Tablet press automation: A modular approach to fully integrated production

Fully automated tablet production is an exciting and emerging trend in the pharmaceutical industry. Improved tablet quality, manufacturing efficiency, and process validation are major reasons for the increasing emphasis on automated technology. This paper outlines the vast options and possibilities associated with tablet press automation and presents a specific modular approach in which the extent and time frame for the automation transition is dictated by the tablet manufacturer. This modular approach uses the tablet press control system as the central building block on which a variety of control modules are constructed to facilitate automated material flow, data collection, and remote process monitoring. The emphasis is placed on design flexibility due to the fact that each company will construct a unique definition of automation, which may be subject to change as various phases of automation are implemented and evaluated.