruders depend on different types of rollers with holes to form different types of dies.

Gear type has rollers in the form of hollow gears at the base of every tooth.

Radial extruders use the rotation principle of arms in a bid to stir the wet mass fed through gravitational force.

· Ram Extruders

Consist of chrome plated barrels in thermostatically controlled storage tunnels.

You can fix a range of dies to the extruder head thus leading to the formation of different types of extrudes.

· Batch and Continuous Operation Spheronizer

This is a combination of two systems which enables the extruder feed materials continuously to the spheronizer.

The two systems that the machines use include the shuttle system and the cascade system.

The shuttle system involves the use of two parallel spheronizers while cascade uses one or more spheronizers.

How does Batch Spheronization compare to Continuous Spheronization?

Batch Spheronization and continuous spheronization are two of the main systems developed for shaping pellets.

Batch spheronization involves a process where the sphere will come out in groups over specific production parameters.

It involves the production of the specific parameters over a particular period without end user interaction.

It delivers the extrudes at specific amounts over a specific amount of time.

Continuous spheronization involves a process where the spheronization machine produces more products continuously.

It does not stop over a particular time but will only stop after completing the entire process or due to user intervention.

What are Pellets in Pharmaceutical Industry?

Pellets are systematic and geometric agglomerates you can obtain from adverse materials through different production conditions.

You can also identify them as free flowing semispherical or spherical solid ranging between 0.5mm to 1.5mm for oral administration.

What is Pellets Extruder?

A pellet extruder is a machine that you will use in the process of producing extrudes from wet masses of ingredient mixture.

Pellets extruder and spherionizer

Where can you use Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer?

You can use the pellets extruder and spheronizer in a wide range of applications.

Here are some of the main areas where you can apply and use the pellet extruder and spheronizer.

· Pharmaceutical Industry

In the pharmaceutical industry, you can use the pellets extruder and spheronizer in performing the following:

i. Controlled releasing of pellets

ii. Sustainable release of the polymer coated pellets.

iii. Different multi-particulate systems.

iv. Enteric coating of pellets

· Food/ Chemical Industry

You can use the extruder and spheronizer in the process of making the following:

i. Fungicides, insecticides and herbicides

ii. Catalysts

iii. Different types of flavors

iv. Nutraceuticals

What does Hot Melt Extrusion mean?

Hot melt extrusion is a modification of the pellet’s extrusion and spheronization process for manufacture of modified release dosage forms.

In the pharmaceutical industry you can use it to make pellets,transmucosal drug delivery systems, granules, transdermal implants, and tablets.

This technique does not need film coating as the release of the drug is under diffusion control 6 – 10.

You can employ the technique in a number of aspects such as:

i. Liberation of nanoparticles from molecular dispersions

ii. Rapid dispersion systems with form like structures

iii. In-situ formation of salt

iv. Melt complex formations

It is a solvent free method with few processing steps that does not involve longer drying stages.

The main advantages of using the hot melt extrusion method include:

• A continuous production of narrow range spherical shaped pellets
• Proper stability of pellets at different levels of moisture
• Regular fine particle dispersion.
• Minimization of loss on coating materials during the coating process.
• Masking of bad tasting or harsh flavors on the pellets

How does Axial Extrusion compare to Radial Extrusion?

 Axial extrusion

Radial extrusion

Axial extrusion involves forcing wet mass through flat and perforated end plates.

You can prepare it by drilling different holes in the end plate of the radial extruders.

Radial extrusion involves the transportation of materials into extrusion zones with the help of tapered extrusion blades.

You will use the tapered extrusion blades to wipe the materials through perforated screens.

What should you Consider when Buying Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer?

When shopping for a good pellet extruder and spheronizer, there are specific factors you should look at.

Here are the main factors that you need to consider.

· Type of Machine

There are different types of extruder and spheronizer machines in the market.

You must, therefore, consider the type of machine you need in relation to the working principles.

· Cost of the Machine

You must work within a specific budget implying that you will purchase the machine that you can afford.

Additionally, you must factor in the cost of installation, operation, and maintenance when considering a budget.

· Quality Standards

The machine that you intend to purchase must adhere to the quality specifications of international standards.

This will ensure that the machine is strong and durable enough to withstand different pressures from different avenues.

· Dimensions of the Machine

You will need to have proper information about the size and weight of the machine that you need.

This will depend totally on the scale of production you are working with.

What are the Components of Pellets Extruder and Spheronizer?

A pellet extruder and spheronizer works perfectly due to proper coordination of different parts of the machine.

Here are the main parts of the pellet extruder and spheronizer machine.

Pellets extruder and spherionizer

· Feed Hooper

This is the part of the machine where you will add all the necessary ingredients you need for making pellets.

It is available in different sizes according to your production specifications.

· Barrel with Screw Auger

This is a cylindrical steel bodywork with screw augers driving loaded materials through feeder hoppers.

It consists of there major units including the following:

i. Compression unit

ii. Monitoring Unit

iii. Feeding Unit

· Die

This is a restricted opening that you will find at the bottom of the barrel of the extruder and spheronizer.

It is responsible for molding required cross-sectional shapes of the products that are being extruded.

The main parts of the spheronizer include:

· Circular friction plate

It comes complete with groove surfaces that will intensify the frictional force with two types of geometry namely:

i. Radial Geometry

ii. Cross-hatch geometry

The pattern of the friction plate will also have an effect on the final features of the pellets.

• Vertical Cylinder with discharge pot
• Variable speed drive train for turning the plate.
• Scrapper

You will use the scrapper for cleaning of dust particles from the friction plate and bowl wall.

· Water Jacket

The water jacket helps in cooling of the of the equipment during the spheronization process.

How does Temperature Affect the Pellets Extrusion and Spheronization Process?

Temperature affects pellet extrusion and spheronization process by evaporating the granulating liquids from granules.

This will lead to a significant difference in the quality of the extrudate.

Temperatures will also assist in the proper drying of pellets after the spheronization process.

What determines Quality of Pellets from Extruder Spheronizer Machine?

You can determine the quality of pellets from the extruder spheronizer machine by controlling the following:

· Extruder Spheronizer Machine Parameters

In this case, you will look at parameters such as:

i. Friction plate parameters

ii. Friction plate speed

iii. Retention time

iv. Charge weight and volume

· Products Parameters

The production parameters that you should take into consideration include:

i. Rheology

ii. Binders

iii. Lubricants

iv. Water

Pellets Extruder and Spherionizer is made from which Material?

Pellets extruder and spheronizer is made from different materials among the being stainless steel.

It is the best material due to its strength as well as durability.

Apart from that it is sterile and easy to clean.

With this information, you can go ahead to import your pallets extruder and spherionizer.

But is you have any questions about pellets-spherionizer, contact SaintyCo team.