Tablet Coating is a very critical Process in pharmaceutical industries because it is said that coating is an art & it depends on the skills of the tablet coating operator to make the process trouble-free by adjusting the parameters according to the physical situation.The tablet coating process is not always as smooth as it looks, some issues are faced during the process of tablet coating & in this article, we will learn about various tablet coating defects, their reasons & solutions.
Following is the list of tablet coating problems that are usually observed during the tablet coating process
- Sticking & PickingÂ
- Twinning
- Orange Peel EffectÂ
- Tablet Color VariationÂ
- Weight Gain Issue
- Scuffing Of Tablets
- Tablet Breakage
- Blistering
- Blooming
- Blushing
- CrateringÂ
- Pitting
- Chipping /Edge Erosion
- Surface Erosion
- Logo Filling / Spray DryingÂ
- Logo BridgingÂ
- Film PeelingÂ
- Film Cracking
- Discolouration
After reading the complete article you will be able to troubleshoot the tablet coating issues.
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Sticking & Picking
Sticking & Picking is the tablet coating defect in which tablets stick with each other or with a coating pan & some portion of the film is removed or picked when the tablets are deattached.
Reasons & Remedies Of Sticking & PickingÂ
It is the most common tablet coating problem which may occur because of the following,
Read a Detailed Article On Sticking & Picking
Twinning
Tablet Coating Defects and Remedies is the tablet coating defect where tablets bind with each other at the flat face surfaces. A twinning defect is directly related to tablet shape & this defect is also known as a twin tablet coating defect.
Reasons & Remedies Of Tablet Twinning
Read a Detailed Article On Tablet Twinning
Orange Peel EffectÂ
Orange Peel Effect is the tablet coating issue which is also known as surface roughness where the surface of the coated tablet is not smooth. It is non-glossy and resembles the peel of an orange.
Reasons & Remedies Of the Orange Peel Effect
Read Detailed Article On Orange Peel EffectÂ
Tablet Color VariationsÂ
This tablet coating defect is also known as a tablet-to-tablet color variation & is observed during the color coating of tablets. As the name indicates in this defect the color of all tablets is not uniform. Uneven Color of tablets in the same batch is observed.
Reasons & Remedies Color VariationÂ
Read a Detailed Article On Tablet Color VariationÂ
Weight Gain Problem
The weight gain problem is the tablet coating defect in which the standard tablet coating weight is not achieved after the completion of the coating process.
Reasons & Remedies Of Weight Gain Defect
Read Detailed Article On Tablet Weight Gain IssueÂ
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Scuffing Of Film Coated Tablets
Scuffing is the tablet coating defect where black or gray spots appear on the surface of white or light-colored tablets due to the abrasion effect of pan stainless steel & titanium dioxide in coating suspension.
Reasons & Remedies Of Tablet ScuffingÂ
Tablet Breakage
It is the tablet coating defect in which tablets break during the coating process. The tablets may also break during loading or unloading from the coating pan as well.
Reasons & Remedies Of Tablet BreakageÂ
Also Read
Reasons and solutions of tablet capping.
Blistering
Blistering is the tablet coating defect where the film is detached from the tablet surface & forms a blister. It resembles blisters on the skin having a small bubble-like appearance on the tablet surface.
Reasons & Remedies Of BlisteringÂ
Blooming
Blooming is also known as dull filming or Fading of tablet color due to prolonged storage of tablets at high temperatures after coating.
Reasons & Remedies Of BloomingÂ
BlushingÂ
Blushing is the tablet coating defect where white specks are visible on the surface of coated tablets or coated tablets haziness is observed.
Reasons & Remedies Of BlushingÂ
CrateringÂ
Cratering is the tablet coating defect where a bowl-shaped depression or pit is formed on the tablet surface & it resembles a volcanic crater so it is known as Cratering. Due to crater formation, the core tablet surface becomes visible.
Reasons & Remedies Of CrateringÂ
PittingÂ
Pitting is the tablet coating problem which is also known as Pitts. It is the defect where needle size pin holes appear on the surface of coated tablets without damaging the coating film.
Reasons & Remedies Of Tablet PittingÂ
Tablet Chipping / Edge Erosion
Tablet Chipping also known as Edge erosion is a tablet coating defect where the edges of the tablet are damaged/worn out or chipped & film is also dented at the edges.
Reasons & Remedies Of Tablet ChippingÂ
Core Erosion/Surface ErosionÂ
Core erosion also known as surface erosion is the tablet coating defect where the surface of the tablet erodes during the pan rotation or the surface of the tablet is damaged or worn out.
Reasons & Remedies Of Surface ErosionÂ
Logo Filling Or Spray Drying
Logo Filling / logo In-filling is also known as spray drying tablet coating defect or break lines filling coating defect.
In logo Filling tablet coating defect, the dried coating material is deposited in the logo or breaks lines & fills them resulting in a unreadable logo. This defect is also known as a spray-dried tablet coating defect because the dried coating material deposited on the tablet surface results in a rough tablet surface.
Reasons & Remedies Of Logo FillingÂ
Logo BridgingÂ
Logo Bridging is the tablet coating defect where the coating film forms a bridge across the logo or break lines & results in the hiding of the logo & break line or are not clearly visible.
Reasons & Remedies Of Logo BridgingÂ
Also ReadÂ
Film Peeling
Peeling is the tablet coating problem in which the layer of film is peeled from the tablet surface.
Reasons & Remedies Of Film PeelingÂ
Film Cracking
Film cracking is the tablet coating defect where visible cracks are observed on the surface of coated tablets.
Reasons & Remedies Of Film CrackingÂ
Also Read
Discoloration Of Tablet
This tablet coating Issue occurs due to the interaction of excipients in core tablets or due to the migration of ingredients through coating by the effect of heat.
Reasons & Remedies Of DiscolorationÂ
Images CreditÂ
All Images Source – Google | Images by – Ashland .Resized & combined by author.
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