Tablet coating machines are generally known as tablet coaters, and in this article, we will discuss different parts of tablet coating machines along with a short description of their functions.
The following are the most important components or parts of the tablet coating machine
- Coating Pan
- Perforations
- Mixing Baffle
- Motor
- Gear Box
- AHU
- Inlet air duct
- Outlet air duct
- Butterfly valve
- Spray guns
- Peristaltic pump
- Solution transfer pipes
- Product loading door
- Product discharging chute
- Auto-loading system
- Solution preparation tank
- Wash in place
- HMI
- Sensors
Coating Pan
The coating pan is a hollow drum-like structure where tablets are loaded to rotate and coat. This drum has many perforations, and due to perforation these coating pans are also known as perforated tablet coating pans. The pan is made of SS316L grade.
Perforations
Perforations are small holes in the walls of the tablet coating pan. Usually, the size of these holes is 2 to 3 mm. The hot air enters the pan by passing through these perforation & leave the pan through the perforations.
Mixing Baffle
Mixing baffles are the SS 316L grade projections installed on the inside of the tablet coating pan. These baffles are designed to ensure uniform tumbling and mixing of tablets during the spraying process.
Motor
A heavy-duty motor is installed in the technical area of the tablet coating pan, and its function is to rotate the coating pan during the process of tablet coating.
Gear Box
A gearbox is also installed along the motor in the technical area to aid in pan movement.
AHU
AHU is the air handling unit of a tablet coating machine, which provides processed and filtered air for tablet coating.
Inlet air duct
The processed and filtered air from the AHU is delivered to the tablet coating pan through a duct known as the inlet air duct.
Outlet air duct
The hot air leaves the tablet coating pan through a duct, which is known as the return duct.
Butterfly valve
The butterfly valve is used to control the air supply & negative pressure inside the tablet coating pan.
Spray guns
The tablet coating suspension is sprinkled over the tablet surface through a number of spray guns.
Peristaltic pump
The peristaltic pump is an important part of a tablet coating machine and behaves like the heart of the human body because it delivers coating suspension from the coating suspension tank to the spray guns.
Solution transfer pipes
Solution transfer pipes are used to carry suspension from the coating suspension tank to the spray guns. These are flexible silicone tubings.
Product loading door
The front door of the tablet coating pan is used to observe tablets during the tablet coating process through the glass door & this door is also used as a medium to charge tablets into the tablet coating pan.
Product Discharging Chute
The discharging chute is used to remove the tablets from the pan into containers.
Auto-loading System
For advanced types of tablet coating machines, a lifting system is provided to load the tablets into the coating machine.
Suspension preparation tank
As the name indicates, this is a vessel or tank which is used to prepare the suspension.
It is fitted with a rotating agitator & it may also have a heating jacket.
Wash in place
In an advanced type of tablet coating machine, a clean-in-place or wash-in-place system is also installed to clean the tablet coating machine.
HMI
A very sensitive touch screen is used to give commands to control various parameters of the tablet coating machine.
Sensors
Different types of sensors are also installed in the tablet coating machine, and the following are some examples
- Temperature sensors
- Pressure sensors
Also Read