The world consumes billions of medical and other capsules yearly, making the capsule filling machine essential. In this article, we will introduce you to this device. It explains how it works and examines its various types. We will also guide you on how to buy one for your business or other use.
What is a Capsule Filling Machine?
A capsule filling machine is an industrial device that fills empty capsules with various products. You can also call it a capsule filler or encapsulation machine. It has diverse applications.
For instance, you can use it to manufacture medical drugs and supplements or produce CBD oil capsules. It fills solids like powders, granules, pellets, and tablets. You can also use it for semi-solids and non-aqueous fluids.
The machine also comes in different designs, sizes, and shapes. It can be a tabletop device for small-scale production or a free-standing unit for large-scale manufacturing.
Capsule Filling Machine Construction
Although designs vary, the typical filler is a multi-stage device with more than one section. The sections and their respective functions include:
- Capsule Holder and Feeder: this part holds empty capsules and feeds them to the rectifier unit
- Capsule Rectifier: it changes the capsule orientation to body down and cap up
- Cap and Body Separator: the unit that separates the caps and bodies
- Dosing and Filling Mechanism: it measures and injects material into the bodies
- Cap Replacement System: for replacing caps and locking the capsules
- Ejection and Rejection System: it ejects filled capsules and removes damaged ones
How a Capsule Filling Machine Works
The capsule filling process involves four distinct stages. First, the machine orients capsules to face the right side up. After that, it removes caps and fills the bodies. The last step includes replacing the caps.
Capsule Rectification/Orientation
- The capsules slide down the hopper and into the feeder
- The feeder orients their direction
Cap Separation
- The separator removes the caps from the bodies
- It typically uses vacuum suction or other method
- The bodies are now ready for filling
Dosing with Filling
- Meanwhile, the powder, pellets, or other material has left the hopper and feeder
- The dosing system measures the correct amount of substance
- It then injects it into the empty bodies
Cap Replacement
- The separate capsule caps and bodies come together and close
- A mechanism ejects filled capsules
- The device is now ready for another cycle
Capsule Filling Machine Types
The types of capsule fillers on the market today are manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic. They work almost similarly, mainly varying in their automation levels.
Automatic Capsule Fillers
These operate without manual input, relying on electronic and electromechanical systems to execute tasks. Although more expensive, a fully automatic capsule filling machine has many benefits.
For instance, it minimizes operator mistakes. More importantly, it has a high output, with modern types producing over 100k pieces an hour. This feature makes them best for high-speed manufacturing.
Semi-Automatic Capsule Fillers
Semi-automatic capsule filler types require operator intervention to perform some operations. This attribute has both good and bad side. For instance, it makes the device less expensive than the fully automatic type.
However, it also makes the machine relatively slow and more susceptible to operator errors. Most put out between 6k and 10k capsules per hour, with advanced types reaching levels above 30k pieces.
Manual Capsule Fillers
You operate these manually, using your hands to load, fill, and unload the capsules. They have a simple design that is easy to disassemble and set up.
Above all, the manual capsule filling machine is inexpensive and portable. However, it can only fill between 200 and 300 pieces a cycle, making it less industrial. Its manual operation is also laborious and prone to errors.
Hard and Soft Gel Fillers
The fillers are also hard-gelatin or soft-gelatin types. The hard-gel filler is the most popular. It fills hard gelatin capsules with solids and semi-solid ingredients.
The soft-gel types are unique machines designed for liquid and semi-liquid formulations. They produce various products, including medical and food or dietary capsulations.
What are the Advantages of a Capsule Filling Machine?
The machine offers several benefits, including sanitation, accuracy, and mass production. Find out more about the advantages and what to expect below.
Hygienic Filling
It minimizes your contact with the fill material. Minimal contact is essential when producing food and medicinal products. Additionally, it uses easy-to-clean materials. These are typically 304 and 316 stainless steel grades.
Improved Accuracy
It fills the capsules more accurately, reducing wastage. Accurate dosing is also a strict requirement in many applications, especially healthcare. The enhanced precision means your products will have identical weight and fill levels.
Mass Production
You can use it to scale up production and meet market demands. For instance, the automatic type can help you increase the filling speed to hundreds of capsules a minute.
Time and Cost Savings
It reduces the time spent on tasks, especially if using the semi or fully automatic type. In addition to time, it reduces labor costs by automating filling process steps.
Resource: https://www.researchgate.net
Common Capsule Filling Machine Uses
Most capsule filling applications are industrial. A few are non-commercial, such as using the device at home or in a research lab. Popular uses include the following:
Medicines and Supplements
The pharmaceutical industry is the machine’s biggest user. Healthcare companies rely on it to produce medicinal powders, tablets, and liquids. They also encase dietary supplements, such as vitamins, among other products.
Cosmetic products
The cosmetics industry is another major user. This application includes capsules for face fillings, creams, and other formulations. In addition to biocompatibility, the capsules allow the slow release of ingredients.
Crop and Animal Products
The device fills capsules with orally administered animal drugs and supplements. It also packages slow-release plant fertilizers. Other uses include holding crop protection chemicals like herbicides and pesticides.
Industrial and Household Products
It helps manufacture industrial and household products. These can be cleaning agent capsules for home applications or capsulations for industrial chemical storage and use.
Research and Personal Use
Teaching institutions use the filler for demonstrations, while research labs need it for product R&D. Other non-commercial applications include packing supplements into capsules at home for personal use.
Where Can I Buy a Capsule Machine?
You have various options when it comes to purchasing your capsule filler. You could buy directly from the manufacturer, online supplier, or a seller in your locality. Each option has good and bad sides.
Buying from a manufacturer offers more benefits. Most provide after-sales services, including technical support, assembly, and commissioning. They also offer better prices and can customize features to fit your application.
Online suppliers offer the advantage of scope. However, this option reduces your chances of getting some services, plus prices can be high. The same applies to a seller near you.
Therefore, obtaining the machine from a manufacturer is more advisable unless it’s small-sized or manual. Large-sized systems are more complex, requiring direct communication with the producer.
Conclusion
The capsule filling machine helps encase various materials, from chemicals to foods and medicines. It’s also available in varying automation levels, from manual to automatic. Each type suits a specific application. Therefore, be sure to find the right type for your business.
