Find out about the options to vary the density of your extrudate and how this can help you to obtain a higher density, reduce dust and control the porosity of your product.

1. PRESENTATION BY
Variable Density Extrusion
The What? The How? The Why?
…. and how it might be useful for you…….
Dr Steve Robinson – Caleva Process Solutions -

2. 2
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Hot melt extrusion, compaction,
compounding extruders etc
Gear Extruders – High pressure, lowest heat
generation
Screen extruders - Lowest cost, highest
productivity, low pressure, limited flexibility
Screw driven Extruders – Most common,
highest level of flexibility

3. 3
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Hot melt extrusion, compaction,
compounding extruders etc
Gear Extruders – High pressure, lowest heat
generation
Screen extruders - Lowest cost, highest
productivity, low pressure, limited flexibility
Screw driven Extruders – Most common,
highest level of flexibility

4. 4
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Hot melt
extrusion,
compaction,
compounding
extruders etc
• Hot melt
Extruders
• Exact
temperature
control
• Multiple
abilities
• Specialized
and very
high cost

5. 5
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Gear
Extruders
• Not very
common.
• Used for
products that
are heat
sensitive
and need high
pressure.

6. 6
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Gear
Extruders
• Not very
common.
• Used for
products that
are heat
sensitive
and need high
pressure.

7. 7
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Screen extruders –
Lowest cost and highest
productivity with low
pressure but limited flexibility
• Efficient
• Lowest cost
• Least flexible
• Screens are consumable

8. 8
Extrusion technology?
Varied, sophisticated, complex – a huge subject!!!
Screen extruders - Lowest cost, highest
productivity, low pressure, limited flexibility
 Efficient
 Lowest cost
 Least flexible

9. 9
Bench-Top Screw Driven Extruder
Axial
configuration
Radial
configuration

10. 10
Caleva Variable Density Extruder
Axial
configuration
Radial
configuration
It does not look very different!

11. 11
The Caleva Variable Density Extruder
When you are developing pellets would it be useful
to you if you could …..
1. Modify the porosity of your pellets?
2. Modify your pellet dissolution profiles?
3. Make your pellets more uniform?
4. Increase drug loading in your single dose unit?
5. Look at the effect on product cohesion (Look
at the effect of physical stability)
6. Look at the effect on Chemical Stability

12. 12
The Caleva Variable Density Extruder
When you are developing pellets would it be useful
to you if you could …..
1. Modify the porosity of your pellets?
2. Modify your pellet dissolution profiles?
3. Make your pellets more uniform?
4. Increase drug loading in your single dose unit?
5. Look at rhe effect on product cohesion (Look
at the effect of physical stability)
6. Look at the effect on Chemical Stability
Use the optimum extrusion
density for your formulation?
You can have higher chances
of success!

13. 13
The Caleva Variable Density Extruder
You may use the variable density
extruder to :-
Expand the number of options you can examine
during your formulation development process
1. Generate a greater chance for your formulation
to be successful
2. Boost the active material content in your unit
dose for clinical trial samples
3. Give your customers (or your boss!)
confidence in your development program

14. 14
The Caleva VDE
Highly efficient in axial – radial generally
not taken

15. 15
Variable Density … How?
Variable density dies
• All other extruders can vary die
hole diameter only
• Caleva can offer dies with variable
hole diameter and depth
• Diameter from 0.5 mm to 8.00
mm.
Depth from 0.5 mm to 24 mm
Increments of 0.5 mm
Typical VDE die with holes 1 mm
diameter and 1 mm deep in a 4
mm thick plate

16. Variable Density … How?
Variable density dies
• All other extruders can vary die
hole diameter only
• Caleva can offer dies with variable
hole diameter and depth
• Diameter from 0.5 mm to 8.00
mm.
Depth from 0.5 mm to 24 mm
Increments of 0.5 mm
Typical VDE die with holes 1 mm
diameter and 4 mm deep in a 4
mm thick plate

17. Other options for other
industries
Dies with other configurations…
Typical VDE die with holes 7 mm
diameter and 20 mm deep in a
20 mm thick plate

18. 18
What about scale up to production?
Die hole diameter 0.5 mm

19. 19
What about scale up to production?
Flexibility and options that other
extruders do not offer

20. 20
What can we offer with the VDE?
1. Increased flexibility in your work
2. Increase the chances of being successful in your development
3. Direct scale up available if required in future
Remember:
• The decision for the future must be taken before purchase and then
decision will be difficult to change once the equipment is purchased.
• Make the decision to have all your options available for your
development work.
• Do you want to need it at some point in the future and not have it.

21. Researcher and Teacher
Strasbourg University (France)
“The Variable Density Extruder
does all that I want it to do for my
research and my student
teaching. Thank you for great
service and support.“