PHARMA FOCUS//OTCs

ADCOCK INGRAM REBRANDED its Vita-thion

effervescent tablets with a new name and

redesigned packaging. New Vita-thion Extra

contains adenosine triphosphate for sustained

natural energy throughout the day and ginseng

for increased capacity for work, concentration

and enhanced natural resistance. Additional

active ingredients include vitamins, minerals and

antioxidants to assist in maintaining a healthy

body and skin.

NEW NAME, FRESH LOOK

Children are particularly fond of

effervescent products because they fi zz.

The pharma industry provides numerous

products in effervescent tablet formats,

particularly over-the-counter medicines like pain

medication, vitamins or antacid medications.

The administration of water-soluble drugs

is especially recommended for children, the

elderly or patients with diffi culties swallowing or

sensitive stomachs.

Effervescent tablets are a fundamental part of the

wide range of pharma dosage forms available on

the market. They offer many consumer benefi ts, but

manufacturing and processing these hygroscopic

products presents complex demands. These tablets

are naturally sensitive to air, light and moisture. Many

of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and

vitamins processed in effervescent formulations are

easily affected by heat. They also tend to be friable

and break. All these factors must be considered

when tabletting effervescent powders. The Romaco

Kilian KTP 590X tablet press is tailor made for

this specifi cation.

Gentle compressionEffervescent tablets are naturally prone to unwanted

air pockets and capping, which is why the tabletting

process takes place in three steps. The Kilian KTP

590X single-sided rotary press is equipped with

three separate compression stations. The fi rst tamps

the powder. Then the tablets are pre-compressed

and converted into fi nished products in the main

compression unit. The use of Kilian 28/41 tooling

simultaneously extends dwell time, resulting in harder

tablets because there is more time overall for de-

aeration. This prevents

the tablets from

subsequent bursting.

Effervescent powders

are hygroscopic with

poor fl ow properties.

The fi ll shoes and

paddles of the tablet

press must be designed

to enable effi cient fi lling

and uniform distribution

in the die. The powder

can also be lubricated

with magnesium

stearate to prevent the

product from sticking to

the tooling. An external

lubricant supply system sprays the punch tips and

die walls during production, so prior mixing of the

lubricant into the product is not required. Much less

material is needed for external lubrication. Harder

tablets can be achieved as a result and overall

product quality is improved. What’s more, external

lubrication protects both the product and machine

by reducing the tablet ejection force.

The consumer benefi t is realised when

administering effervescent tablets. Those lubricated

by an external system have a smoother surface,

contain less magnesium stearate and don’t leave a

grease fi lm when dissolved in water.

Cool machinesExtremely low temperatures are essential to process

temperature sensitive medications. The process

temperature of the tablet presses in Romaco

Kilian’s KTP X series is kept at a constant level below

30° Celsius. To reduce heat input, the compression

rollers have been fi tted with smooth-running bearings

and the gear of the fi ll shoe is mounted externally. A

special cooling ring, situated underneath the die-

table, acts as a thermal barrier. The temperature in

the service area is also lowered by effi ciently cooling

the torque drive.

The brake magnets play a crucial role too by

eliminating frictional heat and protecting the

material. So there is no need to install an additional

cooling unit when tabletting temperature sensitive

products. ‘Cool’ is one of the three hallmarks of the

Kilian KTP series.

Turn sensitive powders into e� cient e� ervescentsTabletting e� ervescent products is challenging. With the right technology, these tablets can be processed rapidly and safely in line with a product’s requirements. Peter Heyn, technical marketing at Romaco Kilian, discusses the company’s ideal solution for compressing e� ervescent formulations with maximum e� ciency.

ADCOCK INGRAM REBRANDED

effervescent tablets with a new name and

redesigned packaging. New Vita-thion Extra

contains adenosine triphosphate for sustained

natural energy throughout the day and ginseng

for increased capacity for work, concentration

and enhanced natural resistance. Additional

active ingredients include vitamins, minerals and

antioxidants to assist in maintaining a healthy

body and skin.

NEW NAME, FRESH LOOKADCOCK INGRAM REBRANDED

effervescent tablets with a new name and

redesigned packaging. New Vita-thion Extra

contains adenosine triphosphate for sustained

natural energy throughout the day and ginseng

for increased capacity for work, concentration

and enhanced natural resistance. Additional

active ingredients include vitamins, minerals and

antioxidants to assist in maintaining a healthy

body and skin.

NEW NAME, FRESH LOOK

20 | APRIL 2018 | P C Review

PCR April 2018 FINAL.indd 20 2018/04/06 2:10 PM

PHARMA FOCUS//OTCs

The Kilian KTP 590X achieves an output of up

to 290 000 e� ervescent

tablets per hour

The swing-out die-table offers easy access to

all components

ABOUTPeter Heyn is responsible for hosting and organising technical training sessions for Romaco employees and agents. In 2001, he began his career with Romaco Kilian as a service technician. Since then he has held various positions within the company, including product manager and area sales manager.

Fast off the markIf effervescent tablets are to be manufactured

effi ciently, retooling and cleaning times must be

optimised. For this purpose, the product contact

format parts in the tablet presses have been

systematically reduced by Kilian. The die-table,

tablet chute and fi ll shoe can be swung out for easy

access to all components. Format changes can

be completed without any additional tools and

the start-up dosing control, based on the fi lling,

shortens the run-in times and avoids material

loss. The overall equipment effectiveness of the

tablet press can be signifi cantly improved under

these conditions. Depending on the formulation, the

Kilian KTP 590X achieves an output of up to 290 000

effervescent tablets per hour while, with mono or bi-

layer formats, the single-sided rotary press manages

a maximum hourly output of 511 200 tablets.

Clean performanceManufacturing effervescent tablets is an extremely

dusty process. A hygienic design is important to keep

unwanted dust formation in check. The compaction,

retooling and service areas of the KTP 590X are

strictly separated for this reason. This design prevents

tablet dust from entering the machine compartment

or, in the opposite direction, machine oil from

contaminating the product. The patented punch

bellows surround the upper and lower punches

and protect the tablets from black spots. The closed

system, made from elastic synthetic material, is

ventilated by holes in the die-table. It is affordable to

purchase and inexpensive to maintain.

The fi ll shoe and tablet chute of the press are fully

washable and easy to clean. The concentration of

particles in the production environment is greatly

reduced by the dust-tight tablet chute. Romaco

Killian’s hygiene concept ensures reliable processes

and reduces the risk of cross-contamination to

a minimum.

Safe processingOnce the effervescent tablets

have been compressed, they

must be processed in line with

product requirements. Owing

to their chemical and physical

properties, effervescents are

not stored in a buffer container

but transferred directly to

downstream packaging

machines. A special transfer

station developed by Romaco

conveys the fragile tablets from

the press to the primary packaging unit. Tablets

are fed from the press scraper directly to a Kilian

conveyor belt running at high speed. Tailbacks of

tablets at the press discharge are prevented by

acceleration, enabling products to be removed and

separated gently. This facilitates selective sampling,

including dust aspiration and breakage elimination,

before the tablets are distributed by a rotary table to

the conveyor belt of the primary packaging machine.

Effervescent tablets are normally packed in

strips or tubes. The Romaco Siebler brand includes

heat-sealing machines and tube fi llers. Together

with the Kilian presses, these two product lines form

a functional unit for manufacturing and packing

effervescent tablets.

Romaco’s effervescents portfolio is optimally

complemented by Promatic cartoners and case

packers. These and other Romaco solutions

are available in South Africa from Integrated

Packaging Systems. •

Integrated Packaging Systems – larry.swart@ipsdubai.comRomaco – www.romaco.com

Tablet presses in the Romaco Kilian KTP X series boast hygienic design

P C Review | APRIL 2018 | 21

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