Innovative coating process for tablet manufacturers

The Wear Indicator Layer is expected to have a "huge impact" on customers' production.

I Holland will be launching an innovative process at Achema next week, which enables tablet manufacturers to monitor tool coating wear helping to minimise production downtime. I Holland’s Wear Indicator layer will be exhibited for the first time and is expected to receive much interest.

“The research and development team at I Holland is constantly working on new solutions to help our customers with their tablet production,” said Rob Blanchard R&D Manager.

“One question we are asked time and time again is ‘how do we know our tool coating is nearing the end of its effective lifespan?’ We have developed an answer with the introduction of the Wear Indicator Layer. It is a distinctive gold coloured layer which is revealed as the functional coating approaches the end of its working life cycle. This advancement will have a huge impact on production for our customers as they can monitor tooling effectively to see when replacement is required by simple visual inspection.

“Wear around the tip face can cause problems, such as sticking and picking; the Wear Indicator Layer, however, provides an indication and solution to prevent any long-term damage to the press and delays in production due to increased cleaning or replacement of tooling. This innovative new coating process will be extremely beneficial to our customer’s and their manufacturing processes.”

I Holland will demonstrate the new Wear Indicator Layer at Achema, alongside its other innovative coatings and treatments in the PharmaCote range, which are tailored to provide wear and corrosion resistance or improve anti-stick properties.

As well as exhibiting its extensive portfolio of products on the stand, there will be a live design studio. The I Holland team will demonstrate how they design and develop tablets and tablet tooling which incorporate important features to prevent production problems such as sticking. Using rapid prototyping, the design will be transformed from a 3D model to a 3D printed prototype within hours allowing visitors to see how the finished product would look and even take away their newly designed tablet with them.