The thesis addresses the problem of tablet breaking and damaging during transport in vertical pharmaceutical production of oral solid dosage. When breaking of tablets occur they become unfit for use, because they no longer contain the appropriate active pharmaceutical ingredient as well as not being visually appropriate. Tablet breakage can cause a big production loss.
Manufacturing of oral solid dosage and the different steps in the production are presented in the thesis. Different manufacturing methods are presented with an emphasis on vertical production, where tablet breaking occurs most often.
Tablet damage, depending on the height of the fall, is experimentally evaluated. A critical height of 400 mm is found, where intensive damage begins.
Multiple solutions are presented from which a tablet retainer with rollers is chosen. The thesis presents the design and construction of the solution. This is a moveable device with adjustable rollers, which clamp the tube in which the tablets are. These are then transported from a higher to a lower floor, to a process machine or container.
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