Common Tablet Defects

Tablet screen repair in Jonesboro, AR | Neha wireless> +1-870-275-7736

Tablet defects occur for a variety of reasons, but many can easily be avoided. To address defects, technicians involved in tableting must have a full understanding of both the tableting process and the materials used. Adequate training in the setting up and use of the machines is vital if the technician is to have the necessary skills to be able to fix equipment and minimize problems in production. A professional and experienced technician can turn an ordinary product into a high-quality one whereas a novice or inexperienced operator cannot, and might even be afraid to adjust the machine in order to prevent or correct problems. When the equipment is properly operated the tablet production will go smoothly.

Problems such as tablet defects can cause the company loss of production time and sales, and therefore money. Common problems that afflict the tableting industry include:

• Weight variation
• Friability
• Hardness
• Sticking
• Picking
• Capping
• Laminating
• Chipping
• Mottling
• Double press or impression

Although there are several defects that affect the tablet making process, capping/laminating, hardness and sticking/picking are the three most commonly encountered.

These defects usually arise from:

• Problems with the unit upstream
• Problems with the tablet press
• Poor quality raw materials
• Defects caused by the formulation
• Milling process causes too many fines that result in capping, hardness, lamination, and black spots
• Failure of compression
• Poor flow and compressibility of the powder
• A product is too dry or too wet preventing proper ejection

Ideally, any issues with the formulation, milling, and processing before the tablet compression stage, should be identified well before the formulation progresses to the tablet press. If problems do only become apparent at the tablet press, it is also important that technicians are able to fix these with the minimal process downtime, thereby avoiding the design having to go back to the drawing board.

Below are the three common defects and how best to avoid them.

1.     Tablet Hardness

2.     Sticking and Picking

3.     Lamination

4.     Capping