Gamlen Tableting Ltd: Low cost, instrumented force- and displacementcontrolled tableting press for replication of full-scale production pharmaceutical tablets from a laboratory-scale device

Gamlen Tabletting（GT）是一家中小型企业，成立于2012年，旨在为制药行业和学术界开发一种准确，易于使用，小规模，低成本的仪器化压片机。推出的产品，500公斤负荷的Gamlen压片机（GTP）已经在市场上销售了一年，并已被GSK独立验证为生产片剂，准确复制了全规模生产机器的特性。500公斤的GTP已被用于处方前研究，处方开发，过程控制，QC测试，教学和研发，目前和潜在用户的反馈表明，需要更高的压实载荷（以便能够压缩更广泛的粉末）以及额外的仪器，以更好地评估粉末特性。500公斤的GTP已经在行业领先的公差下运行;开发更大，更高容量的机器，同时保持精度，这对GT在结构和控制方面提出了重大的技术挑战。GT提出了一个为期15个月的项目，开发和演示原型增强GTP。工作将集中在：·机器改进：增加机器的额定负载，以更准确地复制全面的生产加工条件;·螺栓连接的附加功能：片剂弹射力测量和片剂标签模块;·压缩曲线分析：能够在压缩事件期间研究材料特性。这将进一步扩大实用性并增加市场潜力;·开发标准化的粉末压缩性测试：这将使用户能够轻松识别可用于生产高质量片剂的粉末。GT将通过进行内部工作的各个方面来最大限度地提高资金价值，同时将超出当前能力的任务分包出去。

Gamlen Tabletting (GT) is an SME, established in 2012 to develop an accurate, easy to use,small scale, low cost, instrumented tableting machine for the pharmaceutical industry andacademia. The launch product, a 500kg load Gamlen Tablet Press (GTP) has been in themarket for a year, and has been independently verified by GSK as manufacturing tabletswhich accurately replicate the characteristics of those from full-scale production machinery.The 500kg GTP has found use in pre-formulation studies, formulation development, processcontrol, QC testing, teaching and R&D, where it has found widespread acceptance.Feedback from current and potential users indicates the need for higher compaction loads (toenable the compression of a wider range of powders) plus additional instrumentation to betterassess powder characteristics. The 500kg GTP already operating at industry-leadingtolerances; developing a larger, higher capacity machine while maintaining accuracy posessignificant technical challenges to GT in terms of both construction and control.GT proposes a 15 month project to develop and demonstrate a prototype enhanced GTP.Work will focus on:• Machine improvements: to increase the load rating of the machine to more accuratelyreplicate full-scale production processing conditions;• Bolt-on additional functionality: tablet ejection force measurement and tablet labellingmodules;• Compression curve analysis: to enable the study material properties during the compressionevent. This will further extent utility and increase market potential;• Developing standardised powder compressibility tests: this will allow users to easily identifypowders that will make high quality tablets.GT will maximise value for money by conducting aspects of the work in-house, whilesubcontracting tasks that are outside of current capability.