Topic

Articles

Equipment design and cleaning procedures both play a role in thorough sterilization and cleaning.

Facilitating Efficient Equipment Cleaning

My network failed and I had to scrap my batch because my historian did not collect the required data. How do I upgrade the reliability of my network to maintain data continuity if my network fails again?

Maintaining Data Continuity When Networks Fail

Jennifer Markarian is manufacturing reporter for Pharmaceutical Technology.

Critical issues that should be considered when scaling up a hot-melt extrusion process.

Scale-up Challenges in Hot-Melt Extrusion

In our tablet coating process, we are losing up to 15% of our coating solution in each processing run. What can we do to prevent this problem in order to reduce waste and increase our cost efficiency?

Reducing Waste in Tablet Coating

We need to measure the particle size of a moisture-sensitive powder. We would like to use dry analysis on our laser-diffraction system, but the particles are fragile and we're struggling to get robust results. Is wet measurement with a nonaqueous solvent the only option?

Determining Whether Dry-Dispersion Can Be Used in a Laser-Diffraction System

I work in a quality control laboratory and use a pH meter with a single-junction reference probe to test samples taken from various pharmaceutical (drug) production lines. The probe I use has a six-month warranty. It slowly stops working after just a couple weeks. I am replacing it once a month. We make sure to store it correctly according to the manufacturer's specifications and even use probe cleaner at the end of each shift to ensure that it stays clean. What can I do to increase the lifespan to at least cover the warranty period?

Increasing the Life-Span of a Probe to Cover a Warranty Period

We have several tablet formulations that are dwell-sensitive-they require more time under compression than other formulations. Given increasing demand, we do not have the luxury of slowing the tablet presses down in an effort to increase that dwell time. How can we maximize dwell time and maintain or increase output in our tablet presses?

Increasing Dwell Time without Decreasing Output

We have changed the brand of our stoppers for a product that we freeze-dry in vials. Since the change, we have observed a significant increase in rejects for collapsed cakes. Why are the cakes collapsing? What can we do to prevent this problem?

Collapsed Cakes

When I run a small production batch of a particular formulation with the same tablet press used to develop it, I get compressibility and disintegration issues. What am I doing wrong?

Scaling Up a Tableting Process

In our manufacturing process, we are running into issues with our vial stoppers clumping in the feeder bowl. How can we ensure that the stoppers go through smoothly without clumping up?

Troubleshooting