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The two-piece capsule is a visual shorthand for all types of medical remedies. Advances in technology have made the production of hard-gelatin capsules a convenient delivery method for drugs and other ingested substances. But the simple solution requires micrometric precision to be manufactured to the proper pharmaceutical standards.

Which hard gelatin capsules equipment do you need?

R&D semi-automatic capsule filler

Semi-automatic filling machine suitable to open, fill and close empty hard gelatin capsul...

R&D hard gelatin capsule sealing machine

When encapsulating products at temperatures up to + 80°C, these tend to solidify a...

Semi-automatic capsule filler

Hard gelatin capsules are a popular format for delivering a wide variety of pharmaceutical dos...

Entry-level blister machine

A start-up solution for contract packing and generics manufacturing with an easy-to-get upgrade ...

R&D automatic capsule filler

Automatic capsule filling machine for powders, pellets, tablets, mini-tablets, capsule in capsu...

R&D capsule orientater

A semi-automatic orienter for capsules with an output speed up to 6000 capsules.

R&D electronic counter for capsules and tablets

This machine has been designed to offer an ever-precise and reliable count...

High-sensitivity metal detection system

Highly efficient metal detector with enhanced quality control and reporting capabil...

Checkweigher

A check weigher that is equipped with high speed/high accuracy force balance load cell. It meets stringent accura...

Checkweigher for capsules

The new interactive indicator unit allows for even easier use. High-rigidity weighcells have been ...

Easy to validate capsule filler

Staying competitive in today's highly dynamic and highly regulated pharmaceutical production...

High-yield capsule filler

Pharmaceutical manufacturers require maximum yield from their encapsulation process for efficient ...

Automatic capsule filler

Capsule filling should be a worry-step in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturing.  The right...

Contained capsule filler

For pharmaceutical formulations that are highly active specialized capsule filling equipment is ofte...

Automatic laboratory capsule filler

Innovators in the highly regulated and highly dynamic pharmaceutical market place need ...

Automatic capsule filler for liquid solutions

Use of liquid filled hard capsules is increasingly popular with today's phar...

Laboratory capsule filler for liquid solutions

A recent important change in the industry is the trend toward providing liq...

Industrial capsule checkweigher

Pharmaceutical manufacturing demands the highest quality standards and completely consistent...

Versatile weight sorter for tablets & capsules

Saving costs and improved production e...

Entry level capsule filler

For the production of pharmaceutical doses in capsule form comple...

Scale up capsule filler

For higher production volumes of pharmaceutical capsules, speed, accu...

High capacity capsule filler

In the highest volume pharmaceutical production environments, c...

Capsule checkweigher

The production of pharmaceutical capsules requires that individual doses...

High capacity weight sorter for tablets & capsules

By employing a weight sorter that ...

Serialization coding and labeling equipment

In the pharmaceutical industry, product serial...

Stand-alone aggregation station

The aggregation of pharmaceutical products for tracking purp...

Automatic filling line for solid doses

For medium-scale production of solid doses such as tablets, capsules, and softgels t...

Electronic capsule counter

For lab work or small batch production, hand counting of solid doses into dispensing containers i...

Semi-automatic case packer

Pharmaceutical products require complete traceability throughout the production cycle. For smalle...

Metal detector for tablets and capsules

Identification of metallic contaminants is a vital part of pharmaceutical quality c...

Metal detector for bottles

For metal contamination detection in finished products that are bottled, traditional solutions re...

Tablet counting machine

Production of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms usually require complete accuracy, flexibility, and c...

Pharmaceutical bottle unscrambler

Pharmaceutical packaging industry requires the ability to quickly manage the process yet ...

Dessicant inserting machine

Desiccant canisters play an important role in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. T...

Lifter and De-duster for Tablets

The use of several different tools for lifting, de-dusting, and polishing in the pharmaceut...

High Speed Visual Inspection System for Tablets

In order to ensure quality and standard specifications of tablets, capsule...

High speed bottle filler with inspection

Medicines in tablet, capsule, or soft gel forms undergo various processes before r...

Effective Visual Inspection System for Capsules

The attribute of capsule packing is a critical parameter that controls the...

Contained Visual Inspection System

In the medicine industry, it is important to ensure there are no defects in tablets or c...

Cold forming aluminum blister machine for capsules

Aluminum blisters are mainly used for packaging products that are sens...

Blister inspection system

The pharma and healthcare industries widely use blister thermoforming machines to package a variet...

Flat carton serialization station

The packaging lines in the pharmaceutical industry handle several flat cartons. Manual pa...

Pharmaceutical data management software

A typical pharmaceutical production handles numerous work flow activities like mana...

Serialization and aggregation inspection system

Including serialization and aggregation inspection systems to packaging li...

Entry-level X-ray inspection system

Without compromising on performance, if you need an entry level x-ray inspection system...
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Stories about Hard gelatin capsules

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Tell us about your production challenge

When selecting production equipment for a production plant, it is important to talk to someone with experience in your field. Our industry experts have experience with various industrial applications. We’d love to help you!
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Dosing accuracy is key to manufacturing hard gelatin capsules

The bright colors that hard-gel capsules are synonymous with come from dyes and edible colorings. However, the main ingredients of the shell are gelatin and plasticizers, which combine at a typical ratio of 1:0.4 using precise dosage technology.

Compared with softgel capsules, the hard gelatin alternatives require fewer components to produce. But your standard formula will also include sugars, an opacifier, and preservatives.

Hygroscopic ingredients weaken the hard-shell structure

The flexibility of hard-gel caps and their relatively long shelf-life make them an ideal solution for the delivery of various drugs. Two-piece capsules can hold a range of powder formulations, tablets, and semisolid solutions.

But hygroscopic agents may lead to cracks in the shell over time, making the production of hard gelatin capsules unsuitable for materials such as silicon dioxide and magnesium carbonate.

Production of hard gelatin capsules is largely impacted by the water content

The mixture to manufacture hard gelatin capsules consists of 14% to 16% demineralized water. Achieving this delicate proportion is key to ensuring that your shells have the proper elasticity to hold their structure and protect the filling.

Too little water will result in brittle capsules, while too much of it risks destabilizing the drug content inside.

Plant-based gelatin alternatives follow the same manufacturing process

Gelatin has been the industry standard in manufacturing hard capsules for nearly a century. But currents drifting away from animal-based ingredients are spurring research into vegetarian alternatives. Substitute materials like starches and carrageenan can be handled with minor modifications to existing technology.

HPMC capsules have emerged as a prime contender to produce plant-based encapsulation formulas. An edible natural polymer, HPMC is made from plant-extracted cellulose.  Unlike gelatin, which is non-allergenic foodstuff, HPMC is considered an additive (E460).

Processing steps involved in hard-gelatin-capsules making

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