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Marketing Image Change Case Study

Problem

The marketing department is proposing a new tablet shape for an existing product.  Find the impact of the change in tablet shape in coating time and batch size.  The current tablet shape is spherical with bulk density of 0.8 g/ml.  The proposed tablet shape is capsule shaped with 1:1:4 aspect ratio and bulk density of 0.7 g/ml.

Problem Categories

Material and bed properties, formulation, engineering, Wurster, coating pan, thermocoat, PCTSUni and PCTSWurster
Solution
Update the new tablet shape and bulk density in the bed properties window as shown below.
Enter the same film thickness as the previous tablet design and press 'Update'.  Enter the final fill level and press 'Update.  Press 'Calculate' to complete the calculation. 
Results

Variable

Current

Proposed

Impact

Shape factor

100%

78%

 

Bulk density

0.8 g/ml

0.7 g/ml

 

Yield

640 kg

560 kg

12% reduction

Spray quantity per kg tablet

0.29 kg/kg

0.39 kg/kg

34% increase in spray quantity per kg of tablet coated

Coating time

230 min

271 min

17% longer

Overall

It takes 17% longer and requires 37% more coating material to coat a batch that is reduced by 12% for the proposed shape.