In the pharmaceutical industry, granulation is a critical process used to improve the flowability, compressibility, and uniformity of powders before tablet or capsule production.
Pharmaceutical Granulation Methods & Working Principles
Wet Granulation
Equipment
- High-Shear Granulator, Fluid Bed Granulator, or Extruder
Process
- Mixing: Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients are blended.
- Wetting: A binder solution (e.g., PVP, starch paste) is sprayed to form agglomerates.
- Granulation: The mixture is kneaded, forming granules.
- Drying: Granules are dried (e.g., in a fluid bed dryer) to remove moisture.
- Milling: Oversized granules are milled to obtain the desired size.
Advantages
- Better compressibility for tablet formation
- Improved drug content uniformity
Dry Granulation
Equipment
- Roller Compactor, Slugging Machine
Process
- Powder Compaction: API and excipients are compressed into ribbons/slugs.
- Milling: The compacted material is broken into granules.
- Sieving: Granules are screened to obtain the desired size.
Advantages
- No need for solvents or drying
- Suitable for moisture-sensitive drugs
Direct Compression (Alternative to Granulation)
Some formulations allow direct compression of powders without granulation, but it requires excellent powder flow and compressibility.
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