This document summarizes common defects that can occur during tablet manufacturing such as capping, lamination, sticking, picking, mottling, chipping, binding in the die, embossing, low tensile strength, and weight variation. For each defect, the document outlines the causes and how to prevent the defect from occurring. The document provides references for additional information on tablet defects that can be avoided.

1. 1
Course title: Industrial Pharmacy-I
Course code: 612-T
Course In-charge: Ms. Ayesha Kiran

2. 2

3. 3 3
1
Capping is the removal or
separation of the top or the
bottom of a compressed tablet
from the main body of the tablet.
This can occur during ejection from
the tablet die or during subsequent
operations, such as coating,
packing, or shipment.
CAPPING

4. Lamination on the other hand is the
transverse cracking and separation
of the compressed tablet into two
or more layers. It is when cracks
form within the body of the
compact, resulting in the tablet
splitting apart into layers
LAMINATION
2
4

5. CAUSES OF CAPPING AND LAMINATION

6. HOW DO YOU SOLVE IT:

7. 7
In some instances, a small amount of the
compact material may stick to the tooling
surfaces’ faces and is referred to as
sticking.
As compacts are repeatedly made in this
station of tooling, the problem gets worse
as more and more material gets added to
that already stuck to the punch face. The
problem tends to be more prevalent on
upper punches.
3
STICKING

8. CAUSES OF STICKING
HOW TO PREVENT STICKING
dwell time

9. 9
Picking happens when a part of the
tablet gets sticks to the punch
surface and gets eroded from the
tablet surface. It is a more specific
term that describes product sticking
within the letters, logos, or designs
on the punch faces.
PICKING
4

10. CAUSES OF PICKING
HOW TO PREVENT PICKING

11. This is typically seen with colored
granules. Mottling is defined as an
unequal distribution of color on a
tablet with light and dark areas.
Mottling/ Mottled
appearance
5
11

12. CAUSES OF MOTTLING
HOW TO PREVENT MOTTLING

13. Sometimes compacts after leaving the press, or
during subsequent handling and coating
operations, are found to have small chips missing
from their edges. This fault is described as
“chipping” and, in addition to the obvious
formulation deficiencies, may be caused by
compaction conditions which make too soft (low
mechanical strength) or too brittle tablets.
6
CHIPPING
13

14. CAUSES OF CHIPPING
HOW TO PREVENT CHIPPING

15. This is characterized by excessive
side scraping of the die with the
compact ejection forces being
high, with the resulting compact
edges being rough and scored.
BINDING IN THE DIE
7
15

16. CAUSES OF BINDING IN THE DIE
HOW TO PREVENT BINDING IN THE DIE

17. This is the imprint or spur
line on the tablet not being
clear.
8
EMBOSSING
17

18. CAUSES OF EMBOSSING
HOW TO PREVENT EMBOSSING

19. The higher the compaction pressure then the denser the compact will be,
and hence the higher the resulting tensile strength of the compact.
Consequently, too low a compaction pressure will lead to low tensile
strength or “soft” and crumbly compacts.
LOW TENSILE STRENGTH
9
19

20. CAUSES Of LOW TENSILE STRENGTH
The over lubrication can be caused by:
• Too high an initial level of the lubricant,
• Excessive shear during the lubrication stage,
• Excessive lubrication time.
An additional cause can be the weakening of the inter granular bonds by air entrapment,
even when this is not sufficient to cause capping.

21. Poor weight uniformity is usually due to
poor die filling.
This can be due to either poor flow
characteristics of the granule, or due to
inadequate filling mechanisms on the
compression machine.
9
WEIGHT VARIATION
21

22. • Granules or powders that are too large, too fine or contain a large proportion of fine material,
or are incorrectly lubricated or have components with widely differing densities or sizes, may all
contribute to weight variation.
• If it is due to poor granule flow then the addition of glidants, such as silica or talc, can be
employed.
• Some particles may acquire a frictional electrostatic charge when handled and this mutual
repulsion of the particles and may be sufficient to impede die filling.
• Talc (at up to 1%) or sodium lauryl sulphate (at up to 2%) are substances which have been used
to reduce this charging and which can also have lubricant and anti-adherent properties.
• Lubricants, such as magnesium stearate, may or may not promote granule flow, depending on
the level at which they are used higher levels tending to impede flow.

23. https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/articles/common-tablet-defects-
that-can-be-avoided-easily
https://pharmaeducation.net/manufacturing-defects-of-tablets/
https://www.pharmapproach.com/common-tablet-defects-causes-
and-remedies/
REFERENCES

24. Neal Creative ©
THANK YOU