A single station tablet press, also sometimes called a “punch pill” press, is a machine that can prove a valuable component to your pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Thanks to their size, versatility, and ease-of-use, they fit naturally into the rest of your operations.
Because single station presses are best suited for small batch production, they remain a popular choice for research and development. Rather than create tens or hundreds of thousands of tablets at a single time, you have much finer control over the production process and can create much smaller quantities. Want to create a single tablet to test a new powder mixture? You can do so rather easily with this machine.
Here, we are going to dive deep and cover the benefits of a single station tablet press, the components, and the manufacturing process.
Single Station Tablet Press Benefits
Some of the unique benefits that single station tablet press machines offer are:
Ease of Use
The single station tablet press is designed to be easy to use and allow the operator fine-tuned control over the production process. This machine proves an especially useful tool for research and development purposes when creating test batches of new products and also benefits professionals manufacturing small batches.
Size
Every inch of your production floor space carries immense value and revenue potential. For example, if you crowd the facility with too many large machines, you will limit your business’s ability to add future capabilities and develop new types of business in the future. Why? You could not allocate floor space for a piece of manufacturing equipment.
A single station tablet press requires minimal space compared to other, much larger pharmaceutical manufacturing machines. They are also available in many tabletop varieties for even more convenient storage. Rather than have another piece of equipment competing for floor space, a single station press will save you room and open up opportunities for other future additions to your workspace.
Variety
With a single station tablet press, you can create a wide variety of products; ranging from medicine to supplements, nutriceuticals, and more. This proves especially useful for those who are working on test batches for new products and may want to try multiple combinations of ingredients.
Basic Components of a Single Station Tablet Press
At the core of every single station press are three main components: the die mold, bottom punch, and upper punch. These are the central pieces of any tablet pressing machine, no matter the manufacturer.
Die Mold
The powder mixture that will be compressed into a tablet is deposited into a die mold. This mold can come in various shapes and sizes and will shape the final product during the pressing process.
The die mold is fixed into the lower punch and will hold the powder in a fixed position so it can be pressed into the intended final product.
Bottom Punch
The bottom punch is the base of the press mechanism that also houses the die mold. During the compression, the bottom punch adjusts to compensate for the required weight of the powder mixture. After compression, it will raise the completed tablet to the surface so it can be deposited in the collection basin.
Upper Punch
The upper punch is the part of the machine that presses down onto the powder in the die mold to compress it into a tablet. It is the mechanical component that does the actual “pressing” in the process.
Other Components
Other mechanical components typically found on single station presses include:
Hopper
Also sometimes called a “boot” or “shoe,” the hopper will deposit the powder into the die for the pressing process to begin. After the tablet has been compressed and raised by the bottom punch, the edge of the hopper will typically move the completed tablet into the collection area as it deposits the powder for the next one into the die.
Cam Track
The cam track will control the movement of the punches during the compression process. This mechanism ensures that the upper and bottom punches are working in sync with one another and that the right amount of pressure is applied for the specific product.
Driving Wheel
Along with the cam track, the driving wheel will guide the movement of the hopper and punches to preserve optimal mechanical function throughout the production cycle.
Capacity Control Component
The capacity control component will ensure that any excess powder deposited above the upper edge of the die mold is removed. This will prevent incorrect product weight and ensure proper tablet size.
Ejector
Once a tablet has been compressed, the ejector will raise the bottom punch so that the finished product can be moved aside to make room for the next one.
The Tablet Pressing Process
Manufacturing tablets with a single station press is a process consisting of three primary stages: Filling, compression, and ejection.
Filling
During the filling stage, the hopper deposits the powder into the die. After this, the machine’s capacity control component will glide over the top of the die mold to remove any excess powder. Once the powder has neatly filled the die mold, the compression stage can begin.
Prior to filling, the tablet powder mixture may also go through multiple additional prep stages that include:
- Weighing
- Granulation
- Milling
- Blending
Compression
After the bottom punch has adjusted itself to compensate for the powder mixture’s weight, the upper punch will descend to compress the powder into its final tablet shape.
Ejection
Once the powder has been filled and compressed, the upper punch will lift up and the bottom punch will raise the finished tablet back to the surface where the hopper will push it into the collection basin. The process then repeats to create a new tablet and can recur as long as necessary until the batch is complete.
What If I Want to Produce Multiple Tablets at the Same Time?
In addition to single station tablet presses, you may also want to consider a rotary tablet press. These are capable of producing multiple tablets at the same time. However, keep in mind that these are bigger machines and will take up more space in your production area. Also, if you only want a tablet press for research and development purposes or small batch production, they may prove too costly of an investment for your needs.
Some Single Station Tablet Presses You Might Be Interested In
At CapPlus, we offer industry-leading single station tablet presses, such as:
TP60
The TP60 is a single station tablet press capable of producing 60 tablets per minute at a max diameter of 25mm, max pressure of 5 tons, and a max filling depth of 20mm. It can press tablets with a thickness ranging from 0.5 to 8mm and includes other features like a gravity feed shoe and stainless steel hopper.
Get Started Pressing Tablets Today
Thanks to the single station tablet press’s ease-of-use, intuitive features, and the ability to produce products consistently, it proves a valuable machine for many pharmaceutical manufacturers. If you are interested in learning more about adding a single station press to your production space, please contact us anytime to speak with one of our team members.