Considerations To Alleviate Sticking And Picking In Tablet Manufacturing

By Bill Turner and Kevin Queensen

Sticking occurs when formulation granules stick to the face of the punch cup. Picking refers to the formulation sticking in the letters and characters of punch embossing. Both result in tablet defects and lower production due to time spent troubleshooting. Sticking and picking problems are common in tablet manufacturing, whether in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or confectionary applications. These common issues typically arise from either formulation or tablet design inadequacies; they can contribute to compression issues. 

The design process for an oral solid dosage form overlooks some of the seemingly minor details of tablet design. In this article, explore how compression tooling manufacturers can identify potential sticking and picking issues before tablet and tool designs have been finalized, reducing the challenge shared by the tablet manufacturer and the tooling vendor.