TESTERInstrumenta l Seminar
Dr. Vikas Saroch17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TABLET HARDNESS HISTORY MODERN INSTRUMENTATION
WHY TEST MEASURING UNIT TEST METHODS INSTRUMENTS CONCLUSION
REFERENCES17/04/2009
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INTRODUCTION The compressed tablet is one of the most popular
dosage forms . About one - half of all prescriptions dispensed are
for tablets . Usually one considers a compressed tablet as an oral
medication . Tablets have many other uses . The sublingual tablet ,
the pellet , the wafer , and the vaginal insert are
manufacturedDept. Of Rasashastra 3
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TABLET HARDNESS Defined as The force required to break a tablet
in a diametric compression test . Hard enough to withstand
mechanical stress during packaging , shipment , and handling by the
consumer . Section < 1216 > of the USP 24 / NF19 outlines a
standard tablet friability test applicable to manufactured tablets
. compounding pharmacy would not 17/04/2009 Most Dept. Of
Rasashastra 4
TABLET HARDNESS There are various devices to test the hardness
of the tablet : Monsanto tester Strong - cobb tester Pfizer tester
Erweka tester . Schleuniger tester17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra
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HISTORY The first tablet hardness tester was introduced around
the mid - 1930s . Purely mechanical device and is still
manufactured today . Force was applied with a screw thread and
spring until the tablet fractured and the hardness was read from a
sliding scale graduated in kg increments .Dept. Of Rasashastra
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17/04/2009
Contd This was followed by the so called Strong - Cobb tester ,
introduced around 1950 . The testing force was generated by a
manually operated air pump and the tablet breaking force was
measured on a dial graduated in 30 arbitrary units which were
designated as Strong - Cobbs .17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra 7
Contd.. The results given by the Strong Cobb tester were not
consistent with those of the earlier tester . Electro - mechanical
tablet hardness testing machines were later introduced and have
evolved into electronic test instruments such as thoseDept. Of
Rasashastra 8
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Modern instrumentation Contain a motor drive system to generate
the force. Automatically detect the tablet. Fracture displaying the
force in a variety of units. Measurements can be printed and /
or17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra 9
need for test Too soft tablets can in transport . Too hard
tablets could teeth . Tablet strength testing is necessary for both
, research & development of new formulations , and for
quality17/04/2009
disintegrate damage
control .
Dept. Of Rasashastra
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MEASURING UNITNewton ( N ) The Newton is the SI unit of force
and is the unit that should be used for tablet hardness testing . 9
. 807 Newton = 1 kilogram 17/04/2009
Kilopond ( Kp )Dept. Of Rasashastra 11
Strong Cobb ( Sc )
Contd Strong - Cobb ( SC ) The Strong Cobb is a legacy of the
first tablet hardness testing machines . An arbitrary unit Never
recognized by the SI system .17/04/2009
1 . 4 Strong - Cobs are thought toDept. Of Rasashastra
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TEST METHODS The standard method used for tablet hardness
testing is compression testing .
The tablet is placed between that crush the tablet . The
measures the force applied tablet and detects when it
two jaws machine to the fractures .
This method is used for research & development and for
quality control .17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra 13
Monsanto Hardness Tester Developed approximately 50 years ago .
Consists of a barrel containing a compressible spring held between
two plungers . The lower plunger is placed in contact with the
tablet , and a zero reading is taken . The upper plunger is then
forced against a spring by turning a threaded bolt until the tablet
14 Dept. Of Rasashastra fractures .
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Monsanto Hardness Tester
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Strong - cobb tester Consist of a plunger activated by pumping a
lever arm , which forces an anvil against a stationary platform by
hydraulic pressure . The force Dept. Of Rasashastra required 16
to
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Pfizer tester Operates on the same mechanical principle . 1 st
pliers handles are squeezed . Tablet is compressed between a
holding anvil and a piston
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TABLET
HARDNESS TESTER Can be fitted on either bench or tablet ling
machine .
17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra
Includes
:18
3 in 1 - Type PTB 311E Test : Thickness, Diameter or Length and
Hardness of the same Tablet Hardness: 2.0 approx. 330 N
(Newton)17/04/2009 Dept. Of Rasashastra 19
Tablet Hardness Test Type : PTB 302 Test the Hardness of tablets
, cores , capsule shaped samples . Hardness :17/04/2009 Dept. Of
Rasashastra 20
CONCLUSION All the different varieties of testing machines would
give the same results ( if used on the same batch of tablets ).
Machine accuracy would equal Machine resolution .
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All pharmaceutical companies would use the same SI unit of
measurement ( N or kg ) and the same constant ( 6 mm / min ) test
speed .Dept. Of Rasashastra 21
References
www . pharma - test . com www . indiamart . com www .
pharmaceuticalonline . co www . google . com
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THANK YOU
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