K-Tron Offers Pharma Feeder Engineered for Tablet Press Lubrication Applications

PITMAN, NJ (January 11, 2006)—The K-Tron Process Group now offers the K-Tron Tablet Press Lubricant Feeder.  An adaptation of K-Tron’s sanitary pharmaceutical design twin-screw feeder, the tablet press lubricant feeder features the addition of a specialized gas venturi for aspiration of the lubricant (such as magnesium stearate) directly to the tablet press.  The Tablet Press feeder is available in both volumetric and loss-in-weight models and can be offered on a portable cart.

Precise control of the amount of lubricant used in tablet press applications is essential in order to reduce the compression force during tabletting, to avoid product buildup on the tablet press tools, to make the tablet surface smooth and assure overall product quality. 
If too much lubricant is added the tablet can often become softer than required.  This becomes critical in the production of effervescent tablets, where excessive magnesium stearate can actually cause the tablet to repel water, thus affecting the dissolution into water.  Using the K-Tron Tablet Press Feeder outfitted with a specialized gas venturi for aspiration of the lubricant directly to the tablet press tools, rather than adding the lubricant to the mixer, can drastically reduce consumption of the lubricant, sometimes by as much as 97%.

The K-Tron Tablet Press Feeder offers an automated, nearly constant feed rate, offering uniform coating of the tablet tools and avoiding sticking problems. The benefits of its use include reduction in the consumption of stearate, lowering material and operating costs, and improved product quality.  Use of the loss-in-weight model enables validation of product mass flow and ensures higher accuracy.