The Working Principle of Pharmaceutical Roller Compactor

Although there are many roller compactor machines available in the market with various parts and components, the working principle still remains the same.

In this article, I will explain how a pharmaceutical roller compactor works. I will focus on how you can use this knowledge to achieve maximum productivity in any material processing environment.

First, let’s have an overview on how this machine works. Below is a complete video of the same, courtesy of SaintyCo.

This video illustrates everything you need to know about the working principle of pharmaceutical roller compactor. It illustrates a step-by-step installation process and how it works.

But, why should you understand the working principle of a pharmaceutical roller compactor?

Why Should You Know the Working Principle of roller Compactor Machine?

Even though have designed most of our machines such that they are easy to use and operate. Still, knowing how this machine works is quite important.

Why do I say so?

This knowledge will help you to:

• Choose appropriate settings to achieve the required bulk density of the powder you intend to granulate.
• Analyze sieves with an aim of improving the granulation process.
• Focus on improving quality while reducing production cost
• Select a right equipment that can produce a uniform blend and mixture
• Accurate control of particle hardness and improve dispersion rates
• Control dust and flow properties of materials

Clearly, you can see that a thorough understanding of this equipment is vital in ensuring quality material processing process. It is only through this that you can achieve a mixture that looks like this:

A granulated powder

In case you intend to produce such a mixture by the end of the process, you need to have a thorough understanding of how a roller compactor for dry granulation works.

Again, you can’t understand this process without knowing the various parts of a roller compactor machine that make this process possible.

Here’s what you need to know:

Parts of a Pharmaceutical roller Compactor Machine

As you can see from the video above, this machine may have many components. This will depend on the complexity and the capability of the machine.

For the scope of this article, I will focus on the basic parts of roller compactor machine. They include:

• Feeding system; it is an opening that conveys powder to the compaction chamber.
• Compaction unit; in this section, the powder is compacted as two rollerer rotate. The magnitude of force is enough to produce a ribbon.
• Size reduction unit; the compacted sizes are reduced to the desired unit.

Other parts/sections mainly enhance the performance and efficiency of the machine. I have summarized all these sections in the image figure below:

All the parts are clearly described and their functions illustrated in the machine manual. We customize these manuals as per the design of the machine.

Furthermore, our equipment comes with pharmaceutical roller compactor machine troubleshooting manual.

With all these in mind, let me take you through a step-by-step process how these machines work. This will simply be a written version of the video above:

How Pharmaceutical roller Compactor Machines Work

The working principle of roller compactor machine is simple; it involves the following key processes:

Basically, the idea behind dry granulation is that a fine powder that is subjected to a predetermined amount of force that transforms it into a compact sheet or solid. The key factors that determine the efficiency of the compaction process include:

• roller surface
• Diameter
• Type of material being processed
• Feed screw
• Separating force
• Peripheral speed
• Pressure capabilities

Even though the working principle of pharmaceutical roller compactor may seem simple, as illustrated below; we have adopted new technologies to ensure efficiency.

They all aim to guarantee efficiency, accuracy and consistency.

A summary of the working principle of roller compactor machine

Now, let’s review each of these processes:

· Material Feeding Process

Our machines come with a suitable feed system that allows the powder to flow seamlessly into the compaction chamber.  Quite a number of roller compactor manufacturers use horizontal screw within the feeding section.

A screw feeding mechanism

The good thing about screw feeding system is that it ensures accurate and precise dosing system.

· Compacting Material during Dry granulation

This section consists of two rollerers that compact the powder to a homogeneous solid with the required bulk density.

A compacting mechanism

Ideally, this process displaces air between the powder particles, leaving a solid or sheet; depending on the structure of the compacting mechanism.

· Granulation Process

The small pieces of material (flakes) produced during the granulation process are transformed into a small or large granules. You can see the position of the granulator as in the images above.

End product from dry granulation process

NOTE: In dry granulation, you don’t require liquids or binders like in the case of wet granulation.

At every stage, we strive to ensure efficiency and consistency of the pharmaceutical roller compactor. For instance, the modern roller compactors come with fully automated systems, with advanced safety measures.

They increase productivity while reducing downtime.

Conclusion

Generally, the working principle of pharmaceutical roller compactor is straightforward. But, understanding this process alone is not enough; you need to know the various components and the specific objectives of material processing.

It is from this that we will help you choose a suitable machine for any dry granulation process in the pharmaceutical industry. They are available in both custom and standard designs.

Further Reading

• roller Compaction/Dry Granulation of Pharmaceutical Excipients –  Source: University of Duesseldorf, Institute of Pharmaceutics
• Granulation techniques and technologies: recent progresses – Source: NCBI