What is Dry Granulation?

Dry granulation is assembling granules from a powder blend without using any liquid to support the process. Pharmaceutical manufacturing involves granulation from dry powders. It is used to form pills, tablets, and capsules. The granulated product may be sensitive to moisture and heat; therefore, dry granulation is the preferable granulation method.

There are two methods for dry granulation

1. slugging
2. roller compaction (done by roller compactors)

Slugging is a compaction method that makes use of a tablet press. The pharmaceutical goods produced through this process often vary in weight and density, resulting in reduced product and production quality. This process also sends off a large amount of dust into the environment.

Roller Compaction is the process that makes use of roller compactors. It is a machine used for efficient compaction and granulation. The objective of these machines is to amalgamate the powders comprising active ingredients into uniform granules. This process requires administering the powder to precisely calibrated crushing and grinding forces between rotating rollers.

Advantages of Roller Compaction:

Roller compaction offers many advantages compared to wet granulation and other dry granulation methods. These are:

Suitable for moisture-sensitive and heat-sensitive drugs. Dry granulation provides material compaction and granulation without using liquids and fluids. It is ideal for synthesizing pharmaceutical products that are ruined due to moisture.

There is also no need for a drying stage because no liquids are used. This condition makes it ideal for synthesizing materials with low melting or thermal degradation points.

Higher mechanism accuracy. Roller compaction provides a more consistent powder flow, which results in a more uniform compaction. Therefore, roller compactors are preferred use in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Easier expendability. Pilot and commercial product batches can occur on the same machine for the roller compaction process. It is, therefore, easier to expand without expanding on additional machinery.

Lower working costs. Working costs are much less than wet granulation operations as the roller compaction eliminates the requirement for material wetting and drying stages.

Senieer Roller Compactor:

Senieer has become a world-famous company for manufacturing pharmaceutical roller compactors. Its robust design, stainless-steel compactor structure, and fully automated system are durable, reliable, and time-saving. Our machine comprises three units:

The feeding system conveys raw, uncompacted powder to the compaction unit. It feeds the powder between the rolls. The mouth of the feeding system is the entry point of all the elements used in the pharmaceutical compactor process.

The compaction unit: This unit uses two rotating rollers to compact particles. The gap between the rollers is perfectly calibrated. A precisely measured force is applied to produce a ribbon of coarse, granulated materials.

The size reduction unit: Ribbons of granulated material are milled to produce desired and uniform particle size.

Working:

The key factors that determine the efficiency of the compactor are roller surfaces, the diameter of the roller, kin of material being processed, feeding screw, segregating force, peripheral speed, and pressure variations. Our machines seamlessly push the powder downward into a compaction unit by feeding system. We use a screw feeding system to ensure precise and accurate feeding. The powder then passes through the two compactor rollers where the air spaces are eliminated and homogenous solids with the required bulk density.

Then the flakes are chopped into smaller-sized granules by crushing rollers. Lastly, the uniformly sized granules are made as per requirements in the granulation process.

Roller compactors can be categorized into two types: One is provided with a fixed gap, and the other one with a floating gap. Both comprise the same three main units mentioned above but differ in how the smallest gap between the rollers is utilized.

In a fixed gap roll compactor, the quantity of the powder drawn into the compaction area between the rolls is irregular. As a result, varying force is applied to the material. Products formed are in varying ribbon and granulate sizes.

The separation between the roll compactors is adjusted according to the quantity of powder added to the floating gap. The force applied to the powder remains the same resulting in reduced variations in the properties of the granules to a minimum.

Senieer values its customer; therefore, it customizes its products according to the client’s needs and requirements. Our roller compactor series provides a variety of machines with unique and varying functions depending on the needs of our customers.

To make sure that our roll compactors can control and measure all product quality-related parameters (roll speed force and gap), we have developed our machines to calibrate and validate all the key compaction parameters.

Our pharmaceutical machinery control systems help perform and manage batch-to-batch variations and ensure uniform granule properties during manufacturing.

Benefits of Senieer roller compactor:

We offer the best quality compactors. The benefits of opting for senieer are:

• High Containment machines are available to prevent contamination of manufacturing areas and personnel from high potent actives.
• Low running costs.
• Automatic calibration and validation of quality-related parameters
• Lower energy and material consumption
• Batch to batch variation while maintaining granule uniformity
• Eco-friendly
• Our roller compactors are equipped with efficient de-aeration systems.

Roller compactors are perfect for achieving better product and production quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. For customers in search of suitable quality compactors, Senieer is the best equipment partner.

With our years of industry experience, we are equipped with the best technology and staff to ensure all the testing, sales, repair, and servicing requirements. Our team has the skills, knowledge, and tools to comply with all the roller compactor requirements.

Contact us right away to find out more about our roller compaction products and services and how they can benefit your pharmaceutical company.