Roll Compactor: Machine Ultimate FAQs Guide

If you’re looking for a dry granulation equipment, then I can definitely recommend roll compactor machine.

But, it won’t end at that – I will show you how to choose the right roll compactor for dry granulation.

Through this guide, you’re definitely going to be a roll compactor machine expert.

What is a Pharmaceutical Roll Compactor Machine?

A roller compactor is a machine used in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries to produce granules for further processing.

Roll compaction process

The equipment aggregates the powder containing active ingredients to produce granules.

Roll compactor increases the granules bulk density, which is crucial for tablet press as it needs good, uniform and flowing materials for high yield.

 Roll compactor machine

How do you Classify Roll Compactor in Pharma Industry?

There are two main types of roll compactors that you can choose from.

They consist of a floating gap and fixed gap roll compactors.

The two types of roll compaction machines comprise of the same parts; though, they differ moderately at some point.

 Roll compactor equipment

· Floating Gap Roller Compactor

In this type of roller compactor, the distance between the rolls changes depending on the quantity of powder flowing between them.

Due to the variation in gap distance, there will be consistent application of force on the powder resulting in a uniform ribbon.

As a result, it will produce granules with similar features.

· Fixed Gap Roller Compactor

In a fixed gap roller compactor, there is inconsistency in the amount of power flowing into the compaction zone.

This will result in the application of varying forces on the powder bed.

Due to this fact, a fixed gap roller compactor results in the formation of ribbons with inconsistent thickness.

Consequently, it will form granules with different properties.

Is there difference between Roll Compactor and Dry Granulator?

No, roll compactor is also referred to as dry granulator, which is a cost-effective machine for producing fine granules.

The equipment has a compact size and supports continuous process.

Therefore, dry granulator is energy and space efficient.

What are the Advantages of Roller Compactor Machine?

A roller compactor is an instrumental machine in the tableting industry and it comes with advantages that will optimize your production operations.

Among the benefits of roller compactor machine consist of:

 Roller compactor for dry granulation

· Cost-Effective

Using a roller compactor in the manufacture of your pharmaceutical products is very economical.

It helps you maximize profits because the machine allows you to do away with certain steps of granulation process.

For example, being a dry granulation machine, roller compactor enables you to do away with wetting, mixing and drying processes found in wet granulation.

· Product Variation

A roller compactor facilitates production of pharma products of varying sizes which as a result boosts your output.

For example, it enables the production of grain-size capsules as well as bulk density products.

You would otherwise employ different manufacturing equipment and take more time for production.

· Easy Cleaning

Fitted with a unique roll exchange system, a roller compactor facilitates fast and easy cleaning procedures.

The system eliminates dirt and other elements which might be unsafe for the production process.

This guarantees the production of quality products that are fit for human consumption.

· Low Initial Cost

Affordability is the main factor to consider when buying a granulation machine.

This is exactly what a roller compactor for dry granulation provides.

The initial cost of purchasing and installing most roller compactors is less than other granulation machines.

· Eco-friendly

A roll compactor has reduced negative impacts on the ecosystem.

For example, it minimizes the size of products packaging, dust generation as well as environmental pollution.

A roller compactor is one of the eco-friendly machines that you must have in this age of environmental conservation.

Are there Disadvantages of Roll Compactor Machine?

Like any other industrial equipment, you will encounter a number of issues when dealing with a roller compactor.

Nevertheless, these drawbacks are very negligible that they should not demoralize you from purchasing the machine.

Some of the disadvantages of roller compactor include:

· Loss of Reworkability

This is a situation where the pharmaceutical products incline to possess inferior tensile strength. Such products may be fragile during packaging.

To avoid this, you should apply minimal force and as well make sure that the products have small size.

· Non Compounded Powder

Formation of non-compounded powder is the primary disadvantage of a roller compactor.

This is a common phenomenon because dry granulation using a roll compactor does not utilize any form of liquid.

· High Energy Consumption

Roller compactors tend to consume a high amount of energy implying that you get a high electricity bill.

Nevertheless, when you consider its output, the high electricity bills is an insignificant issue to worry about.

· Accumulation of Static Charges

There is a very high chance of build-up of static charges when using a roller compactor.

This is primarily because the whole operation does not utilize any fluid which can aid in lubrication.

The accumulation of static charges can be dangerous since it can result in sparks that can inflame the equipment.

Which Materials can you Process using Pharmaceutical Roll Compactor?

Roll compactor dry granulation is particularly appropriate for heat- and/or moisture-sensitive materials since no drying or wetting steps are needed.

You can as well use it for materials having poor compaction and flowability behavior.

In addition, the machine is also highly appropriate for hygroscopic materials like dry herbal extracts.

 Material for dry granulation

What are the Main Parts of Roll Compactor Machine?

A roller compactor for dry granulation has the following main parts that enable its successful functioning:

 Parts of roll compactor for dry granulation

· Feed Hopper

You feed materials into the machine via the opening at the top of the feed hopper, where they drop in the direction of the hopper’s rotating chopper.

The arms of the rotor convey the materials uniformly downwards via the hopper in the course of screw feeder.

· Screw Feeder

This part assist in the transfer of material to the rollers and also to some extent de-aerates the material.

Typically, there are three types of screw feeder utilized in industrial operations:

• Vertical Screw feeder
• Inclined screw feeder
• Horizontal screw feeder

Different screw feeding system

· Rollers

Compacts the materials in the gap area of the roller compactor.

You will find various types of rollers available in the market with the main ones including:

• Flat rollers: These are fit for powders that tend to adhere to the surface of roll.
• Punch-shaped rollers: These are fit for exceedingly voluminous, lightweight, and fluidizing materials.
• Pocketed rollers: These are appropriate for materials that can discharge cleanly from rolls.

· Flake Crusher

This part of roller compactor is essential in the coarse pressing of compacted flakes.

It is fitted with six blades that help in the cutting or breaking of the flakes ejected from the roller into small particles.

Optimizing the speed of the flake crusher is crucial since it is an important parameter that may influence the granules to fines ratio.

· Pre and Fine Granulator

The main function of this part is to take up the pieces of flake dropping from the hopper and form finer granulates.

Choice of the right mesh size determines or maintains the size of the granules.

How does Roll Compactor for Dry Granulation work?

Roller compactors apply counter-rotating rollers to agglomerate dry powder, normally a mix of powders, into sheets or sticks.

Let’s look at the working principle of roller compactor for dry granulation.

1. Weighing of the Raw Materials

Before commencing the roll compaction process, you should have all the ingredients you require for the granulation process ready.

This entails making available all the materials in the right proportions and ratios.

Also, this is critical in ensuring that you manufacture a consistent final product, which is very essential in capsule or tablet production.

2. Charging Materials into the Hopper

In this step, you feed all the ingredients you will need for the dry granulation process into the roll compactor via the hopper.

Some models of roller compaction machines come with a drill which aids in the materials feeding.

3. Flow of the Material

After feeding the ingredients, a gravitational pull causes them to move downwards to the screw feeder.

Subsequently, the rotational movement of the screw feeder pushes the materials towards the roll compaction area.

In addition, as the materials flow across the screw feeder, de-aeration takes place as the powder gets recompressed.

The screw feeder is made in such a manner that there exist gaps between them that transfers the materials forward.

Nonetheless, there are various types of a screw feeders with different features.

This permits different uses based on the properties of your raw materials.

4. Roller Compaction

The screw feeder of the roller compactor moves the materials to the roller compaction area.

The area comprises of two rollers which rotate in opposite direction to one another.

This rotational motion of the rollers facilitates compression of the materials to form flakes, sheets, or ribbons.

There are two main factors that influence the final product of roller compaction.

First, the speed of the rollers dictates the quality of the end product.

It should be in such a manner that it facilitates maximum compaction of the powders.

This is because it is compaction that decides the quality of the ribbon or flakes.

Direction of rotation of the rollers is the second factor. The rollers of your roll compactor should rotate in the same direction as that of the material flow.

Simultaneously, they should be rotating counter-clockwise to one another to ensure maximum compaction.

5. Flakes Milling

The final product of a roll compactor is the ribbons or flakes.

The design and size of the rollers dictate the size of the flakes or ribbons.

Therefore, the final step in roll compaction entails milling these products into sizeable granules.

Most roller compactors have a flake crusher which aids in the milling process.

The flake crusher crushes the flakes into smaller granules.

Nevertheless, in most instances, crushing produces granules with unequal sizes.

Despite this variation, the roll compactor has two mechanisms of ensuring you get granules of the same size.

The bigger granules will stay in the milling section with crushing continuing until they are reduced to the required size.

Secondly, the majority of roller compactors are fitted with a recycling unit which assists in sieving the powder and smaller-sized granules.

The unit collects the powder together with the smaller-sized granules and transfer them back to the initial stage of roll compaction.

Doing this ensures you maximize the use of your raw materials in addition to ensuring your roller compactor efficiency.

Consequently, the milling system discharges granules of the right size, which you can utilize in the manufacture of capsules or tablets.

The process of dry granulation using roller compactor machine is fully automatic.

This makes sure there is minimal human interference hence enabling efficient operation of the machine.

Which Factors Affect the Efficiency of Pharmaceutical Roll Compactor?

 Dry granulation process

Though how the roller compactor works may appear simple, there are several factors that you must to optimize the process of dry granulation.

By considering or adjusting these parameters, you will determine the quality of the end product:

• Rate of material feeding
• Roll pressure
• Type and chemical and physical properties of material
• Roll speed

Bearing these in mind, you have the ability to control the end product of dry granulation by roller compactor.

What are the Main Roll Compactor uses in Pharma?

Applications of roller compactor in the pharmaceutical industry consist of:

· Appropriate Formulation of Drugs

At times, the granules come with uneven and bulky particles.

In addition, the materials may as well have poor formulation and flow properties, which affect the tablet process.

Therefore, you can use a roller compactor to solve these issues by granulating the powders into the required size.

· Granulation of Thermolabile Drugs

You can use roll compactors to granulate thermolabile drugs; these are drugs that are reactive to heat and usually susceptible to change or decompose by application of mild heat.

The roller compaction machine does not alter the properties and texture of such types of drugs while granulating them.

· Blending of Active Ingredients & Excipients

Roll compactors help in the mixing of active ingredients and excipients to transform into dosage forms.

It is utilized to attain the needed uniformity and increase in bulk density required for the production of tablets.

· Compaction of Herbal Dry Extracts

Herbal dry extracts normally have hygroscopic features because of their hydrophilic constituents such as organic acids or sugars.

These extracts exhibit poor compression properties which makes roll compaction an important procedure before the process of manufacturing tablet.

Are there New Technologies in Roller Compactor for Dry Granulation?

Absolutely, let’s have a look at some of the technological innovations in roll compactor for dry granulation:

· Negative Pressure Air Pump

This pump is designed in such a manner that it pre-cleans the functioning chamber of the roller compactor.

It assists in cleaning the whole system thereby keeping it free from powder residues.

This makes sure that the feeding hopper, sieves, material bucker, and pressing rollers are hygienic.

· Fully Automated System

Automation of the roller compactor is an instrumental aspect that guarantees consistency and efficiency during the whole process of manufacturing.

Some of the vital components of automation consist of touch screen HMI, automated feeding and control system and PLC software.

Fundamentally, full automation enables you to control every parameter of the equipment such as speed of the rollers, amount of power and compression force of the rollers among other parameters.

With a fully automated roll compactor, you can coordinate all functioning of the machine including radial up and down motion of the equipment.

In addition, other types of roller compactors come with printers helpful in printing batch data.

On the other hand, some types have the capacity to upload the batch data to the cloud system.

· Accurate Driving Mechanism

Modern dry granulators adopt an AC variable frequency drive (VFD), which guarantees the precision and consistency of the whole granulation process.

They utilize the VFD in both rollers and screws, thus the capability to control the whole process.

As a leading roll compactor manufacturer, we have adopted an AC variable frequency drive (VFD), which ensures accuracy and consistency of the entire process.

· Advanced Safety Measures

Most roll compactors for dry granulation are fitted with the necessary alarm systems.

They consist of slipping clutch that are usually mounted between the gearbox and feed screw.

Other precautions include interlocking electrical components and enclosing all moving parts.

For instance, the main roll drive and fixed screw drive are interlocked together.

· Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems

Incorporating either pneumatic or hydraulic system in certain sections of the equipment boost its performance and reliability.

For example, the use of a hydraulic system to modulate the hopper and feeder assembly makes it easy to disassemble and clean the machine.

Moreover, some roller compactors apply a pneumatic vibration screen to regulate the processing of powder by adjusting the valve as required.

How does Dry Granulation by roll compaction compare to Wet Granulation?

Dry granulation by roll compaction, in comparison to wet granulation, is a simpler, continual operation.

In wet granulation, the following steps are involved in the formation of granules: blending, preparation of granulating solution, granulation and drying.

Wet granulation

In contrast, dry granulation process is shorter since there is no need of granulating solution and drying.

Dry granulation by roll compaction involve the following procedures: blending, roll compaction and milling.

These main steps need less equipment, energy and time.

What should you Consider when Buying Roller Compaction Equipment?

Before you buy any roll compactor machine, you should consider several factors to ensure that you select the right equipment for your applications.

Here are the key factors to consider when selecting a dry granulator:

· Technical specifications

Different models of roller compactors come with different technical specifications.

Therefore, you need to ensure that the machine you choose has the right specifications for your operations.

The technical specifications consist of the granulation capacity, rotational speed of rolls, air consumption and power output.

In addition, you should as well consider tableting capacity, roller pressure and the general dimensions of the machine.

Choosing dry granulator with the right technical specifications will optimize your production.

However, it may be a challenging task in selecting equipment with the appropriate specifications, particularly when you are a first-time buyer.

Therefore, it is recommended you engage an expert to help with the selection of the roll compaction machine.

· New Technology

The technological innovation that a roller compactor comes with is one of the key factors you should consider during selection.

To ensure efficient processing and reliability, always go for equipment with the latest technology.

Technology can be as essential as the hopper type or sophisticated as the recycling system of the dry granulator.

For example, choosing a roll compactor having a recycling mechanism makes sure there is maximum usage of materials, which will boost your productivity eventually.

In addition, you need to consider the automation element of the roller compactor.

Full automation has the potential to enhance the efficiency of your equipment by reducing human involvement in its operation.

· Quality Standard Compliance

This is another vital aspect that you must be very strict on when selecting a roll compactor machine for dry granulation.

Most roll compactor manufacturers ensure that their machines comply with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

Furthermore, the electrical and electronic components of the dry granulator must be CE compliant with its body and contact parts fabricated from FDA approved materials.

Therefore, here are the main quality standards for roller compactor that you should consider when selecting your machine:

• FDA approved
• cGMP compliant
• ISO certified
• CE compliant
• ASTM E2500

What is the difference between Slugging and Roll Compaction methods in Dry Granulation?

There are two types of dry granulation methods that are widely used: Pharmaceutical roller compaction and slugging.

Presently, roll compaction is preferred to slugging since it offers ease of controlling the process and greater capacity.

In addition, it as well provides a higher production efficiency per hour coupled with being a continuous process different from the batch process offered by slugging.

How can you Solve Common Problems in Roll Compaction for Dry Granulation?

Though a roller compactor offers efficiency and reliability, here are common problems you will experience when using the machine and their solutions:

Roll compaction process

· Less Compaction Time

When the equipment encounters low compaction time, you should check the speed of the rollers.

You will realize the effective compaction of materials.

In case the powders are not compacted adequately, the machine may as result produce non-uniform ribbons.

This will impact on the quality of your final products (capsules or tablets).

· Leakage of Powder

Powder leaking out of your roller compactor will influence its efficiency together with the overall output.

Replacing all worn out seals and fastening loose seals are the ideal ways of preventing leakage.

· Accumulation of Air

In some instances, air might get confined within the system and this is not good for the working of your dry granulator.

You can apply a de-aeration system to eliminate the trapped air.

Most roll compactors come with their de-aeration systems that help with this operation.

· The Ribbon being Too Hard

The primary cause of this problem is when excessive quantity of materials flow to the rolls compaction section.

Due to the excess flow, there will be pressing of more powder per area which leads to the ribbon being too hard.

To resolve this problem, you should assess the speed of the feeder screws, since it’s them that transfer the material onward to the compaction area.

For that matter, reduce the speed of the feeder screws which will, as a result, reduce the quantity of powder moving to the rolls compaction section.

Consequently, the roll compactor will form the ribbons as per your specifications.

How do you Maintain Roll Compactor?

Appropriate maintenance and new features assist to extend the life span of a roller compactor, however, you need to know when substitution is better than repair.

 Roller compaction machine

Are there Equipment that Can Substitute Pharmaceutical Roller Compactor?

Yes, you can use continuous mixers and blenders.

This special machine applies the concept of regulated vibration to “fluidize” dry materials for quick diffusion and continual, high-speed mixing of solids.

Continuous mixers and blenders are perfect for high capacity operations where you mix large amounts of a single material.

In the continuous mixing system, the weighing, feeding, blending and discharging procedures happen concurrently and continuously.

This facilitates a uniform blending process (no batch-to-batch variation), reduced blending times, automatic control and reduced energy consumption.

Continuous mixers for many applications, provide an economical option to conventional batch mixing with fewer manpower requirements and lower processing costs.

What are the Characteristics of Granules from Roll Compactor Machine for Dry Granulation?

Dry granulation using roller compactor converts fine powders and particles into free-flowing, dust-free granules.

This makes them easy to compress in the subsequent tableting process.

Powder and granules

What is the difference between Briquetting and Granulation in Roll Compactor Machine?

Briquetting and roll compaction both work under the principle that some fine materials, when subjected to intense pressure, will self-adhere.

While the general pressure aggregation principle is the same between the two, the manner in which briquettes and roller compactors process materials very modestly.

• Roll Compactorsemploy two counter-rotating roll presses.

The system feeds the materials between the rolls, which in turn press them into sheet or ribbon.

Also, the sheet is then passed across a flake breaker, then through a granulator, which disintegrates the sheet into the required granule size.

• Briquettersequally employ two counter-rotating rolls. In this scenario, nevertheless, every roll one pocket half.

As the rolls close together, the pocket halves fuse, compressing the material into its required shape.

What are the Quality Standard for Roll Compactor Machine?

There exist several quality standards that your machine of choice must comply with.

Let’s explore some of the key quality standards:

The dry granulator should conform to the current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) requirements.

These quality standards ensure that your machine does not contaminate the environment due to air pollution.

Note that you will be working with materials which are in powder form. T

herefore, there is a high probability of air pollution thus cGMP compliance guarantees minimal pollution.

FDA compliance is another quality standard that you should ensure a roller compactor meets.

Since you will use the equipment to produce drugs meant mainly for human consumption, it is essential to ensure there is minimal to no contamination of the products.

A roll compactor that is FDA compliant is considered to be safe for the production of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical for human consumption.

FDA approved roll compactor should have its contact parts made of stainless steel.

This is because it is easy to clean stainless steel and it does not react with most of the ingredients used in the manufacturing process.

CE compliance is another crucial quality standard that your dry granulator must fulfill.

All the electrical and electronic parts of the machine must be CE compliant.

You can confirm this by checking whether the equipment has the CE quality assurance label.

By making sure that your roller compactor complies with all these quality standards, you will be certain of buying equipment that is fit and safe for your applications.

They also ensure that the products your manufacture attain the set safety standards for consumption by a human.

Which Safety Features do Roll Compactor for Dry Granulation come with?

Roll compactor equipment

Here are some of the essential safety measures that guarantee safe and seamless functioning of dry granulators:

• Efficient automated system that regulates; material feeding operation, quantity of powder, speed and pressure among other variables.

Some of these procedures are interlocked to make sure there is regular and reliable operation.

• A compact design that prohibits any material cross-contamination. In addition, it has a dust-tight system that separates the material processing segment from the external environment.
• Based on the design, equipment come with a safety clutch fixed between the gearbox and AC is driven feeder screw.
• Pre-compressing chamber which safeguards the equipment from slippage or leakage.
• Roller compactors for processing heat-sensitive materials have a water-jacketed design.
• A flameproof motor
• A limit safety switch for chamber and slip clutch drive
• Overload relay and emergency stop

Note that the safety measure differs based on the design of the roll compactor.

Therefore, you should adhere to all the proposed safety precautions to guarantee seamless operation while avoiding the chance of downtime.

In short, roll compactor plays an important role in dry granulation.

Which in turn, plays a crucial role in other processes such as tablet compression and capsule filling.

Therefore, always strive to get the best roll compactor for dry granulation.

For questions, or enquiries about roll compactor machines, contact us now.