Top 10 Pharmaceutical Equipment Used in Tablet & Capsule Manufacturing

Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) forms such as tablets & capsules are among the most widely manufactured pharmaceutical products. Producing these dosage forms requires a series of controlled processing steps to convert raw powders into granules or pellets with suitable flow, compressibility, and uniformity.

Pharmaceutical plants use specialized equipment designed to handle powders and granules while maintaining GMP standards, process efficiency, and consistent product quality. The following are the top 10 processing equipment commonly used in OSD manufacturing.

1. High Shear Mixer / Rapid Mixer Granulator (RMG)

Rapid Mixer Granulators are used for wet granulation, where powders are mixed with a binder solution to form granules with improved flow and compressibility.

RMGs help achieve uniform mixing of ingredients, improved granule density & better compressibility for tablet production

2. Fluid Bed Dryer (FBD)

Fluid Bed Dryers are used to remove moisture from wet granules produced during the granulation process.

Hot air fluidizes the granules, enabling efficient drying and producing stable, free-flowing granules suitable for further processing.

3. Fluid Bed Coater (FBC)

Fluid Bed Coaters are used for coating pellets or MUPS dosage forms.

Using the Wurster bottom spray coating process, coating solutions are applied uniformly on pellets to achieve controlled drug release, taste masking & protective coating layers.

4. Wet Mill / Cone Mill / Multi Mill

Milling equipment is used to control particle size distribution of powders and granules.

• Wet mills break down wet lumps after granulation.
• Cone mills or multi mills are used for dry milling or sizing after drying.

This step ensures uniform granule size and improved blending efficiency.

5. Sifter / Vibro Sifter

Sifters are used to separate particles based on size and remove oversized particles or impurities.

Vibro sifters ensure uniform particle size distribution, improved powder flow, consistent product quality.

6. Bin Blender / Octagonal Blender / Double Cone Blender / V-Blender

Blenders are used for final mixing of granules with lubricants and excipients before compression or capsule filling.

This process ensures uniform distribution of ingredients throughout the batch, which is essential for dosage accuracy.

7. Extruder & Spheroniser

Extruder and spheroniser systems are used for pelletization processes.

The wet mass is first extruded into cylindrical strands and then processed in the spheroniser to form uniform spherical pellets, commonly used in controlled-release formulations.

8. Roller Compactor (Dry Granulator)

Roller compactors are used for dry granulation, especially for formulations sensitive to moisture or heat.

In this process, powders are compacted into ribbons and then milled into granules suitable for further processing.

9. Tablet Coater (Auto Coater)

Tablet coating machines apply film coatings on already compressed tablets to improve stability, appearance, and product performance.

Modern auto coaters use automated spray and drying systems to achieve uniform coating thickness and efficient coating cycles.

10. Material Handling Systems

Material handling systems play an important role in efficient and dust-free movement of powders and granules between processing equipment.

It includes vacuum transfer systems, bin charging systems, lifting and tipping devices (bin lifters).

These systems reduce manual handling, contamination risk, and operator exposure, improving overall manufacturing efficiency.

OSD manufacturing involves multiple processing steps including granulation, drying, milling, blending, pelletization, and coating. Each stage requires specialized equipment to ensure consistent product quality, efficient production, and GMP-compliant operations.

With 35+ years of experience in pharmaceutical process equipment, Anish Pharma Equip Pvt. Ltd. provides advanced solutions such as granulation systems, fluid bed technologies, pelletization equipment, coating systems, and integrated processing lines, supporting efficient and reliable pharmaceutical manufacturing.