Brookfield Engineering Discusses Texture Analysis At Pittcon 2012

Bob McGregor demonstrates Brookfield Engineering's texture analyzer. The texture analyzer applies compressive force to an object or pulls it apart. This technology is important to pharmaceutical and manufacturers because it applies a shearing force to a tablet to measure the ability of a bilayer tablet to separate into two halves and can help qualify the acceptability of their product.

This instrument is called a texture analyzer. It is a machine that applies a compressive force to an object or pulls an object apart. Texture analysis is a practice that has been used in the food industry for many years. The objective is to simulate what happens when a person bites into an object or squeezes it in their hands.

The compressive test by the probe on the instrument applies a downward force, and you can measure the resistance of this item being deformed. This simulates the ability of your teeth to bit into something or to chew.

More recently, a variety of fixtures have been created that allow the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries to take advantage of this type of testing. This device right here is a guillotine which will apply a shearing force to a tablet and you can actually measure the ability of a bi-layer tablet to separate into two halves.

This becomes very important to the pharmaceutical people in terms of knowing how durable their tablets and capsules really are. This technology will now apply to things like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and give manufacturers a way to qualify the acceptability of their products.