Tablet presses compress powder formulations into specific sized tablets using punches and a die. They can be single-punch or rotary, and are used for both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products. Formulating the powder requires precise amounts of binders and fillers. Modern tablet presses are computer-driven and highly specialized, producing up to a million tablets per hour.
A tablet press is a machine that is used to produce tablets using compression. A powder formulation containing active ingredients and excipients, such as fillers and binders, is passed through the machine and compacted into specific sized tablets. Specifications are established by the manufacturer to allow for the precise amount of active drug required. Tablet presses can also be used for non-pharmaceutical products, such as in candy manufacturing.
The basic concept of a tablet press involves two punches and a die, or space into which the powder is inserted. While the mechanism may differ from tablet press to tablet press, the basic concept is similar between them. Typically the lower punch is lowered, creating the space where the powder formulation is placed, then the upper punch is lowered to compact the powder under high pressure. The lower fist then comes up again, pushing the tablet out.
There are a number of different tablet presses available. The two main variations are single-punch or spin. Single punch tablet press is used in smaller quantity production as they have only one punch. These can be manual, manually operated or electric. Rotary tablet presses work in rotation, i.e. the punches are positioned around a central part. They are mostly used by high throughput manufacturers and can produce thousands of tablets per hour.
Formulating the powder for pressing into the tablet press is a precise process. It requires exactly the right amount of binders and fillers to allow for a good firm tablet that won’t fall apart. In some cases, a protective layer is added after pressing. This can be a sugar coating to improve palatability or taste; a protective layer to prevent the tablet from breaking down by acids in the intestines or stomach; or a sustained release layer, which allows for the timed release of the active ingredient.
Often, tablet presses are custom made for a specific product, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, where millions of specific tablets can be produced every day. Where they are not custom made, they usually allow adjustments to mold depth, compression pressure and other manufacturing specifications, allowing good quality tablets to be made containing the correct dosage of a specific active ingredient.
Years ago, the original tablet presses could only press one tablet at a time and were operated manually. With modern technology, tablet presses have become huge, computer-driven, highly specialized machines. Some of these can produce up to a million tablets per hour.
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