Pharmaceutical Tablet Production

All of us have had to take it some time or another during our lifespan, with our first experience likely a children's chewable aspirin or vitamin. Have you ever looked at a tablet and asked, "How do they make that?"

The tablet is produced in a similar way as baking a cake. So much of this, a little bit of that, blend for a certain amount of time, cut into squares, serve to the customer. Sounds easy, but it is a multi-step process.

First, the ingredients (components) are gathered and each component is weighed to the precise amount needed. The recipe will probably state that certain components need to be blended for a predetermined amount of time. The components are placed in a blender consisting of a rotating auger with blades that transfer the components from the bottom of the blender to the top during the blending phase, ensuring a thorough mix.

When the blending phase is completed, the product is taken out of the blender and prepared for compaction. The compaction process consists of the powdery product being forced through a pair of slow-moving rolling pins (dowels) positioned close to each other, but not contacting. The pressure causes the powdery product to form a sheet as it exits the dowels. The sheet passes through to an area where it is broken into fragments by rapidly revolving rotary blades. The fragments then go through a vibrating process that further breaks down the fragments into grains. The grains are separated into three sizes - too big, too small, and just right. The former two sizes are recycled through the system until they, too, are the size needed for the compression phase.

After the compaction stage is finished, more ingredients may have to be added and blended to the grainy product to increase the adhesiveness of the grains. When this second blending process is completed, the product is ready for the tablet production phase.