Thank you very much for all of the help and patience with these sets of tooling, I know it has been difficult at some points with a lot of changes along the way. All of your work is much appreciated.
- a Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Company
Technical Articles
Natoli Engineering’s experts have contributed their knowledge and expertise to the industry’s leading publications for decades. Here are several in-depth and insightful articles about the manufacturing process, tooling, formulation, and training. Be sure to visit our how-to video gallery to watch tutorials on how to set up presses, polish punches, and more. Please contact us if you have any questions or comments. Thank you!
Oral Drug Delivery
Article pulished in Oral Drug Delivery
Good flowability is a key factor for numerous powder processes, with the consistency of the flow directly related to the final product quality. However, when a powder flows, the frictional contact between the particles creates electrostatic charges via the triboelectric effect. This charge build up induces an increase in the strength of the electrostatic cohesive interactions that contribute to the global cohesiveness of the powder and therefore a decrease in its flowability properties.
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Tablet Tooling Tech
Many options are available for punches and dies to help compress difficult drug products. One commonly overlooked punch modification, the extended head flat, increases the diameter of the flat area atop the punch head. Typically, this option doesn’t require any modifications to the press.
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Go with the Flow
Cover article published in European Pharmaceutical Magazine
A perfect active pharmaceutical ingredient is one that performs well from R&D through tablet production. However, in real-world situations challenges are inevitable. Here, Jonathan Gaik, director, Natoli Scientific, looks at the critical issue of powder flow and how solving issues before production can reduce product performance issues later down the line.
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Time for Change
Cover article published in European Pharmaceutical Magazine
One of the challenges tablet manufacturers have faced for many years is the amount of time and high costs associated with pushing a solid dose product through the R&D process. A critical step in any tablet development process is determining the compressibility of the formulation, which means collecting data on how the formulation behaves in relation to variations in compression force and dwell time. These parameters help determine the ideal compression profile for a tablet during R&D and ideally will lead to trouble-free mass production.
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Maximize the Return on Your Tooling Investment with Proactive Maintenance
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
Excessively worn or improperly maintained tablet compression tooling can be a tremendous liability to a production team because it will require frequent replacement, and the tablets produced may give consumers a perception of poor quality. Properly maintained tooling, on the other hand, will last longer and consistently produce high-quality tablets.
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A Critical Step
Cover article published in EPM – European Pharmaceutical Magazine
Tablet manufacturing poses many challenges and the development process of a tablet form is a critical step that requires the correct tools and equipment. In this article, Robert Sedlock, director of Technical Training and Development for Natoli Engineering Company, discusses the three phases of the tablet development process: Pre-formulation, formulation, and scale-up, as well as how to use the machines and tools available to provide science supported decisions.
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Sticky Situation?
Cover article published in EPM – European Pharmaceutical Magazine
Dr. Charles Kettler, director Natoli Scientific, analyzes common sticking and picking issues in tablet manufacturing and how a little homework can go a long way in avoiding potential issues before they arise. Tablet sticking and picking problems are ubiquitous in the tablet manufacturing industry, whether pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or confectionery.
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Tabletability, Compactibility, and Compressibility: What’s the Difference?
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
To patients and consumers, tablets are a simple and convenient dosage form. But the science behind compressing a block of particles or granules into a single tablet can be complicated. That’s where common compression studies can help. This article explains how to develop tabletability, compactibility, and compressibility profiles.
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Press Manufacturers Weigh In on Multi-Layer Tabletting’s Advantages, Misconceptions, and Future
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
Multi-layer tabletting is getting increasing attention from a variety of industries. While general tablet manufacturing principles are unchanged, there is much more to consider because making multi-layer tablets involves multiple—often incompatible—products, additional equipment, and many formulation and operation challenges.
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Pressing issues: Natoli, the leading tablet compression tooling manufacturer, outlines the opening of its institute at Long Island University
Article published in EPM – European Pharmaceutical Magazine
Tooling, tablet compression accessory, and services provider Natoli Engineering Company has opened an oral solid dosage (OSD) research and development institute to advance the field of industrial pharmacy education and technology. The Natoli Institute for Industrial Pharmacy Research and Development was established in partnership with the Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences on the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University (LIU).
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Taking Shape
Article published on IPTOnline – Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology – Issue 50
Designing a tablet requires careful consideration of its shape as small adjustments to the size or profile can have a direct impact on both the production process and customer acceptance – resulting in success or failure. Shape affects many aspects of tablet production. We are often asked, “Why that tablet shape?” when submitting design suggestions after researching a solution to a tablet or tooling issue. An improper design can cost millions in lost production and potentially lead to disaster.
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Understanding the Importance of Punch Length and Cup Depth
Article reprinted from Tablets & Capsules on www.tabletscapsules.com
Manufacturing tablets to a uniform hardness, weight, and thickness requires tablet press punches of consistent length. This article describes punch length, how to measure it correctly, and how wear affects length and tablet consistency, as well as the importance of specifying cup-depth tolerances.
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A Tooling Vendor’s Advice on Avoiding Common Problems
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
Looks aren’t everything, but first impressions count. That’s why it’s important to consider the appearance of the product that you plan to tablet. In fact, tablet design and appearance plays such a vital role in consumer acceptance that selecting the tablet’s size, shape, and logo is typically left to people in the marketing department. Nonetheless, people in the production department bear the responsibility of actually manufacturing the product that the marketing people envisioned. Your ability to do that hinges on whether you have the right tooling. Without it, a launch delay or cancellation is inevitable.
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Multilayer Tablets: A Piece of Cake?
Article published in Pharmaceutical Technology
Solid dosage forms are the most popular method of drug delivery, and no doubt many of you spend your days toiling over troublesome tablets. Although tablets are widely established throughout the pharma industry, this doesn’t mean it is an unmoving area.
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Tablet Compression Tooling – Land or No Land?
Article written by Bill Turner, Tooling and Tablet Technical Manager at Natoli Engineering
Land on a tablet design is a much‐debated topic. Tablet land is the narrow, horizontal surface perpendicular to the tablet’s periphery, which creates a junction between the tablet’s periphery and cup. The three primary reasons for incorporating a land into a tablet’s design are to (1) increase the strength of the punch edges, (2) increase the wear characteristics of the inner edge of the punch cup, and (3) reduce the severity of nicks on punch edges.
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The Art of Tablet Compression
Article published on IPTOnline – Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology
These days, tablet compression can be regarded as more of an art than a science. IPT Editor Pam Barnacal interviews Dale Natoli, Vice President of Natoli Engineering Company, Inc, about the many factors that must be kept in mind to ensure the fast, consistent production of high-quality tablets.
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Split Decisions: Does Tablet Scoring Put Patients At Risk?
Article published with Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
FDA provides more direction as questions arise about dosage consistency. Tablet scoring has long been used by oral solid dosage manufacturers—originally as a means to prevent tablet stress fractures, but recently as more of a cosmetic feature. Bisects, of course, present manufacturing challenges.
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Multi-Tip Tooling: A Guide
Article published on www.ondrugdelivery.com
In this piece, Dale Natoli, Vice President, Natoli Engineering Company, Inc., provides a brief overview of multi-tip tooling for tablet presses and provides some guidelines for selecting the most appropriate equipment.
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Progression in Tablet Compression
Article published in Industrial Pharmacy, Issue 32, based on interview published earlier in Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology
The most common problem encountered in tablet manufacture would have to be granulation adhering to the tool face, commonly known as “sticking.” Tablet manufacturers often have to struggle through compressing a batch of sticky product and sometimes – due to the severity of the sticking – are unable to compress any tablets at all.
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Pills, Pills, Pills…
Article published in Pharmaceutical Technology Europe
Solid dosage forms have been used for hundreds of years, and the fact that they are still the most widespread and popular method of drug delivery today says a lot about their efficacy and acceptance.
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Tablet-Sticking Solutions
Screening methods and predictive models address tenacious tablet-sticking problems.
Article published in Pharmaceutical Technology Europe
Tablet sticking, in which material adheres to the surface of a tablet-punch face, is an ongoing and costly problem in pharmaceutical manufacturing and is a significant issue for drug-product formulators. Analytical methods can be used to troubleshoot sticking problems and develop screening methods.
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Steel Yourself
Article published in Innovations in Pharmaceutical Processing
Cost efficiencies and improved quality can be achieved by making simple changes to the tablet manufacturing process. By collaborating with a specialist vendor and taking into account appropriate steel type, companies can overcome any tooling issues they face. Material quality is one of the most important factors to consider when it comes to the manufacture of tablet compression tooling.
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Understanding Maximum Compression Force
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
As the number and variety of ancillary products for tablet presses continues to grow, manufacturers of tablet presses and tooling continue to advance the science of tablet compression. This article discusses how computer modeling helps determine maximum compression force of tablet tooling.
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Cup Depth and Tablet Consistency
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
Cup depth is the distance between the very tip of the punch and the lowest measurable point of the cup cavity. To establish proper tool inspection protocols and wear limits, you need to know about this dimension and how it affects the tablet.
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Tooling Design – How Tooling Options can Benefit Different Types of Pharmaceutical Formulations During Tablet Compression
Article published in International Pharmaceutical Industry Manufacturing
It can be a labor of love to get a tablet to market. With time and monetary investments made throughout the process from research to development and scale-up, one of the most challenging steps in the process can be the actual manufacture of the product. Issues range from tablet quality to equipment malfunction – all of which can result in downtime and delayed market deployment. However, steps can be taken to eliminate or minimize these issues before manufacturing even begins. Find out how practical tooling design can save your company aggravation…and money.
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Where and How to Measure Punches and Dies
Article published in Tablets & Capsules
This article clarifies how to measure punches and dies and describes how worn dies can impair production of high-quality tablets. When it comes to inspecting new and in-process tablet tools, most people focus on punches.
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Tablet Scoring: Nomenclature, Labeling, and Data for Evaluation
Guidance for Industry by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) March 2013 CMC
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Size, Shape, and Other Physical Attributes of Generic Tablets and Capsules
Guidance for Industry by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) June 2015 Pharmaceutical Quality/CMC
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