When we are concerned about the productivity of compression machines, two types of compression machines are available, one is known as a single-feed tablet compression machine and the other one is known as a double-feed tablet compression machine.
How many of you are familiar with double-feed and single-feed tablet compression machines?
If you are familiar with this concept do mention it in the comment box of this article before going into the details of the article.
If you have no idea about the single-feed and double-feed tablet compression machines, don’t worry as we are going to discuss all in detail with a practical example.
Single Feed Compression Machine
Now let’s have a look at what a single-feed tablet compression machine is.
A single-feed tablet compression machine is a machine where one tablet is compressed by each punch during one round.
In simple words when a single tablet is produced by a single punch during one complete round of the turret is known as a single-feed tablet compression machine.
Double Feed Compression Machine
Compression machines where two tablets are compressed by each punch during one round.
In simple words we get two tablets compressed by each punch when a complete round is completed by the turret of the machine.
Explanation
How will we come to know that our tablet compression machine is single feed or double feed?
When this question is asked, many freshers including trained ones are also not able to answer.
You can easily judge it by physical observation of the tablet compression machine, if our tablet compression machine has one hopper then it is a single feed tablet compression machine and if it has two hoppers then it is a double feed tablet compression machine.(Exception is for bi layer tablets)
Why one tablet is produced by each punch in a single round by a single feed tablet compression machine and two tablets are produced by each punch in one round in a double feed tablet compression machine?
The answer of this question is very simple as we discussed single feed tablet compression machines has only one hopper mean the feeding system for single feed compression machine is single and powder or granules from the single hopper is feed to one feeder so the dies are filled one time when they pass below the feeder and these tablets are compressed.
So one tablet is compressed by each punch during one round due to the single feeding mechanism.The tablets are ejected and dies are again filled and complete the round and the cycle continues.
How two tablets are compressed by each punch in a double feed compression machine?
As we discussed in double feed tablet compression machines we have to hoppers, in simple words we have a double feeding mechanism and dies are filled with powders or granules two times during one round.
For easy understanding first of all dies are failed with powders or granules from the first feeder and are compressed and ejected in half round.
For next half round dies are again filled from second feeder and are
compressed and ejected again after half round.
So in one complete round dies are filled two times and two tablets are compressed in a complete round.
Productivity
Double feed tablet compression machines are more productive as compared to the single feed tablet compression machines,for example consider that we have two tablet compression machines having 35 punches meaning both the single feed and double feed tablet compression machines have 35 punches.
For the single feed tablet compression machine one tablet is produced by each punch in a single round so 35 × 1 = 35 tablets per round means 35 tablets will be produced by 35 punches in one round by a single feed tablet compression machine.
Now for the double feed tablet compression machine 2 tablets are produced by each punch during one round so 35 × 2 = 70 tablets per round.Mean 70 tablets will be produced by 35 punches in one round by the double feed tablet compression machine.
If we run both machines at 30 rpm then tablets produced by single feed tablet compression machine in one minute will be 1050 and by double feed tablet compression machine will be 2100.So we can observe that productivity of double feed tablet compression machine is double as compared to the single feed tablet compression machine.
Conclusion
Single feed and double feed tablet compression machines are two main types of compression machines based on productivity.Double feed tablet compression machines are more productive as compared to the single feed tablet compression machine.