Increasing Dwell Time In Pharmaceutical Tablet Manufacturing

By Kevin Queensen

Increasing the diameter of the head flat is the easiest way to prolong dwell time without switching to a press with a smaller turret pitch circle (generally with fewer stations), or without decreasing the turret speed. Either of these options could lower your production output. Examining the role of dwell time early in the R&D stages of product development will determine which head flat, whether standard, extended, or even reduced/eliminated, is ideal for specific products. A proactive approach helps minimize compression-related issues, which, left unaddressed, could limit or hinder production. In this chapter, we will look at the benefits—and some drawbacks—of using extended head flats.