Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1138630
Tablets & Capsules July 2019 32I Improve design and enhanced production will follow Tablet tooling durability and longevity are key to achieving high productivity and profitability. Nutraceutical manufacturers should not overlook tablet design because it is critical to avoiding production problems, preventing pre- mature tooling failures, and manufacturing a quality end product. Nutraceutical manufacturers should invest in tool- ing made from the most suitable tool steel for the product, especially for difficult-to-compress formulations. With care- ful consideration and input from a tablet and tooling design expert, a company can optimize its nutraceutical tableting process and increase its bottom line. T&C Reference 1. www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global- nutraceuticals-market. Steve Osborn is product design manager at I Holland (info@ iholland.co.uk, www.tablettingscience.com). A key member of the customer support group, Osborn is responsible for the production areas related to the manufacture and forming of the punch tip profile. He has experience in all manufacturing operation and leads the interactive tablet design service at I Holland. Is your tool steel up to the job? In addition to good tablet design, it's important to make sure your tooling is made from the correct tool steel. The punches and dies are the main contact parts with your nutraceutical tablet formulation. Proper material selection during the initial design stage will ensure tooling produc- tivity and durability during tablet production. Choosing a steel that is not metallurgically capable of handling the repetitive compression of abrasive formulations can lead to numerous problems. Proper steel selection will achieve the best possible balance of abrasion and corrosion resistance, compressive strength, hardness and resistance to chipping and cracking, a clean structure, and good machinability and formability. Special tooling steel can be used to counteract the aggressive nature of hard and abrasive granules commonly found in dietary supplement formulations. Although tung- sten carbide is a popular steel choice for nutraceutical pro- duction due to its excellent wear resistance and high com- pressive strength, it is brittle and can lead to premature punch-tip fractures. Furthermore, dies made from tungsten carbide can react with certain formulations, leaving black spots on the tablet walls. When tableting abrasive formula- tions, powder-metallurgy-grade steels may be better for punches and dies than standard tooling steels, because they have superior hardness and durability.