The Benefits of Tablet Elevators in Pharmaceutical Packaging

In manufacturing and packaging solid dose tablets, nothing can be left to chance or allowed to slow down the production line. Among other things, tablet elevators are sometimes an overlooked but critical component in achieving optimal efficiency of bottle filling machines.

The Functionality of Tablet Elevators

1. Reduce Labor: Tablet elevators are used to transport tablets from a larger bulk hopper up to the tablet counter / bottle filler hopper. 
2. Maintain Integrity: Pharmaceutical tablets are easily damaged, so tablet elevators are designed with features to reduce tablet vibration as well as maintain a consistent level in the filler hopper which helps protect the integrity of the tablets.
3. Control Integration: Many tablet elevators can be integrated with control systems to allow for precise synchronization with other equipment for optimal operation.
4. Hygienic Design: Tablet elevators must be hygienic in design to meet pharmaceutical regulations and good manufacturing practices (GMPs). Often they are made with 316 series stainless steel to avoid contamination and designed for thorough cleaning and sanitation.

Advantages

Safety

1. Reduce Contamination: Tablet elevators often have de-dust / de-chip ports to improve the quality of the tablets being transported to the filler.
2. Improve Safety for Personnel: The bulk hopper is at ground level providing a safer environment for the personnel operating the line, tablet elevators reduce the risk of workplace injuries common with manual lifting.

Improve Efficiency

1. Increased Throughput: Tablet elevators allow for fast continuous transportation of tablets via sanitary conveyors. This increases the tablet throughput rate which is essential to efficiently support use of higher production equipment.
2. Downtime Reduction: Automated systems minimize the risk of human error associated with manual transport. This reduction in downtime translates to more consistent production rates and better utilization of resources.
3. Quality Assurance: Consistent and gentle handling of tablets ensures product integrity and quality, reducing the incidence of defects and ensuring compliance with pharmaceutical standards.

What to consider when selecting a Tablet Elevator

There are many intricate considerations to identify when selecting a tablet elevator or monocoque lift for your production line. Here are some of the main points to consider:

1. Strength and Output: The tablet elevator should have the strength and output required for your production and line. Including peak tablet loads and whether the elevator can run at the required speed without causing any tablet damage.
2. Existing Control and Mechanical Interfaces: Can the tablet elevator be easily integrated with existing mechanical and control systems? Does it use the same interfaces and platforms? This can help to avoid extensive and costly modifications to existing plants and controls.
3. Construction and Materials: The elevator should be constructed from pharmaceutical compliant materials such as 316 Stainless steel, UHMW and Anti-microbial Urethane belts.  The construction should promote easy dis-assembly and cleaning.

The future of Tablet Elevator technology

There have been many improvements over the years to tablet elevator design and functionality. Here are some of the features you should look for.

1. Clean Design: The use of innovative and toolless designs provide for a more usable solution for the operator to breakdown for cleaning and maintenance.  A solution that is cumbersome will not be effectively utilized and prove to be costly in the long run. 
2. Intuitive User Interface: Further integration of ultrasonic sensors and graphical touch screens allow for an easy and flexible solution and can be deployed on a variety of fillers.

At IPS, we strive to provide reliable pharmaceutical processing equipment that ensures the highest level of efficiency and productivity for your production line. That’s why we offer tablet elevators that are designed to improve the reliability, safety and quality of your manufacturing processes.