Common Tablet Manufacturing Defects in Pharma | Part-3


Black Spots

Black-colored specks or dots on the tablet surface.

Causes of Black Spots:

  • Impurities are in the raw materials.
  • The compression tooling poorly cleaned.
  • Inadequate lubricant mixing cause agglomeration.
  • Powder is not properly granulated.
  • Oxidation of mixture cause discoloration.


Remedies for Black Spots:

  • Use high-quality raw materials.
  • Clean the compression tooling.
  • Optimize the mixing process.
  • Monitor granulation process.
  • Store raw materials & tablets under appropriate conditions.


Inconsistent Thickness

Variations in the tablet thickness within a batch or across different tablets.

Causes of Inconsistent Thickness:

  • Powder is not adequately granulated.
  • Feeding system fails to uniform die fill.
  • Inadequate or excessive compression force .
  • Machine malfunction.


Remedies for Inconsistent Thickness:

  • Monitor granulation process.
  • Use reliable feeding systems.
  • Use proper compression force.
  • Replace worn punches or die.

Hardness Variation

Inconsistency in tablet hardness across a batch or within individual tablets.

Causes of Hardness Variation:

  • Components are not blended sufficiently.
  • Granule size & density are not consistent.
  • Compression force varies.
  • Uneven drying of the granules.


Remedies for Hardness Variation:

  • Uniform mixing of components.
  • Optimize granulation techniques.
  • Adjust compression force.
  • Implement controlled drying.


Weight Variation

Inconsistency in tablet weight across a batch or within individual tablets.

Causes of Weight Variation:

  • Components are not blended sufficiently.
  • Granule size & density are not consistent.
  • Inadequate or excessive compression force.
  • The dosing of powder varies during die filling stage.

Remedies for Weight Variation:

  • Uniform mixing of components.
  • Optimize granulation techniques.
  • Use automated filling systems.
  • Adjust compression force.

Read also:

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post